How to fix — bash: /usr/bin/python: Too many levels of symbolic links
Question:
I wanted to make python3 my default on rhel so I followed the following at How to set Python3.5.2 as default Python version on CentOS?
sudo ln -fs /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/python
It changed the default to 3.6.8
root@rhel:~# python -V
Python 3.6.8
Then I tried yum install python-pip:
root@rhel:~# yum install python-pip
File "/usr/bin/yum", line 30
except KeyboardInterrupt, e:
^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
This happened when I tried a few other commands. I tried reverting the changes by
root@rhel:~# sudo ln -fs /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/python
But am running into
root@rhel:~# python -V
bash: /usr/bin/python: Too many levels of symbolic links
I guess from what Im reading in places I need to break the sym links. The following is whats in my /usr/bin/
ls -l /usr/bin | grep python
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 Oct 21 14:12 python -> /usr/bin/python
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Aug 8 05:53 python-config -> python2-config
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Aug 8 05:51 python2 -> python2.7
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 Aug 8 05:53 python2-config -> python2.7-config
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 7144 Jun 11 10:34 python2.7
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1835 Jun 11 10:34 python2.7-config
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Aug 8 05:51 python3 -> python3.6
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 Aug 8 05:53 python3-config -> python3.6-config
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 20 Aug 8 05:53 python3-debug -> /usr/bin/python3.6dm
-rwxr-xr-x 2 root root 11336 Jun 11 15:17 python3.6
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 17 Aug 8 05:53 python3.6-config -> python3.6m-config
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 11336 Jun 11 15:17 python3.6dm
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 175 Jun 11 15:16 python3.6dm-config
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 3396 Jun 11 14:54 python3.6dm-x86_64-config
-rwxr-xr-x 2 root root 11336 Jun 11 15:17 python3.6m
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 173 Jun 11 15:16 python3.6m-config
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 3403 Jun 11 14:54 python3.6m-x86_64-config
Answers:
this line of the result
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 Oct 21 14:12 python -> /usr/bin/python
tells us that the symbolic link python points to itself which is giving you the “Too many levels” error.
you can remove the link via
rm python
or reset the link to python3 using
ln -fs /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/python
(probably need sudo for both of these)
The yum install error is a separate issue, though
ln -fs /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/python creates a recursive symlink – i.e. it points to itself.
yum seems to be written with Python 2 syntax, so revert that symlink back:
sudo ln -fs python2 /usr/bin/python
Then find a way to make Python 3 the default which doesn’t break your package manager. E.g. an alias
See PEP 394 for the rationale of keeping Python 2 as default.
P.s. I’m not familiar with RHEL but all this matches with my experience with Ubuntu.
I exit root account (crtl+D) and it works.
I ran into a similar issue with output when running yum following resolution of symlink for /usr/bin/python. (following error received):
File "/usr/bin/yum", line 30
except KeyboardInterrupt, e:
^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
The solution LampToast and wjandrea provided assisted in resolving my symlink issue. Although I noticed I had to link python2 vs python3.x – once I did this yum began working without errors. Also, if you happen to make use of package alternatives symlink to their location may need to be altered. I simply removed mine all together as I did not need them within my environment.
Steps in order as follows:
- return python packages within /usr/bin – to include symlink(s)
root@rhel:~# sudo ls -l /usr/bin | grep python
- remove python from /usr/bin
root@rhel:~# sudo rm python
- apply symlink specific to python2 to /usr/bin/python
root@rhel:~# sudo ln -fs /usr/bin/python2 /usr/bin/python
- verify python version – verifies issue resolution of package not being recognized
root@rhel:~# sudo python -V
- install yum-utils to verify additional missing packages
root@rhel:~# sudo yum -y install yum-utils.noarch yum-verify
- identify missing binaries – performed this check to verify no-known-issues were present. (Usually the case with the issues you are receiving)
root@rhel:~# sudo yum verify --verify-filenames='*bin/*'
- the output from previous command will display the missing binaries, simply reinstall using following command
root@rhel:~# sudo yum -y reinstall package_name
Note: You are able to perform step #6 over again to ensure no-known-issues are present.
I was going to recommend starting a new thread in case someone required assistance with further troubleshooting. However, I decided to modify my answer and share the knowledge I just gained through experiencing this issue myself.
Hope this is alright as this is my very first response on StackOverflow!
Cheers!
I wanted to make python3 my default on rhel so I followed the following at How to set Python3.5.2 as default Python version on CentOS?
sudo ln -fs /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/python
It changed the default to 3.6.8
root@rhel:~# python -V
Python 3.6.8
Then I tried yum install python-pip:
root@rhel:~# yum install python-pip
File "/usr/bin/yum", line 30
except KeyboardInterrupt, e:
^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
This happened when I tried a few other commands. I tried reverting the changes by
root@rhel:~# sudo ln -fs /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/python
But am running into
root@rhel:~# python -V
bash: /usr/bin/python: Too many levels of symbolic links
I guess from what Im reading in places I need to break the sym links. The following is whats in my /usr/bin/
ls -l /usr/bin | grep python
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 Oct 21 14:12 python -> /usr/bin/python
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 Aug 8 05:53 python-config -> python2-config
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Aug 8 05:51 python2 -> python2.7
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 Aug 8 05:53 python2-config -> python2.7-config
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 7144 Jun 11 10:34 python2.7
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1835 Jun 11 10:34 python2.7-config
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Aug 8 05:51 python3 -> python3.6
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 Aug 8 05:53 python3-config -> python3.6-config
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 20 Aug 8 05:53 python3-debug -> /usr/bin/python3.6dm
-rwxr-xr-x 2 root root 11336 Jun 11 15:17 python3.6
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 17 Aug 8 05:53 python3.6-config -> python3.6m-config
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 11336 Jun 11 15:17 python3.6dm
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 175 Jun 11 15:16 python3.6dm-config
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 3396 Jun 11 14:54 python3.6dm-x86_64-config
-rwxr-xr-x 2 root root 11336 Jun 11 15:17 python3.6m
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 173 Jun 11 15:16 python3.6m-config
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 3403 Jun 11 14:54 python3.6m-x86_64-config
this line of the result
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 Oct 21 14:12 python -> /usr/bin/python
tells us that the symbolic link python points to itself which is giving you the “Too many levels” error.
you can remove the link via
rm python
or reset the link to python3 using
ln -fs /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/python
(probably need sudo for both of these)
The yum install error is a separate issue, though
ln -fs /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/python creates a recursive symlink – i.e. it points to itself.
yum seems to be written with Python 2 syntax, so revert that symlink back:
sudo ln -fs python2 /usr/bin/python
Then find a way to make Python 3 the default which doesn’t break your package manager. E.g. an alias
See PEP 394 for the rationale of keeping Python 2 as default.
P.s. I’m not familiar with RHEL but all this matches with my experience with Ubuntu.
I exit root account (crtl+D) and it works.
I ran into a similar issue with output when running yum following resolution of symlink for /usr/bin/python. (following error received):
File "/usr/bin/yum", line 30
except KeyboardInterrupt, e:
^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
The solution LampToast and wjandrea provided assisted in resolving my symlink issue. Although I noticed I had to link python2 vs python3.x – once I did this yum began working without errors. Also, if you happen to make use of package alternatives symlink to their location may need to be altered. I simply removed mine all together as I did not need them within my environment.
Steps in order as follows:
- return python packages within /usr/bin – to include symlink(s)
root@rhel:~# sudo ls -l /usr/bin | grep python
- remove python from /usr/bin
root@rhel:~# sudo rm python
- apply symlink specific to python2 to /usr/bin/python
root@rhel:~# sudo ln -fs /usr/bin/python2 /usr/bin/python
- verify python version – verifies issue resolution of package not being recognized
root@rhel:~# sudo python -V
- install yum-utils to verify additional missing packages
root@rhel:~# sudo yum -y install yum-utils.noarch yum-verify
- identify missing binaries – performed this check to verify no-known-issues were present. (Usually the case with the issues you are receiving)
root@rhel:~# sudo yum verify --verify-filenames='*bin/*'
- the output from previous command will display the missing binaries, simply reinstall using following command
root@rhel:~# sudo yum -y reinstall package_name
Note: You are able to perform step #6 over again to ensure no-known-issues are present.
I was going to recommend starting a new thread in case someone required assistance with further troubleshooting. However, I decided to modify my answer and share the knowledge I just gained through experiencing this issue myself.
Hope this is alright as this is my very first response on StackOverflow!
Cheers!