title: Python 2.7 32-bit install on Win 7: No registry keys?
body: <p>I have downloaded the Python 2.7.2 Windows x86 32-bit MSI from python.org and installed it on a 64-bit Windows 7 system.  Everything works (at least the command-line interpreter starts and runs), but the install process does not create any <code>Python</code> entries under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE in the Windows registry.</p>
  
  <p>Various blogs refer to problems created by <em>incomplete</em> Python registry entries when attempting to configure third-party libraries, but I have not found a description of the complete <em>absence</em> of a Python entry in the registry.</p>
  
  <p>I plan to use Python only with the Google Apps Engine SDK and (hopefully) django-nonrel for some fairly simple Google Apps projects.  The absence of a Python registry key may not even be an issue for me, but the Django setup docs assume its existence and suggest adding path information to it as a way to populate Python's <code>sys.path</code> list.</p>
  
  <p>Anyone else run into this?  Is an additional install step necessary to create the key?  Should I manually create it using <code>regedit</code>?  Is it even needed, or can the PATH and/or PYTHONPATH environment variables be used for everything instead?</p>