pip upgrade fails with "Successfully installed"

Description

I’ve set a global.target configuration under C:\ProgramData\pip\pip.ini

[global]
target = C:\Program Files\Python\3.10\pip\site-packages\

Next when attempting an upgrade of pip from v21.2.4 to v21.3.1 no changes will be made despite a Successfully installed pip-21.3.1 message.

Expected behavior

pip install -v --upgrade pip should either update the current version or display an error message.

pip version

21.2.4

Python version

3.10.1

OS

Windows 11 (OS Build 22000.376)

How to Reproduce

1. Install python from “python-3.10.1-amd64.exe”
2. Create pip.ini under C:\ProgramData\pip\ with the following contents:

[global]
target = C:\Program Files\Python\3.10\pip\site-packages\

1. Move the site-packages directory to its new location.
2. Ensure the current user has sufficient acces to the C:\Program Files\Python\3.10\pip\site-packages\ directory. I’ve given full access to the User group
3. attempt to update pip though the command pip install -v --upgrade pip

Output

PS C:\Users\Janos> pip config list
global.target='C:\\Program Files\\Python\\3.10\\pip\\site-packages\\'

PS C:\Users\Janos> pip list
Package    Version
---------- -------
pip        21.2.4
setuptools 58.1.0
WARNING: You are using pip version 21.2.4; however, version 21.3.1 is available.
You should consider upgrading via the 'C:\Program Files\Python\3.10\python.exe -m pip install --upgrade pip' command.

PS C:\Users\Janos> pip show pip
Name: pip
Version: 21.2.4
Summary: The PyPA recommended tool for installing Python packages.
Home-page: https://pip.pypa.io/
Author: The pip developers
Author-email: [e-mail]
License: MIT
Location: c:\program files\python\3.10\lib\site-packages
Requires:
Required-by:

PS C:\Users\Janos> icacls "C:\Program Files\Python\3.10\pip\site-packages"
C:\Program Files\Python\3.10\pip\site-packages BUILTIN\Users:(I)(OI)(CI)(F)
                                               NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller:(I)(F)
                                               NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller:(I)(CI)(IO)(F)
                                               NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(I)(F)
                                               NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(I)(OI)(CI)(IO)(F)
                                               BUILTIN\Administrators:(I)(F)
                                               BUILTIN\Administrators:(I)(OI)(CI)(IO)(F)
                                               BUILTIN\Users:(I)(OI)(CI)(IO)(GR,GE)
                                               Hyron-1\Janos:(I)(F)
                                               CREATOR OWNER:(I)(OI)(CI)(IO)(F)
                                               APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES:(I)(RX)
                                               APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES:(I)(OI)(CI)(IO)(GR,GE)
                                               APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL RESTRICTED APPLICATION PACKAGES:(I)(RX)
                                               APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL RESTRICTED APPLICATION PACKAGES:(I)(OI)(CI)(IO)(GR,GE)

Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files

PS C:\Users\Janos> pip install -v --upgrade pip
Using pip 21.2.4 from C:\Program Files\Python\3.10\lib\site-packages\pip (python 3.10)
Collecting pip
  Using cached pip-21.3.1-py3-none-any.whl (1.7 MB)
Installing collected packages: pip
  Creating C:\Users\Janos\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-target-ox67vwws\bin
Successfully installed pip-21.3.1
WARNING: You are using pip version 21.2.4; however, version 21.3.1 is available.
You should consider upgrading via the 'C:\Program Files\Python\3.10\python.exe -m pip install --upgrade pip' command.

PS C:\Users\Janos> pip show pip
Name: pip
Version: 21.2.4
Summary: The PyPA recommended tool for installing Python packages.
Home-page: https://pip.pypa.io/
Author: The pip developers
Author-email: [e-mail]
License: MIT
Location: c:\program files\python\3.10\lib\site-packages
Requires:
Required-by:

Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow the PSF Code of Conduct.

[Wynadorn]

Ok figured it out, here’s what it comes down to:

pip install --target \test-path\ pip will install pip to the target directory:

PS C:\> pip install --target \test-path\ pip
Collecting pip
  Using cached pip-21.3.1-py3-none-any.whl (1.7 MB)
Installing collected packages: pip
Successfully installed pip-21.3.1
WARNING: You are using pip version 21.2.4; however, version 21.3.1 is available.
You should consider upgrading via the 'C:\Program Files\Python\3.10\python.exe -m pip install --upgrade pip' command.

executing \test-path\bin\pip.exe --version will then point to the following

PS C:\> \test-path\bin\pip.exe --version
pip 21.2.4 from C:\Program Files\Python\3.10\lib\site-packages\pip (python 3.10)

Thus even though pip-21.3.1 has been installed to the \test-path\ directory, pip.exe will point to the original version. Version 21.3.1 exist, under \test-path\pip\__init__.py

Finally, as for the use of --target, what I was really looking for is python’s sites, listed by python -m site.

I assumed I had changed my installation directory to the value set in C:\ProgramData\pip.ini, which I did, however python was using the directories listed under python -m site which made the update ineffective.

[Wynadorn]

I’ll have a look at verifying this issue with a clean installation tomorrow.

It seems that after I deleted the --target parameter I was able to update pip, since then I’ve been unable to reproduce the issue.