No module named zlib found

Question

I download python2.6.6 source form http://www.python.org/getit/releases/2.6.6/ After that I run these commands ./configure make

I tried to import zlib but it says no

Answer 1

I had this exact problem (exact python distribution as well) Dmity's answer almost worked... but after many hours searching I think I have found the issue (assuming you are using ubuntu 11.10 - 12.10)

Ok, so for me at least the problem stemmed from the fact that Ubuntu disabled SSLv2, so the workaround is fairly involved. Basically you have to delve into the source code and remove all references to SSLv2 before you build it, in addition to adding library paths to your setup file. I followed this tutorial and now I have a working virtualenv with python-2.6.8:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1976837

(The patches are fairly easy to implement without using patch) Hope this helps clear up the issues. PHEW

Answer 2

I tried following which helped me with some of these modules.
You have to edit setup.py.
Find the following lines in setup.py:

lib_dirs = self.compiler.library_dirs + [
   '/lib64', '/usr/lib64',
   '/lib', '/usr/lib',
   ]

For 64 bit
Add /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu:

lib_dirs = self.compiler.library_dirs + [
   '/lib64', '/usr/lib64',
   '/lib', '/usr/lib', '/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu',
   ]

For 32 bit
Add /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu:

lib_dirs = self.compiler.library_dirs + [
   '/lib64', '/usr/lib64',
   '/lib', '/usr/lib', '/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu',
   ]

Note x86_64-linux-gnu & i386-linux-gnu might be located somewhere else in your system so path accordingly.

Ater this you will be left with only following modules:

_bsddb             bsddb185           dbm             
gdbm               sunaudiodev  

Answer 3

I solved the problem adding LDFLAGS=-L/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu as configure parameter.

Answer 4

I wrote a note for myself addressing your problem, might be helpful: python installation.

Do you really need bsddb and sunaudiodev modules? You might not want to since both are deprecated since python 2.6