First check the python version that is currently install on CentOS 6.2: python Before installing the python, please install these packages: sudo yum install gccgcc-c++.x86_64 compat-gcc-34-c++.x86_64 openssl-devel.x86_64 zlib*.x86_64 wget make setuptool Now download the Python 2.7 (In my case, I will download it in tmp directory): cd /tmp/ wget http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.7/Python-2.7.tar.b