Python – Can’t Install psutil

bashpsutilpythonterminalzsh

Can someone help me understand why I can't install psutil? I'm on MacOS. I'm a noob so bear with me, but any help would be appreciated. Could it be something to do with the default Python install vs v3 that I installed? I'm new to command line so confused about what is causing the error and how to fix it…

This is the error message I get…

kasey@MacBook-Pro ~ % pip3 install psutil
DEPRECATION: Python 2.7 reached the end of its life on January 1st, 2020. Please upgrade your Python as Python 2.7 is no longer maintained. A future version of pip will drop support for Python 2.7. More details about Python 2 support in pip, can be found at https://pip.pypa.io/en/latest/development/release-process/#python-2-support
Defaulting to user installation because normal site-packages is not writeable
Collecting psutil
  Downloading psutil-5.7.0.tar.gz (449 kB)
     |████████████████████████████████| 449 kB 150 kB/s
Building wheels for collected packages: psutil
  Building wheel for psutil (setup.py) ... error
  ERROR: Command errored out with exit status 1:
   command: /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Resources/Python.app/Contents/MacOS/Python -u -c 'import sys, setuptools, tokenize; sys.argv[0] = '"'"'/private/var/folders/4h/g406694s1hb_rc1vwchcn08c0000gn/T/pip-install-HsBPVK/psutil/setup.py'"'"'; __file__='"'"'/private/var/folders/4h/g406694s1hb_rc1vwchcn08c0000gn/T/pip-install-HsBPVK/psutil/setup.py'"'"';f=getattr(tokenize, '"'"'open'"'"', open)(__file__);code=f.read().replace('"'"'\r\n'"'"', '"'"'\n'"'"');f.close();exec(compile(code, __file__, '"'"'exec'"'"'))' bdist_wheel -d /private/var/folders/4h/g406694s1hb_rc1vwchcn08c0000gn/T/pip-wheel-dsejsf
       cwd: /private/var/folders/4h/g406694s1hb_rc1vwchcn08c0000gn/T/pip-install-HsBPVK/psutil/
  Complete output (43 lines):
  running bdist_wheel
  running build
  running build_py
  creating build
  creating build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7
  creating build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
  copying psutil/_pswindows.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
  copying psutil/_common.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
  copying psutil/__init__.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
  copying psutil/_psosx.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
  copying psutil/_psbsd.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
  copying psutil/_psaix.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
  copying psutil/_pslinux.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
  copying psutil/_compat.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
  copying psutil/_psposix.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
  copying psutil/_pssunos.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
  creating build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/test_contracts.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/test_connections.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/runner.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/test_unicode.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/test_misc.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/test_posix.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/test_linux.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/test_sunos.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/__init__.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/test_aix.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/test_process.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/test_bsd.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/test_system.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/test_osx.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/test_memory_leaks.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/test_windows.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  copying psutil/tests/__main__.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
  running build_ext
  building 'psutil._psutil_osx' extension
  creating build/temp.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7
  creating build/temp.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
  creating build/temp.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/arch
  creating build/temp.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/arch/osx
  cc -fno-strict-aliasing -fno-common -dynamic -g -Os -pipe -fno-common -fno-strict-aliasing -fwrapv -DENABLE_DTRACE -DMACOSX -DNDEBUG -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -Wshorten-64-to-32 -iwithsysroot /usr/local/libressl/include -DNDEBUG -g -fwrapv -Os -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -DENABLE_DTRACE -arch x86_64 -pipe -DPSUTIL_POSIX=1 -DPSUTIL_SIZEOF_PID_T=4 -DPSUTIL_VERSION=570 -DPSUTIL_OSX=1 -I/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/include/python2.7 -c psutil/_psutil_common.c -o build/temp.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/_psutil_common.o
  xcrun: error: invalid active developer path (/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools), missing xcrun at: /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/bin/xcrun
  error: command 'cc' failed with exit status 1
  ----------------------------------------
  ERROR: Failed building wheel for psutil
  Running setup.py clean for psutil
Failed to build psutil
Installing collected packages: psutil
    Running setup.py install for psutil ... error
    ERROR: Command errored out with exit status 1:
     command: /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Resources/Python.app/Contents/MacOS/Python -u -c 'import sys, setuptools, tokenize; sys.argv[0] = '"'"'/private/var/folders/4h/g406694s1hb_rc1vwchcn08c0000gn/T/pip-install-HsBPVK/psutil/setup.py'"'"'; __file__='"'"'/private/var/folders/4h/g406694s1hb_rc1vwchcn08c0000gn/T/pip-install-HsBPVK/psutil/setup.py'"'"';f=getattr(tokenize, '"'"'open'"'"', open)(__file__);code=f.read().replace('"'"'\r\n'"'"', '"'"'\n'"'"');f.close();exec(compile(code, __file__, '"'"'exec'"'"'))' install --record /private/var/folders/4h/g406694s1hb_rc1vwchcn08c0000gn/T/pip-record-O5uazE/install-record.txt --single-version-externally-managed --user --prefix= --compile --install-headers /Users/kasey/Library/Python/2.7/include/python2.7/psutil
         cwd: /private/var/folders/4h/g406694s1hb_rc1vwchcn08c0000gn/T/pip-install-HsBPVK/psutil/
    Complete output (43 lines):
    running install
    running build
    running build_py
    creating build
    creating build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7
    creating build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
    copying psutil/_pswindows.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
    copying psutil/_common.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
    copying psutil/__init__.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
    copying psutil/_psosx.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
    copying psutil/_psbsd.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
    copying psutil/_psaix.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
    copying psutil/_pslinux.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
    copying psutil/_compat.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
    copying psutil/_psposix.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
    copying psutil/_pssunos.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
    creating build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_contracts.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_connections.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/runner.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_unicode.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_misc.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_posix.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_linux.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_sunos.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/__init__.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_aix.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_process.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_bsd.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_system.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_osx.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_memory_leaks.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_windows.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/__main__.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/tests
    running build_ext
    building 'psutil._psutil_osx' extension
    creating build/temp.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7
    creating build/temp.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil
    creating build/temp.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/arch
    creating build/temp.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/arch/osx
    cc -fno-strict-aliasing -fno-common -dynamic -g -Os -pipe -fno-common -fno-strict-aliasing -fwrapv -DENABLE_DTRACE -DMACOSX -DNDEBUG -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -Wshorten-64-to-32 -iwithsysroot /usr/local/libressl/include -DNDEBUG -g -fwrapv -Os -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -DENABLE_DTRACE -arch x86_64 -pipe -DPSUTIL_POSIX=1 -DPSUTIL_SIZEOF_PID_T=4 -DPSUTIL_VERSION=570 -DPSUTIL_OSX=1 -I/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/include/python2.7 -c psutil/_psutil_common.c -o build/temp.macosx-10.15-x86_64-2.7/psutil/_psutil_common.o
    xcrun: error: invalid active developer path (/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools), missing xcrun at: /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/bin/xcrun
    error: command 'cc' failed with exit status 1
    ----------------------------------------
ERROR: Command errored out with exit status 1: /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Resources/Python.app/Contents/MacOS/Python -u -c 'import sys, setuptools, tokenize; sys.argv[0] = '"'"'/private/var/folders/4h/g406694s1hb_rc1vwchcn08c0000gn/T/pip-install-HsBPVK/psutil/setup.py'"'"'; __file__='"'"'/private/var/folders/4h/g406694s1hb_rc1vwchcn08c0000gn/T/pip-install-HsBPVK/psutil/setup.py'"'"';f=getattr(tokenize, '"'"'open'"'"', open)(__file__);code=f.read().replace('"'"'\r\n'"'"', '"'"'\n'"'"');f.close();exec(compile(code, __file__, '"'"'exec'"'"'))' install --record /private/var/folders/4h/g406694s1hb_rc1vwchcn08c0000gn/T/pip-record-O5uazE/install-record.txt --single-version-externally-managed --user --prefix= --compile --install-headers /Users/kasey/Library/Python/2.7/include/python2.7/psutil Check the logs for full command output.

Best Answer

This happens when you have multiple versions installed (as for me, I had python 3.5 along with 3.7 installed), you have to specify a granular version, like so (for 3.7):

sudo apt-get install python3.7-dev -y

Python 2.7.9+ and 3.4+

Good news! Python 3.4 (released March 2014) and Python 2.7.9 (released December 2014) ship with Pip. This is the best feature of any Python release. It makes the community's wealth of libraries accessible to everyone. Newbies are no longer excluded from using community libraries by the prohibitive difficulty of setup. In shipping with a package manager, Python joins Ruby, Node.js, Haskell, Perl, Go—almost every other contemporary language with a majority open-source community. Thank you, Python.

If you do find that pip is not available when using Python 3.4+ or Python 2.7.9+, simply execute e.g.:

py -3 -m ensurepip

Of course, that doesn't mean Python packaging is problem solved. The experience remains frustrating. I discuss this in the Stack Overflow question Does Python have a package/module management system?.

And, alas for everyone using Python 2.7.8 or earlier (a sizable portion of the community). There's no plan to ship Pip to you. Manual instructions follow.

Python 2 ≤ 2.7.8 and Python 3 ≤ 3.3

Flying in the face of its 'batteries included' motto, Python ships without a package manager. To make matters worse, Pip was—until recently—ironically difficult to install.

Official instructions

Per https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/installing/#do-i-need-to-install-pip:

Download get-pip.py, being careful to save it as a .py file rather than .txt. Then, run it from the command prompt:

python get-pip.py

You possibly need an administrator command prompt to do this. Follow Start a Command Prompt as an Administrator (Microsoft TechNet).

This installs the pip package, which (in Windows) contains ...\Scripts\pip.exe that path must be in PATH environment variable to use pip from the command line (see the second part of 'Alternative Instructions' for adding it to your PATH,

Alternative instructions

The official documentation tells users to install Pip and each of its dependencies from source. That's tedious for the experienced and prohibitively difficult for newbies.

For our sake, Christoph Gohlke prepares Windows installers (.msi) for popular Python packages. He builds installers for all Python versions, both 32 and 64 bit. You need to:

For me, this installed Pip at C:\Python27\Scripts\pip.exe. Find pip.exe on your computer, then add its folder (for example, C:\Python27\Scripts) to your path (Start / Edit environment variables). Now you should be able to run pip from the command line. Try installing a package:

pip install httpie

There you go (hopefully)! Solutions for common problems are given below:

Proxy problems

If you work in an office, you might be behind an HTTP proxy. If so, set the environment variables http_proxy and https_proxy. Most Python applications (and other free software) respect these. Example syntax:

http://proxy_url:port
http://username:password@proxy_url:port

If you're really unlucky, your proxy might be a Microsoft NTLM proxy. Free software can't cope. The only solution is to install a free software friendly proxy that forwards to the nasty proxy. http://cntlm.sourceforge.net/

Unable to find vcvarsall.bat

Python modules can be partly written in C or C++. Pip tries to compile from source. If you don't have a C/C++ compiler installed and configured, you'll see this cryptic error message.

Error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat

You can fix that by installing a C++ compiler such as MinGW or Visual C++. Microsoft actually ships one specifically for use with Python. Or try Microsoft Visual C++ Compiler for Python 2.7.

Often though it's easier to check Christoph's site for your package.

Python – can’t pip install thesql-python

try downloading python-dev through software manager:

sudo apt-get install python-dev