title: python pip installation error 'cannot fetch base index URL'
body: <p>fairly new user but have basic understanding of command line/python. when attempting to install pip through windows 8 powershell get the following error message:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Cannot fetch index base URL https://pypi.python.org/simple/
  Could not find any downloads that satisfy the requirement pip
  Cleaning up...
  No distributions at all found for pip
  Storing debug log for failure in C:\Users\xxxx\pip\pip.log
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>other instances of similar question seem to suggest something to do with proxy and then some more detailed linux instructions. i am unfamiliar with 'proxy' though if it's relevant i have a VPN extension in chrome. could somebody please suggest in simple, beginner language why i'm getting this error message/what the workaround and command prompt line would be?</p>
  
  <p>appreciate it</p>
  
  <p>contents of error log:</p>
  
  <hr>
  
  <pre><code> get-pip.py run on 11/18/14 03:27:33
      Downloading/unpacking pip
        Getting page https://pypi.python.org/simple/pip/
        Could not fetch URL https://pypi.python.org/simple/pip/: connection error: [Errno 1] _ssl.c:510: error:14090086:SSL routines:SSL3_GET_SERVER_CERTIFICATE:certificate verify failed
        Will skip URL https://pypi.python.org/simple/pip/ when looking for download links for pip
        Getting page https://pypi.python.org/simple/
        Could not fetch URL https://pypi.python.org/simple/: connection error: [Errno 1] _ssl.c:510: error:14090086:SSL routines:SSL3_GET_SERVER_CERTIFICATE:certificate verify failed
        Will skip URL https://pypi.python.org/simple/ when looking for download links for pip
        Cannot fetch index base URL https://pypi.python.org/simple/
        URLs to search for versions for pip:
        * https://pypi.python.org/simple/pip/
        Getting page https://pypi.python.org/simple/pip/
        Could not fetch URL https://pypi.python.org/simple/pip/: connection error: [Errno 1] _ssl.c:510: error:14090086:SSL routines:SSL3_GET_SERVER_CERTIFICATE:certificate verify failed
        Will skip URL https://pypi.python.org/simple/pip/ when looking for download links for pip
        Could not find any downloads that satisfy the requirement pip
      Cleaning up...
        Removing temporary dir c:\users\xxxx\appdata\local\temp\pip_build_xxxx...
      No distributions at all found for pip
      Exception information:
      Traceback (most recent call last):
        File "c:\users\xxxx\appdata\local\temp\tmpb1cvmx\pip.zip\pip\basecommand.py", line 122, in main
          status = self.run(options, args)
        File "c:\users\xxxx\appdata\local\temp\tmpb1cvmx\pip.zip\pip\commands\install.py", line 278, in run
          requirement_set.prepare_files(finder, force_root_egg_info=self.bundle, bundle=self.bundle)
        File "c:\users\xxxx\appdata\local\temp\tmpb1cvmx\pip.zip\pip\req.py", line 1177, in prepare_files
          url = finder.find_requirement(req_to_install, upgrade=self.upgrade)
        File "c:\users\xxxx\appdata\local\temp\tmpb1cvmx\pip.zip\pip\index.py", line 277, in find_requirement
          raise DistributionNotFound('No distributions at all found for %s' % req)
      DistributionNotFound: No distributions at all found for pip
  </code></pre>