ubuntu - Python uninstall woes -

i setting first python package described here , seemed necessary python 2.7.13 finish. not realizing how integral python 2.7.12 ubuntu's health, moved 2.7.12 dirs (/usr/local/lib/python2.7/) backup dirs , replaced them 2.7.13 dirs , removed python3. led series of problems killed desktop (no launcher, no alt-t terminal) after lengthy battle required me alt-f1 non-gui terminal, undo directory swaps, , detailed here after

sudo apt-get install --reinstall python2.7 sudo apt-get install python3-all 

and

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop 

things normal except can't reinstall pip (to use ipython amongst others) due lacking ctypes. i'm willing reinstall ubuntu if have to.

jeremy@jr:~$ python  python 2.7.12 (default, nov 19 2016, 06:48:10)  [gcc 5.4.0 20160609] on linux2 type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" more information. >>> import ctypes traceback (most recent call last):   file "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>   file "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/ctypes/__init__.py", line 7, in <module>     _ctypes import union, structure, array importerror: no module named _ctypes 

the current state of affairs far know how check:

jeremy@jr:~$ echo $pythonhome /usr/local/lib/python2.7:/usr/local/lib/python2.7.12 jeremy@jr:~$ echo $pythonpath /usr/local/lib/python2.7:/usr/local/lib/python2.7.12:/usr/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages:/home/jeremy/sw/caffe/python:/home/jeremy/sw/models/slim:/home/jeremy/sw/models:/home/jeremy/sw/models/utils: jeremy@jr:~$ python  /usr/bin/python jeremy@jr:~$ ls -l /usr/bin/python* lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      16 aug 17 23:37 /usr/bin/python -> /usr/bin/python2 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       9 dec 10  2015 /usr/bin/python2 -> python2.7 -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 3546104 nov 19  2016 /usr/bin/python2.7 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      33 nov 19  2016 /usr/bin/python2.7-config -> x86_64-linux-gnu-python2.7-config lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      16 dec 10  2015 /usr/bin/python2-config -> python2.7-config lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       9 mar 23  2016 /usr/bin/python3 -> python3.5 -rwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4460336 nov 17  2016 /usr/bin/python3.5 -rwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4460336 nov 17  2016 /usr/bin/python3.5m lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      10 mar 23  2016 /usr/bin/python3m -> python3.5m lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      16 dec 10  2015 /usr/bin/python-config -> python2.7-config 

/usr/local/lib/python2.7 looks ok, bunch of scripts _abcoll.py zipfile.pyc.

pip broken , giving error

jeremy@jr:/usr/src/python-2.7.12$ pip install ctypes traceback (most recent call last):   file "/usr/local/bin/pip", line 5, in <module>     pkg_resources import load_entry_point importerror: no module named pkg_resources 

which

jeremy@jr:/usr/src/python-2.7.12$ sudo apt-get install --reinstall python-pkg-resources 

does not fix (same error above occurs after reinstall)

the question is, how fix apparently somewhat-broken python install, fix ctypes, pip, , other potentially-missing parts?

jeremy@jr:~$ ls /usr/local/lib/python2.7/ctypes/ _endian.py  _endian.pyc  __init__.py  __init__.pyc  macholib  test  util.py  util.pyc  wintypes.py  wintypes.pyc 

you've reinstalled 1 of packages have things in /usr/lib/python, not of them. ctypes in particular in libpython2.7-stdlib. can ask package manager there , reinstall (scary combination ahead):

sudo apt-get install --reinstall `dpkg -s /usr/lib/python2.7 | sed -e 's%: /usr/lib/python2.7%%' -e 's%, % %g'` 

in general, don't go modifying system directories /usr without package manager's assistance. messes system's idea of what's there or not. there paths own installations, /opt , /usr/local. in case appears you're lucky apt still works.

also, find rather unlikely needed 2.7.13 on 2.7.12; more portion, such python-setuptools or python2.7-dev. ubuntu inherits rather fine grained split of python system debian.

it possible apt pin particular packages alternate sources. instance, possible have hybrid of ubuntu xenial python packages zesty 2.7.13.