v5.0.0beta: Not working: Missing Python Runtime (search): despite manually setting the Python path (per "Allow users to specify Python executable path #19644"), Python cannot be found by qBittorrent

[realdevnullius]

qBittorrent & operating system versions

qBittorrent: 5.0.0 beta 1, LT20, x64
Operating system: Windows 11
Qt: 6

What is the problem?

This issue is hunting me on 1 PC for the longest time...

In regards to version 4: https://forum.qbittorrent.org/viewtopic.php?t=11055
In regards to version 5: https://forum.qbittorrent.org/viewtopic.php?t=11409

No matter what we tried, qBittorrent just won't find ANY Python installed, ever. And yes, I think I tried it all and that's why I went to v5 beta in the hopes that manually setting the Python path (finally!) would fix my issue.

It did not. So I made a bug report. Screenshots, steps taken, etc. are all in the forum threads.

Steps to reproduce

No steps, it always fails no matter what I try.

Additional context

See forum links please

Log(s) & preferences file(s)

I have no settings file I can upload. All I found were:
qbittorrent.ini
qbittorrent-data.ini
(empty) watched_folders.json
categories.json and an RSS folder.

I doubt there's anything of interest in it.

I have not been able to find a log file, though I posted console logs to the forum threads.

[Chocobo1]

You need to put the full path to python.exe in the "Python executable path" option. For example: C:\python_dir\python.exe

[realdevnullius]

You need to put the full path to python.exe in the "Python executable path" option. For example: C:\python_dir\python.exe

Thank you for catching that one.

Entering the full path, including the python.exe executable, DID NOT fix the problem.

qBT 4 and 5 still ask to install Python themselves, but after doing so it will still not find python.exe. Even worse, v5 is now constantly freezing and not responding at all (despite having qBittorrent.exe excluded from Sticky Password in its program settings)

Thank you!

https://snipboard.io/ls8uST.jpg

https://snipboard.io/GplZoh.jpg

`C:\Users\Gebruiker>python --version
Python 3.10.11

C:\Users\Gebruiker>where python
C:\Users\Gebruiker\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\python.exe
C:\Users\Gebruiker\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\python.exe`

From the LOG:
20-4-2024 13:46 - Failed to find Python executable. Path: "C:\Users\Gebruiker\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\python.exe".

[Chocobo1]

Entering the full path, including the python.exe executable, DID NOT fix the problem.

It indicates one thing: qbt couldn't access the executable for unknown reasons. Could be insufficient permission or something is blocking the access.

For the record, I couldn't reproduce the issue, it works for me.

[realdevnullius]

What reasons could there be? Running qBT as an admin makes no change. Disabling Avast AV makes no difference either. The OS finds it just fine, so does the installer used by qBT. But once it's installed, somehow qBT just can't see it. What else to look at? :(

[Balls0fSteel]

Try downloading a the "Embeddable package" from Python's website @realdevnullius . Extract it to like to your Documents folder (something writable, accessible) and give that .exe path to qB.

[realdevnullius]

Downloaded and extracted the embedded zip file to:
D:\python-3.12.3-embed-amd64

I entered that path statement in qB ("D:\python-3.12.3-embed-amd64\python.exe").

I restarted qB and clicked View...

Again, an installer prompt appears telling me that Python is not installed. Like, how!!? :( I just can't figure this out. Someone even built a custom qB 4 wallet with more log notifications but even that didn't teach us anything new. It just won't work on this specific PC :(

The installation prompt will run each time and the installer itself will recognize Python already installed and is done rather quickly (nothing to do!).

https://forum.qbittorrent.org/viewtopic.php?p=41675#p41675

[realdevnullius]

I also did this: #20392 (comment) (including 2 PC reboots and an uninstall with IObit Uninstaller). As expected: qB keeps behaving the same: Python is not found. It's maddening I tell ya!

[xavier2k6]

@realdevnullius Are you running Windows 11 via parallels desktop on mac or any other VM?

What does python --version display via command prompt? Just noticed it, in previous comment.

[realdevnullius]

@xavier2k6 thanks for the question: no, just regular Windows 11 on a regular Intel PC.

[xavier2k6]

@realdevnullius Under "Manage App Execution Aliases" Are python.exe / python3.exe on or off?

When installing did you select "Add Python 3.x to PATH"?

[glassez]

When installing did you select "Add Python 3.x to PATH"?

Author did set it in qBittorrent
preferences as absolute path so PATH variable doesn't matter.

[xavier2k6]

Edited #20737 (comment) to add images via github in case those links go down.

[realdevnullius]

@realdevnullius Under "Manage App Execution Aliases" Are python.exe / python3.exe on or off?

When installing did you select "Add Python 3.x to PATH"?

PATH:
No, and as mentioned it wouldn't be necessairy. But I did all those things when troubleshooting v4. It made no difference. Thanks!

C:\Windows\System32>echo %PATH% C:\Program Files\Python38\Scripts;C:\Program Files\Python38;C:\Users\Gebruiker\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310;C:\Users\Gebruiker\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH;C:\Program Files\dotnet;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\160\Tools\Binn;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\160\Tools\Binn;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Client SDK\ODBC\170\Tools\Binn;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\160\DTS\Binn;C:\Program Files\dotnet\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Client SDK\ODBC\170\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\160\DTS\Binn\;C:\Users\Gebruiker\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python39\;C:\Users\Gebruiker\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python39\Scripts;C:\Users\Gebruiker\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\Scripts;C:\Users\Gebruiker\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38\Scripts;C:\Users\Gebruiker\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Users\Gebruiker\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\bin