Basic Install Questions

This is probably going to be very basic… but for the life of me and what I know, I can’t get Blender to find Python on my system. I’ve tried Python 2.6 as well as ActivePython 2.6 and still blender can’t find anything. Did I install something wrong?

I’m running a WinXP SP3 machine, AMD Turion 64X2 1.6 GHz Processors, 2GB Ram. An older machine… I know.

Blender 2.48 uses python 2.5

when you start up blender it says “compiled with python XXXXX” the XXXXX is the version you need.