64 bit python installation issues on 64 bit Windows 7

After installing 64 bit Windows 7 at work, I got a problem of installing many python utilities that search for installed python locations is windows registry. distutils (setuptools-0.6c11.win32-py2.6.exe) still could not find 64 bit python installation, as well as develer's Unofficial MinGW GCC binaries for Windows (I still do not have a solution for that one :( ).

Actually, what helped me with disttools, was a http://www.mail-archive.com/distutils-sig@python.org/msg10512.html group thread. The currently available 64 bit python installation is registering python in a new location in windows registry. So one have to use a modified script for registering python the old way:

#
# script to register Python 2.0 or later for use with win32all
# and other extensions that require Python registry settings
#
# written by Joakim Loew for Secret Labs AB / PythonWare
#
# source:
# http://www.pythonware.com/products/works/articles/regpy20.htm
#
# modified by Valentine Gogichashvili as described in http://www.mail-archive.com/distutils-sig@python.org/msg10512.html

import sys

from _winreg import *

# tweak as necessary
version = sys.version[:3]
installpath = sys.prefix

regpath = "SOFTWARE\\Python\\Pythoncore\\%s\\" % (version)
installkey = "InstallPath"
pythonkey = "PythonPath"
pythonpath = "%s;%s\\Lib\\;%s\\DLLs\\" % (
    installpath, installpath, installpath
)

def RegisterPy():
    try:
        reg = OpenKey(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, regpath)
    except EnvironmentError as e:
        try:
            reg = CreateKey(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, regpath)
            SetValue(reg, installkey, REG_SZ, installpath)
            SetValue(reg, pythonkey, REG_SZ, pythonpath)
            CloseKey(reg)
        except:
            print "*** Unable to register!"
            return
        print "--- Python", version, "is now registered!"
        return
    if (QueryValue(reg, installkey) == installpath and
        QueryValue(reg, pythonkey) == pythonpath):
        CloseKey(reg)
        print "=== Python", version, "is already registered!"
        return
    CloseKey(reg)
    print "*** Unable to register!"
    print "*** You probably have another Python installation!"

if __name__ == "__main__":
    RegisterPy()

or just inject the following REG file into your registry if you are using python 2.6 installed in C:\Python26 directory

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Python]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Python\Pythoncore]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Python\Pythoncore\2.6]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Python\Pythoncore\2.6\InstallPath]
@="C:\\Python26"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Python\Pythoncore\2.6\PythonPath]
@="C:\\Python26;C:\\Python26\\Lib\\;C:\\Python26\\DLLs\\"