Error loading python27.dll error for pyinstaller

Question

I have successfully edited my spec file and added the folder with my data to it. It builds fine but it still can't access the data. WHen i try to run the compiled .exe i get this error: Error loading Python DLL: C:\Users\Sal\AppData\Local\Temp\_MEI60122\python27.dll (error code 126)

EDIT 1 - I still don't have this figured out my spec file looks like this:

a = Analysis(['Clock_In.py'],
 pathex=['C:\\Users\\Sal\\Desktop'],
 hiddenimports=[],
 hookspath=None,
 runtime_hooks=None)
a.datas += [('CO_time.pkl','CO_time.pkl', 'DATA')]
a.datas += [('hours.pkl','hours.pkl', 'DATA')]
a.datas += [('Obj_file.pkl','Obj_file.pkl', 'DATA')]
a.datas += [('weekly_hours_dict.pkl','weekly_hours_dict.pkl', 'DATA')]
pyz = PYZ(a.pure)
exe = EXE(pyz,
 a.datas,
 a.binaries, 
 a.scripts,
 exclude_binaries=True,
 name='Clock_In.exe',
 debug=False,
 strip=None,
 upx=True,
 console=True, 
 icon="C:\Users\Sal\Desktop\Raindropmemory-Legendora-BrokenSword.ico")
coll = COLLECT(exe,
 a.binaries,
 a.zipfiles,
 a.datas,
 strip=None,
 upx=True,
 **name='Clock_In')

EDIT 2

I am using 32-Bit python on a 64-bit OS(windows 8) and it has been brought to my attention that this could potentially be causing my issue, but still no solution.

EDIT 3

So i have just tried download 64-bit python and putting it in my system path. ran pyinstaller with my .spec file and still got the exact same error code! What is going on here! A curious detail though is that the icon="C:\Users\Sal\Desktop\Raindropmemory-Legendora-BrokenSword.ico") statement from spec file executed and updated the icon successfully, where as before it would not.

EDIT 4

This is the statement i have in my code for MEIPASS straight from the documentation.

if getattr(sys, 'frozen', False):
# we are running in a |PyInstaller| bundle
basedir = sys._MEIPASS
else:
# we are running in a normal Python environment
basedir = os.path.dirname(__file__)

Answer 1

I found same error after creating a standalone executable like this:

pyi-makespec.exe -F program.py
## Customize script.spec just created

and

pyinstaller.exe -F script.spec

so I needed to run the executable as administrator to solve it.

I don't know the reason because it wasn't my computer. I had done the process in mine first and worked like a charm but not there. Perhaps some security configuration or a weird installation of python or wxpython, but I add this solution here because I was looking for hours without success, and it's a simple task that can save you some time before trying more complex approaches.

• Macumbaomuerte: This worked for me, only when starting the console as admin, thanks.

Answer 2

You put that code snippet right at the top of the Python script you are turning into an executable - not in the spec and not in its own script. I found an example here:

https://shanetully.com/2013/08/cross-platform-deployment-of-python-applications-with-pyinstaller/

• After_Sunset: Thanks i can't tell if it helped or not but after adding i am now getting this Error loading Python DLL: C:\Users\Sal\AppData\Local\Temp\_MEI60122\python27.dll (error code 126) any clue about this?
• bmshort: What options are you giving to your call to pyinstaller? I believe you will need -F at a minimum - see stackoverflow.com/questions/19225132/… -- but double-check the manual to see if you require other flags as well - pythonhosted.org/PyInstaller/#using-pyinstaller
• After_Sunset: I tried that it didn't do anything. I am using this: pyinstaller Clock_In.spec but still getting that same error code Error loading Python DLL: C:\Users\Sal\AppData\Local\Temp\_MEI60122\python27.dll (error code 126)
• After_Sunset: Just to be clear it compiles fine and all the necessary data files are there its when i try to click the .exe i get this.
• bmshort: Do you have Python in your path? Seems like it is having trouble locating it. I have also seen this when I had a 32-bit Python distro on a 64-bit os and it found python27.dll but for the wrong platform.

Answer 3

Having the same issue on python3.7 on windows 10.

Fixed this by adding --upx-exclude"vcruntime140.dll" option.

More info can be found here

• Rob: How does that fix the problem? Dont' just blurt out code. Explain yourself! stackoverflow.com/help/how-to-answer
• double: I found in this post mentioning Pyinstaller requires Visual C++ 2015, but I had 2017 version installed. There might be some issue with my VC++ file, this option is telling pyinstaller to skip the broken file while packing. Please follow the info I gave in the post if you're interested about the UPX packing.
• suit: works for me, thanks. Got similar error for python 3.6

Answer 4

I encountered the same issue, and finally find the reason is anti-virus software treat "python27.dll" as a trojan, and deleted it when exe try to load.

The problem is solved by add "...\AppData\Local\Temp\" to trusted zone.

Answer 5

One simple thing to do is to delete all the stuff in the following folder: C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Roaming\pyinstaller. I've fixed the issue after I cleaned this folder. Maybe also delete all the files which are created by Pyinstaller last time.