Hey there, let's break down why you're hitting this PyInstaller installation error and walk through the fixes to get your Django project packaged as an EXE on Windows XP SP3.

First off, the core issue: Windows XP SP3 is extremely outdated, and all modern versions of PyInstaller (even recent Python releases) have completely dropped support for it. That's why pip can't find a matching version when you run a plain pip install pyinstaller — those newer PyInstaller builds simply aren't compatible with XP.

Here's your step-by-step solution:

1. Install a Python version that supports XP #

You need to use a Python release that still offers official Windows XP SP3 support. Your best options are:

• Python 3.4.x (recommended, as it has better Django compatibility than Python 2.7)
• Python 2.7.x (only if you're working with legacy Django code)

Grab Python 3.4.4 (the final Python 3 release with XP support) and make sure to check the "Add Python to PATH" box during installation.

2. Downgrade pip if you run into package install errors #

Newer pip versions don't work with Python 3.4. If you get weird errors when trying to install packages, first downgrade pip to a compatible version:

pip install pip==9.0.3

3. Install the last PyInstaller version compatible with XP #

PyInstaller 3.6 is the final release that supports Windows XP. Install it with this exact command:

pip install pyinstaller==3.6

4. Match your Django version to the entire stack #

Your Django version also needs to play nice with Python 3.4 and XP. The Django LTS release that fits this requirement is 1.11.x. Install the latest patch of this version to avoid compatibility gaps:

pip install django==1.11.29

5. Package your Django project properly #

PyInstaller doesn't auto-detect Django's project structure perfectly, so you'll need to use a spec file for reliable bundling:

• Generate a base spec file for your project's manage.py:

  pyi-makespec --onefile manage.py
  

• Open the generated spec file in a text editor:
  • Add your Django project's root directory to the pathex list, so PyInstaller can locate all your app files.
  • Use the datas parameter to include static files, templates, or any other assets your app depends on (for example: datas=[('templates', 'templates'), ('static', 'static')]).
• Build the EXE using the spec file:

  pyinstaller your_project_name.spec
  

A quick heads-up: Even after all this, you might hit small dependency snags (like certain third-party packages not working on XP). If that happens, you'll need to track down older versions of those packages that still support the XP environment.

备注：内容来源于stack exchange，提问作者ahmed tahri