import win32api error in Python 2.6

I also hit a problem importing win32api.

The post-install script for pywin32 failed, which should copy pythoncom26.dll, pythoncomloader26.dll, and pywintypes26.dll, among other things. I ran it by hand and my installation was fixed.

python scripts\pywin32_postinstall.py -install

Run the installer as Administrator and it works:

• Right click on pywin32-installer.exe
• Choose "Run as Administrator"

I had a similar problem when installing under 64 bit Python 3.4.2. I ran the install executable pywin32‑219.win‑amd64‑py3.4.exe from http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/ .

On the site it states clearly:

"Python 3.4 users must manually run python.exe Scripts\pywin32_postinstall.py -install from an elevated command prompt."

which I did not do first time round; I installed from a normal prompt getting the following feedback:

c:\python34>python.exe Scripts\pywin32_postinstall.py -install
Copied pythoncom34.dll to C:\Python34\pythoncom34.dll
Copied pywintypes34.dll to C:\Python34\pywintypes34.dll
You do not have the permissions to install COM objects.
The sample COM objects were not registered.
etc.etc.
Finishing with "The pywin32 extensions were succesfully installed" ... 

I only read the last sentence and I started to run some code resulting in getting these dll load fails.

So, did some research, and started an elevated prompt (how: see "http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/783-elevated-command-prompt.html") and again ran:

c:\python34>python.exe Scripts\pywin32_postinstall.py -install
Copied pythoncom34.dll to C:\Windows\system32\pythoncom34.dll
Copied pywintypes34.dll to C:\Windows\system32\pywintypes34.dll
Registered: Python.Interpreter
Registered: Python.Dictionary
Registered: Python
-> Software\Python\PythonCore\3.4\Help[None]=None
-> Software\Python\PythonCore\3.4\Help\Pythonwin Reference[None]='C:\\Python34\\Lib\\site-packages\\PyWin32.chm'
Pythonwin has been registered in context menu
Shortcut for Pythonwin created
Shortcut to documentation created
The pywin32 extensions were successfully installed.

And now my code runs happily (as far as this matter is concerned... sigh, so much other stuff to do).

After I copy pywintypes26.dll and pythoncom26.dll from C:\Python26\Lib\site-packages\pywin32_system32 to C:\Python26\Lib\site-packages\win32 -> Solve the problem!