title: Why does python hang in virtualenv?
body: <p>I'm using a virtualenv from within a Cygwin terminal on a Windows machine. When I haven't activated the virtualenv, I can run <code>$ python</code> to start up a python shell fine. I can also run scripts via <code>$ python my_script.py</code> fine within the virtualenv, but as soon as I try to start up a python shell in the virtual environment directly, it hangs indefinitely. </p>
  
  <pre><code>$ virtualenv --version
  15.2.0
  
  $ python --version
  Python 2.7.13
  
  $ which python
  /usr/bin/python
  
  (virtualenv) $ python --version
  Python 2.7.9
  
  (virtualenv) $ which python
  /path/to/virtualenv/dir/Scripts/python
  
  (virtualenv) $ python -v
  # installing zipimport hook
  import zipimport # builtin
  # installed zipimport hook
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\site.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\site.py
  import site # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\site.pyc
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\os.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\os.py
  import os # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\os.pyc
  import errno # builtin
  import nt # builtin
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\ntpath.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\ntpath.py
  import ntpath # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\ntpath.pyc
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\stat.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\stat.py
  import stat # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\stat.pyc
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\genericpath.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\genericpath.py
  import genericpath # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\genericpath.pyc
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\warnings.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\warnings.py
  import warnings # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\warnings.pyc
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\linecache.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\linecache.py
  import linecache # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\linecache.pyc
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\types.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\types.py
  import types # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\types.pyc
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\UserDict.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\UserDict.py
  import UserDict # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\UserDict.pyc
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\_abcoll.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\_abcoll.py
  import _abcoll # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\_abcoll.pyc
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\abc.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\abc.py
  import abc # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\abc.pyc
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\_weakrefset.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\_weakrefset.py
  import _weakrefset # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\_weakrefset.pyc
  import _weakref # builtin
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\copy_reg.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\copy_reg.py
  import copy_reg # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\copy_reg.pyc
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\locale.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\locale.py
  import locale # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\locale.pyc
  import encodings # directory C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\encodings
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\encodings\__init__.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\encodings\__init__.py
  import encodings # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\encodings\__init__.pyc
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\codecs.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\codecs.py
  import codecs # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\codecs.pyc
  import _codecs # builtin
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\encodings\aliases.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\encodings\aliases.py
  import encodings.aliases # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\encodings\aliases.pyc
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\re.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\re.py
  import re # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\re.pyc
  # C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\sre_compile.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\sre_compile.py
  import sre_compile # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\sre_compile.pyc
  import _sre # builtin
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This all looks normal to me. Any ideas?</p>