DLL load failed while importing win32file: The specified module could not be found.

[SenseiJoe]

az feedback auto-generates most of the information requested below, as of CLI version 2.0.62

Describe the bug

DLL load failed while importing win32file: The specified module could not be found.

To Reproduce

Any az command,
az --version, give no version or regular feedback. I get...

DLL load failed while importing win32file: The specified module could not be found.
The command failed with an unexpected error. Here is the traceback:
DLL load failed while importing win32file: The specified module could not be found.
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "D:\a\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\knack/cli.py", line 223, in invoke
File "D:\a\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\azure/cli/core/init.py", line 125, in show_version
File "D:\a\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\azure/cli/core/util.py", line 345, in get_az_version_string
File "D:\a\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\azure/cli/core/util.py", line 332, in _get_local_versions
File "D:\a\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\azure/cli/core/util.py", line 256, in get_installed_cli_distributions
File "D:\a\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\azure/cli/telemetry/init.py", line 9, in
File "D:\a\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\portalocker/init.py", line 4, in
File "D:\a\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\portalocker/portalocker.py", line 9, in
ImportError: DLL load failed while importing win32file: The specified module could not be found

Expected behavior

version information displayed

Environment summary

auto updated using windows MSI

Additional context

[turb0chrg]

Getting the same. Upgraded using chocolately from 2.20.0. 2.23.0 was released today...

Installed 2.22.1 and it works as expected:

azure-cli                         2.22.1 *

core                              2.22.1 *
telemetry                          1.0.6

Python location 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Azure\CLI2\python.exe'
Extensions directory 'C:\Users\joel.carter\.azure\cliextensions'

Python (Windows) 3.6.8 (tags/v3.6.8:3c6b436a57, Dec 23 2018, 23:31:17) [MSC v.1916 32 bit (Intel)]

Legal docs and information: aka.ms/AzureCliLegal


You have 2 updates available. Consider updating your CLI installation with 'az upgrade'

Please let us know how we are doing: https://aka.ms/azureclihats
and let us know if you're interested in trying out our newest features: https://aka.ms/CLIUXstudy

[yonzhan]

@jiasli for awareness

[SenseiJoe]

Re-installed 2.22.1 and things all work better

[SenseiJoe]

Why is this closed?

[yonzhan]

I assumed that you issue was resolved by yourself? If not, I will reopen it. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

[pazdedav]

Same issue here. It is not just az --version command that fails, when I try e.g. az group list -o table, it first returns "DLL load failed while importing win32file: The specified module could not be found.", but after that it lists my resource groups correctly.

It seems there is something wrong with the build process and the way the packages are either referenced (paths with both types of slashes) or made available in the build agent:

File "D:\a\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\knack/cli.py", line 231, in invoke
File "D:\a\1\s\build_scripts\windows\artifacts\cli\Lib\site-packages\azure/cli/core/commands/__init__.py", line 657, in execute

[ryanbowden]

Same issue here :(

[aldodfm]

+1

[jiasli]

I am able to repo on my local machine. It seems to be related to #17816, triggering mhammond/pywin32#1431.

Investigating... 👨‍💻

[tirendra-reddy]

Not a problem, Thank you :) I will subscribe to that thread and follow it there.

[SenseiJoe]

I downgraded to solve the problem, it wasn't actually fixed.
@pazdedav is correct, it happens more than az --version.

[richardg1]

Same issue, not just a problem with az version. Uninstalling 2.23.0, installed 2.22.1 and working OK now.

[jiasli]

I was able to solve it by reinstalling pywin32 with a terminal "Run as Administrator":

& "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Azure\CLI2\python.exe" -m pip install pywin32==228 --force-reinstall

Though the root cause remains unknown...

[jiasli]

Unable to repro when installing 2.23.0 on a fresh Azure Virtual Machine. Also tried in-place upgrade from 2.22.1 to 2.23.0, but still can't repro:

[tirendra-reddy]

I was able to solve it by reinstalling pywin32 with a terminal "Run as Administrator":

& "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Azure\CLI2\python.exe" -m pip install pywin32==228 --force-reinstall

Though the root cause remains unknown...

This fix worked for me. Thank you @jiasli!

[jiasli]

As a fresh installation works fine, it's very likely some remnants of the old installation are interfering with the latest version. Another solution worth trying is to

1. Go to Control Panel > Uninstall a program , uninstall Microsoft Azure CLI
2. Delete C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Azure\CLI2
3. Install the latest Azure CLI from scratch

Please kindly let us know if it solves the issue.

[EvanMulawski]

@jiasli This worked for me.

Deleted C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Azure\CLI2 and repaired the Azure CLI installation.

[SenseiJoe]

Deleted C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Azure\CLI2
Installed latest version.

All seems to be fine.

[dawwa]

Why is this closed? the issue still exists, I assume customer find a workaround does not mean the issue is fixed.

[thoemmi]

@dawwa I'd guess @jiasli closed this issue because it was fixed in #18012

[jiasli]

I am not able to precisely identify the root cause. Hopefully #18012 can fix it.

Reinstalling is the official fix instead of a workaround. Thanks for understanding.

[tarockey]

When installing the CLI via python, uninstalling and reinstalling does not resolve this issue.