The _imaging C module is not installed

[p.zivkovic]

Now this might be due to some configuration issues or another, but I
cannot find a fix for it, and as such, I thought I'd post it.
In short, when I try to use the PIL stuff in the PP 2.6 edition I get this, well known, error:

"The _imaging C module is not installed"

I tracked it down somewhat further and couldn't find anything. The
code works fine on the non-portable Pythons I have. It's just the
import of the PIL.
Reinstalling, rebuilding or up- downgrading the PIL modules doesn't
help, it happens only on my WinXP boxes, not on my Vista boxes, also, it happens only with the 2.6 edition, not the 2.5 one.
The error is explained here :  http://effbot.org/zone/pil-imaging-not-installed.htm
But no solution is given. It loads everything fine, but the _imaging
module. But, profiling shows that when Image is imported, it actually runs into an error as well, something about a missing manifest and a "missing export in a delay-load dependent module"
The full error I get when I profile:

Loaded "_IMAGING.PYD" at address 0x00DB0000.  Successfully hooked 
module. 
LDR: LdrpWalkImportDescriptor() failed to probe h:\pa\portableapps 
\portablepython_1.1_py2.6.1\app\lib\site-packages\PIL\_imaging.pyd for 
its manifest, ntstatus 0xc0150002 
Unloaded "_IMAGING.PYD" at address 0x00DB0000. 
LoadLibraryExA("h:\pa\portableapps\portablepython_1.1_py2.6.1\app\lib 
\site-packages\PIL\_imaging.pyd", 0x00000000, 
LOAD_WITH_ALTERED_SEARCH_PATH) returned NULL. Error: (14001).

[p.zivkovic]

Reported on google group

 http://groups.google.com/group/portablepython/browse_thread/thread/b63a162b34a80c86?hl=en