Installing Python 2.4

Uninstalling Python 2.3

Before performing any installations/uninstallations, make sure you make a backup copy of your own programs in case anything important is accidentally deleted.

If you currently have Python 2.3 installed, we recommend that you first uninstall that version before installing Python 2.4. Installing Python 2.4 will still work even without uninstalling 2.3, but as soon as you install 2.4, the registry will then be changed to point to python.exe in the 2.4 directory. However, certain files such as an old IPython script may still be invoking Python 2.3, which may behave differently so that what may normally work in 2.4 may crash in 2.3 and cause much confusion. To avoid such issues, it is strongly advised that Python 2.3 as well as the IPython program that calls version 2.3 be uninstalled before installing 2.4.

  1. Go to Control Panel and select Add or Remove Programs
  2. Select the Python 2.3 item and click on Remove
  3. Scroll through the list of programs and remove each Python 2.3 package that has been installed such as Python 2.3 matplotlib or Python 2.3 scipy by selecting it and clicking on Change/Remove
  4. The directory C:\Python23\ will still exist, so it is recommended that that directory be deleted to avoid confusion (make sure any code you have in there is backed up before deleting the directory!!!)
  5. Remove any shortcuts to Python 2.3 or IPython that may still be under the Start menu.

Installing Python 2.4

There are a few different sites with Windows installers for Python 2.4. Unfortunately, none of them include anything more than the minimal, basic packages, so we will need to install several additional packages to have any non-trivial functionality. We will be using the installer distributed by ActiveState.

Installation order

Some packages require that certain other packages be installed first, so the order of installation should be followed closely according to the list below. All the files are executables, so you will only need to double-click on them once they are downloaded; no other actions are necessary.

If you choose to download Python files from developers' websites rather than from this web site, please make sure you download the version for Python 2.4 and NOT for Python 2.3!

  1. ActiveState ActivePython
    Download the file here or visit the developer's website to check for the latest distribution

  2. PyWin32...for IPython support
    Download the file here or visit the developer's website to check for the latest distribution

  3. CTypes...for IPython support
    Download the file here or visit the developer's website to check for the latest distribution

  4. Readline...for IPython support
    Download the file here or visit the developer's website to check for the latest distribution

  5. IPython...highly functional interactive Python shell
    Download the file here or visit the developer's website to check for the latest distribution

  6. matplotlib...2-D plotting
    Download the file here or visit the developer's website to check for the latest distribution

  7. VPython...3-D graphics
    Download the file here or visit the developer's website to check for the latest distribution

  8. scipy...scientific computing tools
    Download the file here or visit the developer's website to check for the latest distribution

  9. numpy...arrays, basic linear algebra, basic Fourier transforms
    Download the file here or visit the developer's website to check for the latest distribution

  10. ScientificPython...additional advanced scientific computing tools
    Download the file here or visit the developer's website to check for the latest distribution

  11. PIL...Python Imaging Library...image processing and graphics
    Download the file here or visit the developer's website to check for the latest distribution

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