[ERROR] Failed to launch '\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python313\python.exe' (0x80070002)

[voltagex]

Install source and version

• Installed from the Windows Store
• Installed with the MSIX from python.org
• Installed with the MSI from python.org
• Installed with winget install 9NQ7512CXL7T

Version:

Describe the bug
A clear and concise description of what the bug is.
After uninstalling python 3.13.7 and installing the Python Install Manager, py help works but py does not. There's nothing other than Python Install Manager in "Installed Apps"

PS C:\Users\Adam> py list
Tag      Name                  Managed By  Version  Alias
-- No runtimes. Use 'py install <version>' to install one. --

* These runtimes were found, but cannot be updated or uninstalled. *
3.13  *  Python 3.13 (64-bit)  PythonCore  3.13.5

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. I'm not actually sure, sorry - I did install the manager before removing 3.13.7 and there seems to have been a leftover launcher from 3.13.5 as well. Python was originally installed using PatchMyPC Home Updater but tto the

Expected behavior
py tells me there's nothing installed, or something

Additional context
If you have log files (check your %TEMP% directory!), drag-and-drop them here to include them.

Python 3.13.7 (64-bit)_20250920172522_008_core_AllUsers.log
python_first_run_20250920172456_45224.log

[voltagex]

procmon tells me C:\Users\Adam\AppData\Local\Temp\python_list_20250920173607_26768.log is being created, but it seems like it's being removed before I can get to it

[voltagex]

Seems like the following registry entry wasn't cleaned up properly at some point

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Python]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Python\PythonCore]
"DisplayName"="Python Software Foundation"
"SupportUrl"="https://www.python.org/"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Python\PythonCore\3.13]
"DisplayName"="Python 3.13 (64-bit)"
"SupportUrl"="https://www.python.org/"
"Version"="3.13.5"
"SysVersion"="3.13"
"SysArchitecture"="64bit"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Python\PythonCore\3.13\Help]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Python\PythonCore\3.13\Help\Main Python Documentation]
@="C:\\Users\\Adam\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python313\\Doc\\html\\index.html"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Python\PythonCore\3.13\Idle]
@="C:\\Users\\Adam\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python313\\Lib\\idlelib\\idle.pyw"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Python\PythonCore\3.13\IdleShortcuts]
@=dword:00000001

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Python\PythonCore\3.13\InstalledFeatures]
"Shortcuts"="3.13.5150.0"
"exe"="3.13.5150.0"
"dev"="3.13.5150.0"
"lib"="3.13.5150.0"
"test"="3.13.5150.0"
"doc_shortcut"="3.13.5150.0"
"doc"="3.13.5150.0"
"tcltk"="3.13.5150.0"
"pip"="3.13.5150.0"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Python\PythonCore\3.13\InstallPath]
@="C:\\Users\\Adam\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python313\\"
"ExecutablePath"="C:\\Users\\Adam\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python313\\python.exe"
"WindowedExecutablePath"="C:\\Users\\Adam\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python313\\pythonw.exe"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Python\PythonCore\3.13\PythonPath]
@="C:\\Users\\Adam\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python313\\Lib\\;C:\\Users\\Adam\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python313\\DLLs\\"

I reckon if you import this to another machine or Windows Sandbox it would reproduce the issue.

After deleting the keys, everything works as expected.

py list
Tag      Name                  Managed By  Version  Alias
-- No runtimes. Use 'py install <version>' to install one. --

* These runtimes were found, but cannot be updated or uninstalled. *
3.13  *  Python 3.13 (64-bit)  PythonCore  3.13.5
PS C:\Users\Adam> py list
Tag     Name  Managed By  Version  Alias
-- No runtimes. Use 'py install <version>' to install one. --
PS C:\Users\Adam> py aaa
********************************************************************************
Installing Python 3.14.0rc3.
Extracting: ...................................................................✅
Installing Python 3.14.0rc3.
Preserving C:\Users\Adam\AppData\Local\Python\pythoncore-3.14-64\Lib\site-packages during update as C:\Users\Adam\AppData\Local\Python\_pythoncore-3.14-64\0.
Extracting: ...................................................................✅
Restoring C:\Users\Adam\AppData\Local\Python\pythoncore-3.14-64\Lib\site-packages from C:\Users\Adam\AppData\Local\Python\_pythoncore-3.14-64\0 after update.
To see all available commands, run 'py help'
********************************************************************************

[gitandy]

Hi, I had the same issue after automatic update to pymanager 25b15.
Neither python nor python3 could be called via path. A direct execution worked.
Also a call to python3.13 worked fine.
This happend only on my Win11 machine. On the Win 10 machine it worked fine.

[zooba]

Seems like the following registry entry wasn't cleaned up properly at some point

Ah, yeah, this is a known issue with the old installer that we could never manage to diagnose. It's being "fixed" by deprecation, so I'll close this as "not needed".

Neither python nor python3 could be called via path. A direct execution worked.

@gitandy This doesn't necessarily sound like the same issue. Could you create a new bug with more details, please?

[zyphlar]

I wasted dozens of hours chasing my tail with this as the root cause. Deleting these old registry entries should maybe be a first step (automatic step?) and not the one I find after days of desperation?