After installation on Windows7, 64bit Python 3.9.0b5 reports "api-ms-win-core-path-l1-1-0.dll" missing and doesn't start

[MartinBorus]

BPO	41412
Nosy	@pfmoore, @tjguk, @ambv, @zware, @eryksun, @zooba, @miss-islington
PRs	bpo-41412 and bpo-40948: Windows installer updates #21656 [3.9] bpo-41412 and bpo-40948: Windows installer updates (GH-21656) #21661

^{Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.}

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GitHub fields:

assignee = 'https://github.com/zooba'
closed_at = <Date 2020-09-14.23:58:26.352>
created_at = <Date 2020-07-27.17:07:35.310>
labels = ['3.10', 'deferred-blocker', 'OS-windows', 'type-crash', '3.9']
title = 'After installation on Windows7, 64bit Python 3.9.0b5 reports "api-ms-win-core-path-l1-1-0.dll" missing and doesn\'t start'
updated_at = <Date 2020-09-14.23:58:26.350>
user = 'https://bugs.python.org/MartinBorus'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2020-09-14.23:58:26.350>
actor = 'steve.dower'
assignee = 'steve.dower'
closed = True
closed_date = <Date 2020-09-14.23:58:26.352>
closer = 'steve.dower'
components = ['Windows']
creation = <Date 2020-07-27.17:07:35.310>
creator = 'Martin Borus'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 41412
keywords = ['patch']
message_count = 9.0
messages = ['374403', '374404', '374411', '374437', '374504', '374506', '374510', '376888', '376917']
nosy_count = 8.0
nosy_names = ['paul.moore', 'tim.golden', 'lukasz.langa', 'zach.ware', 'eryksun', 'steve.dower', 'miss-islington', 'Martin Borus']
pr_nums = ['21656', '21661']
priority = 'deferred blocker'
resolution = 'fixed'
stage = 'resolved'
status = 'closed'
superseder = None
type = 'crash'
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue41412'
versions = ['Python 3.9', 'Python 3.10']

[MartinBorus]

I just installed Python 3.9.0b5 using the provided beta installer python-3.9.0b5-amd64 on a Windows7, 64bit machine.

I did the installation without the Py Launcher update, into the folder "c:\python39"

The installer finished without problem.

Running "cmd.exe", navigating to "c:\python39" and then running python.exe results in an error message popup which tells me in
German system language that the "api-ms-win-core-path-l1-1-0.dll" is missing on the computer. I googled for it and it seems that this dll is not a part of Windows 7.

Message:

---------------------------
python.exe - Systemfehler
---------------------------
Das Programm kann nicht gestartet werden, da api-ms-win-core-path-l1-1-0.dll auf dem Computer fehlt. Installieren Sie das Programm erneut, um das Problem zu beheben.
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

[MartinBorus]

Changed "component" from "resource" to "crash" because it seems to fit better.

[eryksun]

running python.exe results in an error message popup which tells me ...
that the "api-ms-win-core-path-l1-1-0.dll" is missing on the computer.
I googled for it and it seems that this dll is not a part of Windows 7.

Microsoft ended extended support for Windows 7 back in January of this year, so Python 3.9 does not support Windows 7, in accordance with PEP-11 1. I'd expect the installer to fail on unsupported versions of Windows.

[zooba]

I thought we already made it fail? (Checks) No we did not. Guess I misremembered that.

I'll fix this tomorrow. We need it, or else we'll be inundated with these reports for the entire life of 3.9.

[zooba]

New changeset 37a06cb by Steve Dower in branch 'master':
bpo-41412 and bpo-40948: Windows installer updates (GH-21656)
37a06cb

[miss-islington]

New changeset 95cc37f by Miss Islington (bot) in branch '3.9':
bpo-41412 and bpo-40948: Windows installer updates (GH-21656)
95cc37f

[zooba]

Leaving this open until we can validate on the next release. I don't have convenient access to old versions of Windows anymore (and don't have time to deal with inconvenient access this week).

[ambv]

"Leaving this open until we can validate on the next release".

You should be able to do it now, Steve.

[zooba]

Works great! (By which I mean, doesn't work at all ;) )

[liudonghua123]

I forked the official cpython and made some hacks for supporting win7+. See https://github.com/liudonghua123/windows-python-installer for more details.