I have Python installed on my computer for a while now and everything worked fine. But today, I can't run it anymore:


    Fatal Python error: init_fs_encoding: failed to get the Python codec of the filesystem encoding
    Python runtime state: core initialized
    ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'encodings'

    Current thread 0x00007e84 (most recent call first):
    <no Python frame>


I have already tried to download the installer and use the "Repair" option, but even though the installation indicates that everything is fine, the error continue...

Attached is the complete terminal output:

https://pastebin.com/fcFZkUSV
https://pastebin.com/Nx9J4fPu

SO: Windows 10
Python Version: 3.8.0 (64 bits)

Thanks.

The most common cause of this error is the PYTHONPATH and PYTHONHOME environment variables.

You can see what environment variables are set by the "set" command.

* PYTHONHOME = (not set)
* PYTHONPATH = 'C:\Developing\Python;C:\Developing\Python\Scripts;C:\Developing\Python\Lib;C:\Developing\Python\Lib\site-packages;C:\Developing\Python\DLLs;'

-- I try to set the variable 'PYTHONHOME=C:\Developing\Python', but the same error appear!

Thanks

Where did you install the portion?

What is in the C:\Developing\Python and C:\Developing\Python\Lib?

What happen when you unset both environment variables?

Do you use any antivirus software?

"C:\Developing\Python" is where I installed Python, selecting it in the installer. This directory is where the binary 'python.exe' is located!
"C:\Developing\Python\Lib" have the folders:

idlelib
site-packages
test
tkinter
turtledemo

When I unset both variables, the same error occurs:

-----
Python path configuration:
  PYTHONHOME = (not set)
  PYTHONPATH = (not set)
  program name = 'python'
  isolated = 0
  environment = 1
  user site = 1
  import site = 1
  sys._base_executable = 'C:\\Developing\\Python\\python.exe'
  sys.base_prefix = ''
  sys.base_exec_prefix = ''
  sys.executable = 'C:\\Developing\\Python\\python.exe'
  sys.prefix = ''
  sys.exec_prefix = ''
  sys.path = [
    'C:\\Developing\\Python\\python38.zip',
    'C:\\Developing\\Python\\python-3.8.0.amd64\\Lib\\',
    'C:\\Developing\\Python\\python-3.8.0.amd64\\Lib\\lib-tk',
    'C:\\Developing\\Python\\python-3.8.0.amd64\\DLLs\\',
    'C:\\Developing\\Python',
  ]
Fatal Python error: init_fs_encoding: failed to get the Python codec of the filesystem encoding
Python runtime state: core initialized
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'encodings'

Current thread 0x000060e8 (most recent call first):
<no Python frame>
-----

There are other Python installations on my computer, embedded in other application installations (GIMP, etc ...), and these seem to be working normally. But they are all older versions of Python...
I haven't tried reinstalling again since I didn't want to have to reinstall all packages I currently have installed using 'pip'

Many files and directories in the "C:\Developing\Python\Lib" are disappeared.
I don't know why.  But since you tried clean install, I suppose your antivirus killed Python.

I don't tried clean install! I tried to use the option "Repair" from the installer.
Later I will try to completely uninstall and install from scratch.

In this folder ("C: \ Developing \ Python \ Lib") there are only the folders I have listed. No other files...

> * PYTHONPATH = 'C:\Developing\Python;C:\Developing\Python\Scripts;
> C:\Developing\Python\Lib;C:\Developing\Python\Lib\site-packages;
> C:\Developing\Python\DLLs;'

FYI, none of this should set here. For a standard configuration, the installation directory should never be in the PYTHONPATH environment variable -- including the standard library (Lib & DLLs), site-packages, and Scripts.

> I haven't tried reinstalling again since I didn't want to have to 
> reinstall all packages I currently have installed using 'pip'

The existing site-packages and Scripts directories should remain if you reinstall to "C:\Developing\Python". Either way, you don't really have a choice. The installation is broken.

> sys.path = [
>    'C:\\Developing\\Python\\python38.zip',
>    'C:\\Developing\\Python\\python-3.8.0.amd64\\Lib\\',
>    'C:\\Developing\\Python\\python-3.8.0.amd64\\Lib\\lib-tk',
>    'C:\\Developing\\Python\\python-3.8.0.amd64\\DLLs\\',
>    'C:\\Developing\\Python',

The subdirectory python-3.8.0.amd64 in the various paths above should not be present, and would not be in a normal clean Python installation. It appears that somehow your installation has been corrupted.

I would recommend a clean install. if that doesn't work, it's likely that some environment variables or registry paths in your system are set incorrectly (or at least, in ways the standard installation is not expecting).

Can you also confirm that the installation of Python was done with the standard Python installer from the python.org website, and is not another distribution (such as Anaconda)?

1) I tried to clear the value of the variable 'PYTHONPATH', and the error keeps happening!
2) In my installation directory, I don't have the file 'C:\Developing\Python\python38.zip', neither the directory 'C:\Developing\Python\python-3.8.0.amd64\'. I don't know why this message appears!
3) I use the installer from python.org (https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-380/), but I got the 64-bit installer!

I will try to do a clear install later.

Thanks

I reinstall python here from scratch and now is working. But I need to delete the remaining files after the uninstall. When I tried to uninstall and reinstall holding the existing directories (\Lib\site-packages), the installer fail to copy the missing files to the installation directory.

Thanks

I probably unintentionally deleted some necessary files here on my machine. I closed the issue and marked 'not a bug'.

Thanks