ImportError: No module named _io in ubuntu 14.04

Question

I just fresh installed ubuntu 14.04LTS and i am trying to use pip but i am getting the following traceback:

(nlmanagement)psychok7@Ultrabook:~/code/work/nlmanagement$ pip freeze
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/psychok7/code/work/venv/nlmanagement/bin/pip", line 9, in <module>
    load_entry_point('pip==1.1', 'console_scripts', 'pip')()
  File "/home/psychok7/code/work/venv/nlmanagement/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/distribute-0.6.24-py2.7.egg/pkg_resources.py", line 337, in load_entry_point
    return get_distribution(dist).load_entry_point(group, name)
  File "/home/psychok7/code/work/venv/nlmanagement/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/distribute-0.6.24-py2.7.egg/pkg_resources.py", line 2279, in load_entry_point
    return ep.load()
  File "/home/psychok7/code/work/venv/nlmanagement/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/distribute-0.6.24-py2.7.egg/pkg_resources.py", line 1989, in load
    entry = __import__(self.module_name, globals(),globals(), ['__name__'])
  File "/home/psychok7/code/work/venv/nlmanagement/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/pip-1.1-py2.7.egg/pip/__init__.py", line 10, in <module>
    from pip.backwardcompat import walk_packages, console_to_str
  File "/home/psychok7/code/work/venv/nlmanagement/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/pip-1.1-py2.7.egg/pip/backwardcompat.py", line 77, in <module>
    from urllib2 import URLError, HTTPError
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/urllib2.py", line 94, in <module>
    import httplib
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/httplib.py", line 79, in <module>
    import mimetools
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/mimetools.py", line 6, in <module>
    import tempfile
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/tempfile.py", line 32, in <module>
    import io as _io
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/io.py", line 51, in <module>
    import _io
ImportError: No module named _io

any ideas?? i have tried sudo apt-get install python3-pip and sudo apt-get install python-pip

Answer 1

I had the same problem. This happened in Ubuntu - 14.04 and Virtual environment's Python version - 2.7.3

After spending a day in debugging, posting my answer here, hope it helps for future visitors.

I found that io.py is invoking _io module. I think _io module is internal to the interpreter, so, just replacing the python binary in the environment alone with the newer version should fix.

(In my case, Cloudera Manager 5.x Agent's virtualenv on ubuntu 14.04 was using python interpreter 2.7.3, replaced it with 2.7.6.

echo "Using " && python2.7 --version
mv myenv/bin/python myenv/bin/python.bak;
cp `which python2.7` myenv/bin/python

When a new virtualenv is created, it uses updated python binary from the system. Hence, that explains the accepted answer in the thread.

Answer 2

You don't need to delete the virtual environment.

Just follow these steps.

1. Let's say your virtual environment name is "mydev" and you are using virtualenvwrapper, do

   cd $WORKON_HOME
   virtualenv mydev
   

   The above command just upgrades the link to the python executable without losing any package. Without virtualenvwrapper, $WORKON_HOME might not be defined; then you need to change to the parent directory of the virtualenv.

2. outside virtualenv, if your pip is not working, then just

   easy_install pip
   

   will resolve the issue.

Answer 3

Your virtualenv became corrupt due to diffs in the Python system lib.

Best choice is to reinstall your virtualenv:

$ deactivate
$ rmvirtualenv nlmanagement
$ mkvirtualenv nlmanagement
$ pip install -r requirements.txt

Answer 4

This workaround applies to SuSE 12.2 Downloaded python and installed it with ./configure and make install to defult /usr/local folder

Installed pip and virtualenv

When trying to create python virtual env

*linux-t69c:/nkadic # virtualenv -p python venv2*
**ImportError: No module named _struct**
or (if manually setting PYTHONPATH)
**ImportError: No module named _io**

Here is the workaround:

Check default sys.path python (do not change default PYTHONPATH)

check if there are libs dir /usr/local/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload exists

if not, create symlink to existing lib64 path:

linux-t69c:/nkadic # ln -s /usr/local/lib64/python2.7/lib-dynload/  
/usr/local/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload
linux-t69c:/nkadic # ls -ltr /usr/local/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 39 Aug 12 21:06 /usr/local/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload -> 
/usr/local/lib64/python2.7/lib-dynload/

After this workaround "virtualenv -p python venv2" works

linux-t69c:/nkadic # virtualenv -p python venv2
Already using interpreter /usr/local/bin/python
PYTHONHOME is set.  You *must* activate the virtualenv before using it
New python executable in /nkadic/venv2/bin/python
Installing setuptools, pip, wheel...done.
linux-t69c:/nkadic # 

Answer 5

You have to replace the python version in your corrupted virtualenv.

Do this:

1. Create a new Virtualenv

   mkvirtualenv MyNewTestEnv
   

2. Locate "python" (in my case the virtualenvs are located in the home directory)

   cd ~/.virtualenvs/MyNewTestEnv/bin
   

3. Copy "python" from the new virtualenv into your corrupted virtualenv

   cp ~/.virtualenvs/MyNewTestEnv/bin/python ~/.virtualenvs/<yourCorruptedEnv>/bin
   

That's it. Now your CorruptedEnv should be fixed.

Answer 6

If you have installed different python versions. You must reference your python

virtualenv -p /usr/bin/python2.7 myenv

or

virtualenv -p /usr/bin/python3.x myenv