# Activation error with h5py
**URL:** https://forum.qiime2.org/t/activation-error-with-h5py/21235
**Category:** Technical Support
**Created:** [November 2, 2021, 7:55pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/activation-error-with-h5py/21235 "2021-11-02T19:55:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@kjm1049](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/kjm1049)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2021, 7:55pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/activation-error-with-h5py/21235/1 "2021-11-02T19:55:00Z")
I installed miniconda 3 and then Qiime2 without problems, however when I try to run qiime2 with the command:
conda activate qiime2-2021.8
I get this error:
ImportError: cannot import name '\_errors' from partially initialized module 'h5py' (most likely due to a circular import) (/opt/apps/intel19/impi19\_0/python3/3.7.0/lib/python3.7/site-packages/h5py/ **init**.py)
Can anyone advise? Should I try another version of python? I am using 3.9 currently.
Thank you,
Keir Macartney
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### Author:  [@thermokarst](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/thermokarst)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2021, 7:57pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/activation-error-with-h5py/21235/2 "2021-11-02T19:57:00Z")
Hi @kjm1049!
This error is actually an indication that either your `PATH` or `PYTHONPATH` env vars are configured in a way that is causing all kinds of "mixing" of your isolated python environments. In particular, I see that the error is referencing a Python 3.7 deployment, however QIIME 2 ships in a Python 3.8 environment.
Go ahead and run `env`, then copy and paste the results here and we can lend a hand.
:qiime2:
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### Author:  [@kjm1049](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/kjm1049)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2021, 9:22pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/activation-error-with-h5py/21235/3 "2021-11-02T21:22:06Z")
Awesome thank you! I ran env but got quite a lot of output so I piped it into a text file. Please let me know if you need anything else.
[kjm1049\_env\_output.txt](https://forum.qiime2.org/uploads/short-url/n6F9E6dj5GJufq7wgCHIm9Id29N.txt) (25.7 KB)
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### Author:  [@lizgehret](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/lizgehret)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2021, 10:39pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/activation-error-with-h5py/21235/4 "2021-11-02T22:39:54Z")
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### Author:  [@thermokarst](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/thermokarst)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2021, 1:40pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/activation-error-with-h5py/21235/5 "2021-11-05T13:40:13Z")
Hi @kjm1049!
The offending env var is here:
```bash
PYTHONPATH=/opt/apps/intel19/impi19_0/python3/3.7.0/lib/python3.7/site-packages
```
Take a look at the conda FAQ for some details on why `PYTHONPATH` cannot be set inside an active conda env:
[https://conda.io/projects/conda/en/latest/user-guide/troubleshooting.html#conda-reports-that-a-package-is-installed-but-it-appears-not-to-be](https://conda.io/projects/conda/en/latest/user-guide/troubleshooting.html#conda-reports-that-a-package-is-installed-but-it-appears-not-to-be)
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### Author:  [@thermokarst](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/thermokarst)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2021, 1:40pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/activation-error-with-h5py/21235/6 "2021-11-05T13:40:15Z")
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### Author:  [@kjm1049](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/kjm1049)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2021, 4:15am UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/activation-error-with-h5py/21235/7 "2021-11-08T04:15:07Z")
Managed to sort the issue! Thank you very much!
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2021, 10:15am UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/activation-error-with-h5py/21235/8 "2021-12-09T10:15:28Z")
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