Devstack install fails with ERROR: Cannot uninstall 'simplejson' when using Ubuntu Desktop installation

[Alex]

This is on a fresh install of Ubuntu 18.04 after doing a apt update / upgrade.

Running the devstack install instructions located here https://docs.openstack.org/devstack/latest/
with the bare minimum local.conf results in the following error

Installing collected packages: oslo.rootwrap, simplejson, python-cinderclient, glance-store
  Attempting uninstall: simplejson
    Found existing installation: simplejson 3.13.2
ERROR: Cannot uninstall 'simplejson'. It is a distutils installed project and thus we cannot accurately determine which files belong to it which would lead to only a partial uninstall.

[Alex (blazingkin)]

It appears that others have run into the issue. The fix here works for me https://www.edureka.co/community/65075/error-cannot-uninstall-simplejson-not-able-install-ubuntu

[Radosław Piliszek (yoctozepto)]

You likely mean the graphical ISO Ubuntu installation? simplejson is not installed in the minimal image.

[Alex (blazingkin)]

Good point. This is the Ubuntu Desktop image

[Dr. Jens Harbott (j-harbott)]

So this is currently unsupported, as we have no means of testing it. We should add a note about it in the docs.

[Meenakshi Arya (emeeary)]

AS i have faced the same error so tried to uninstall the simplejson with below command and the issue resolved:
sudo apt purge python3-simplejson

[mohamed rhim (mohamedrhim-deactivatedaccount)]

Hi

i have done a video here with all the steps to install devstack and also a solution for the issues you will face.
https://youtu.be/SYd34yuyLYk

enjoy and don't forget to subscribe to my channel :)

[Radosław Piliszek (yoctozepto)]

Thanks, that is appreciated. I understand some prefer to watch how-to videos.
One comment: the current devstack (Wallaby, also Victoria) is meant to be installed on Ubuntu 20.04.

[Alexander Kozlov (furyflash)]

Hi
I have made a video for latest devstack and Ubuntu 20.04.
Description contains all necessary information for complete installation.
Also how-to make Instances available from physical network and fix outbound internet connection and DNS resolution.

https://youtu.be/IkiklWtz1sg

[OpenStack Infra (hudson-openstack)]

Fix proposed to branch: master
Review: https://review.opendev.org/c/openstack/devstack/+/813148

[OpenStack Infra (hudson-openstack)]

Reviewed: https://review.opendev.org/c/openstack/devstack/+/813148
Committed: https://opendev.org/openstack/devstack/commit/61a37bff9a35337f5924ca7cc61c76e42e55d787
Submitter: "Zuul (22348)"
Branch: master

commit 61a37bff9a35337f5924ca7cc61c76e42e55d787
Author: Dr. Jens Harbott <email address hidden>
Date: Fri Oct 8 10:59:09 2021 +0200

    Further fixup for Ubuntu cloud images

    The official Ubuntu cloud images have some further python pkgs
    preinstalled that conflict with our requirements. Allow to
    overwrite them.

    Signed-off-by: Dr. Jens Harbott <email address hidden>
    Closes-Bug: 1871485
    Change-Id: I793c250cae5e7b9bc835b7016d790d1f9ae8a7f3

[OpenStack Infra (hudson-openstack)]

Fix proposed to branch: stable/xena
Review: https://review.opendev.org/c/openstack/devstack/+/821908

[OpenStack Infra (hudson-openstack)]

Reviewed: https://review.opendev.org/c/openstack/devstack/+/821908
Committed: https://opendev.org/openstack/devstack/commit/fe59f94632dc9a362bd9f155fa13977e8bbef5c9
Submitter: "Zuul (22348)"
Branch: stable/xena

commit fe59f94632dc9a362bd9f155fa13977e8bbef5c9
Author: Dr. Jens Harbott <email address hidden>
Date: Fri Oct 8 10:59:09 2021 +0200

    Further fixup for Ubuntu cloud images

    The official Ubuntu cloud images have some further python pkgs
    preinstalled that conflict with our requirements. Allow to
    overwrite them.

    Signed-off-by: Dr. Jens Harbott <email address hidden>
    Closes-Bug: 1871485
    Change-Id: I793c250cae5e7b9bc835b7016d790d1f9ae8a7f3
    (cherry picked from commit 61a37bff9a35337f5924ca7cc61c76e42e55d787)

[OpenStack Infra (hudson-openstack)]

Fix proposed to branch: stable/wallaby
Review: https://review.opendev.org/c/openstack/devstack/+/860086

[OpenStack Infra (hudson-openstack)]

Reviewed: https://review.opendev.org/c/openstack/devstack/+/860086
Committed: https://opendev.org/openstack/devstack/commit/bc7431665b0aa7cdee3061a857c586d85fb88694
Submitter: "Zuul (22348)"
Branch: stable/wallaby

commit bc7431665b0aa7cdee3061a857c586d85fb88694
Author: Dr. Jens Harbott <email address hidden>
Date: Fri Oct 8 10:59:09 2021 +0200

    Further fixup for Ubuntu cloud images

    The official Ubuntu cloud images have some further python pkgs
    preinstalled that conflict with our requirements. Allow to
    overwrite them.

    Signed-off-by: Dr. Jens Harbott <email address hidden>
    Closes-Bug: 1871485
    Change-Id: I793c250cae5e7b9bc835b7016d790d1f9ae8a7f3
    (cherry picked from commit 61a37bff9a35337f5924ca7cc61c76e42e55d787)