spawn /usr/bin/python2 ENOENT

Environment data

• VS Code version: 1.21.1
• Extension version (available under the Extensions sidebar): 2018.3.1
• OS and version: Windows 7 (7601)
• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): python.org 3.6.5
• Type of virtual environment used (N/A | venv | virtualenv | conda | ...): NA
• Relevant/affected Python packages and their versions: python 3 (as above)

Actual behavior

Step 3 of the prerequisites states:

From within VS Code, select a version of Python using the Python: Select Interpreter command on the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P), or by using the Select Python Environment option on the Status Bar if available

The command presents a list of available interpreters that VS Code can find automatically. If you don't see the desired interpreter, see Configuring Python environments.

The readme also mentions this under optional steps:

Step 5. Select your preferred Python interpreter/version/environment using the Select Interpreter command.

• By default we use the one that's on your path.
• If you have a workspace open you can also click in the status bar to change the interpreter.

However, when attempting to select an interpreter, VsCode reports the error:

spawn /usr/bin/python2 ENOENT
and nothing further happens.

Expected behavior

The interpreter is selected (or at least a more helpful error message is displayed)

Steps to reproduce:

1. Install vscode,
2. Install python,
3. Ensure python is on path
4. Install extension,
5. Attempt to select interpreter.

Python install path is known by vscode as selecting Python: Start REPL, works as expected.

Logs

Output for Python in the Output panel (View→Output, change the drop-down the upper-right of the Output panel to Python)

##########Linting Output - pylint##########
No config file found, using default configuration

Output from Console under the Developer Tools panel (toggle Developer Tools on under Help)

log.ts:171   ERR spawn /usr/bin/python2 ENOENT: Error: spawn /usr/bin/python2 ENOENT
	at exports._errnoException (util.js:1050:11)
	at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (internal/child_process.js:193:32)
	at onErrorNT (internal/child_process.js:367:16)
	at _combinedTickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:80:11)
	at process._tickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:104:9)
console.ts:136 [Extension Host] rejected promise not handled within 1 second
t.log @ console.ts:136
t._logExtensionHostMessage @ extensionHost.ts:400
(anonymous) @ extensionHost.ts:213
emitTwo @ events.js:106
emit @ events.js:194
process.nextTick @ internal/child_process.js:766
_combinedTickCallback @ internal/process/next_tick.js:73
_tickCallback @ internal/process/next_tick.js:104
notificationsAlerts.ts:39 spawn /usr/bin/python2 ENOENT
e.onDidNotificationChange @ notificationsAlerts.ts:39
(anonymous) @ notificationsAlerts.ts:28
e.fire @ event.ts:142
e.notify @ notifications.ts:127
e.error @ notificationService.ts:58
t.onError @ commandsHandler.ts:326
(anonymous) @ commandsHandler.ts:311
done @ winjs.base.raw.js:1391
v @ winjs.base.raw.js:1237
enter @ winjs.base.raw.js:914
_run @ winjs.base.raw.js:1081
_error @ winjs.base.raw.js:1054
e.resolveErr @ lazyPromise.ts:78
e._receiveReplyErr @ rpcProtocol.ts:154
e._receiveOneMessage @ rpcProtocol.ts:99
(anonymous) @ rpcProtocol.ts:33
(anonymous) @ rpcProtocol.ts:213
e.fire @ event.ts:142
(anonymous) @ ipc.net.ts:81
emitOne @ events.js:96
emit @ events.js:191
readableAddChunk @ _stream_readable.js:178
Readable.push @ _stream_readable.js:136
onread @ net.js:560