How to solve Python error: "xxx/.venv/bin/python3.8', '-Im', 'ensurepip', '--upgrade', '--default-pip']' returned non-zero exit status 1."

Deleted on 9/27/2025. Thread has been dormant for almost 4 years and there's nothing in the thread that would help someone who stumbled upon it or was brought here by a search.

Hi,

I am following the Microsoft Tutorial here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/python/web-frameworks

I am at the step, "Create a virtual environment" and have completed all previous steps successfully.

However, now when I enter python3 -m venv .venv in the Linux (Ubuntu) command line, I get the following:
Error: Command '['/mnt/c/my/Python/Directory/HelloWorld/.venv/bin/python3.8', '-Im', 'ensurepip', '--upgrade', '--default-pip']' returned non-zero exit status 1.

Can you please help solve this error?

Hence, when I enter, "source .venv/bin/activate", I get following message:
-bash: .venv/bin/activate: No such file or directory

Thanks in advance for your help!