# ERROR: Cannot uninstall 'numpy'. 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.

- **ID:** `python/pip-requirement-already-satisfied-but-wrong-version`
- **Domain:** python
- **Category:** install_error
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 80%

## Root Cause

The package was installed by the OS package manager (apt/dnf) or an old distutils path, so pip has no RECORD file to drive a clean uninstall.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| 3.8 | active | — | — |
| 3.9 | active | — | — |
| 3.10 | active | — | — |
| 3.11 | active | — | — |
| 3.12 | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **** (90% success)
   ```
   Remove the OS-managed copy first: `sudo apt-get remove python3-numpy` (or `dnf remove python3-numpy`), then `pip install numpy` inside a venv.
   ```
2. **** (93% success)
   ```
   Work in a fresh venv that does not inherit system site-packages: `python -m venv --system-site-packages=false .venv`.
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **** — Leaves two overlapping copies in site-packages; imports become order-dependent and hard to debug. (70% fail)
- **** — The distutils guard still triggers; sudo does not create a RECORD file. (85% fail)