Ubuntu – Could not find platform independent libraries

python

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Get:1 http://us-east-1.ec2.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main python3 amd64 3.4.0-0ubuntu2 [8,666 B]
Fetched 8,666 B in 0s (53.3 kB/s)
Setting up base-files (7.2ubuntu5.5) ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/issue ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/issue.net ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/lsb-release ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/os-release ...
Processing triggers for plymouth-theme-ubuntu-text (0.8.8-0ubuntu17.1) ...
Could not find platform independent libraries <prefix>
Could not find platform dependent libraries <exec_prefix>
Consider setting $PYTHONHOME to <prefix>[:<exec_prefix>]
Fatal Python error: Py_Initialize: Unable to get the locale encoding
ImportError: No module named 'encodings'
Aborted (core dumped)
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.103ubuntu4.2) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-74-generic
(Reading database ... 126647 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../python3_3.4.0-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb ...
Could not find platform independent libraries <prefix>
Could not find platform dependent libraries <exec_prefix>
Consider setting $PYTHONHOME to <prefix>[:<exec_prefix>]
Fatal Python error: Py_Initialize: Unable to get the locale encoding
ImportError: No module named 'encodings'
Aborted (core dumped)
dpkg: warning: subprocess old pre-removal script returned error exit status 134
dpkg: trying script from the new package instead ...
Could not find platform independent libraries <prefix>
Could not find platform dependent libraries <exec_prefix>
Consider setting $PYTHONHOME to <prefix>[:<exec_prefix>]
Fatal Python error: Py_Initialize: Unable to get the locale encoding
ImportError: No module named 'encodings'
Aborted (core dumped)
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/python3_3.4.0-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 134
Could not find platform independent libraries <prefix>
Could not find platform dependent libraries <exec_prefix>
Consider setting $PYTHONHOME to <prefix>[:<exec_prefix>]
Fatal Python error: Py_Initialize: Unable to get the locale encoding
ImportError: No module named 'encodings'
Aborted (core dumped)
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 134
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Best Answer

The issue is probably due to multiple python installations in your system. You have two variables PYTHONPATH and PYTHONHOME. The py3compile module looks up different resources using these two variables. The PYTHONPATH variable augments the default search path for module files. PYTHONHOME is used for standard python libraries. The format is the same as the shell’s PATH. You need to set these variables as follows: 

export PYTHONPATH='/path/to/pythondir:/path/to/pythondir/lib-dynload:/path/to/pythondir/site-packages'
export PYTHONHOME='/path/to/pythondir'
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