cb wrote:If you really want to go down this path then my suggestion is that there are files in the original PHP folder that are required for it to work. You could try reinstating the original PHP folder (keep another copy if you want) and then copy the new PHP files to overwrite the existing ones.
Have a look at https://community.apachefriends.org/f/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=82317&hilit=release+php&start=0
However, it might be easier/more reliable to export your databases using phpMyAdmin, uninstall Xammp, install the latest 8.2.12 version of Xampp and import your databases using phpMyAdmin.
The latest version of PHP is currently 8.3.7 and can be downloaded at https://windows.php.net/download
I just did a simple test.
Looking at my standard Xampp setup the result from a phpinfo(); shows multiple entries for Curl. I saved off the existing C://Xampp/php folder, created a new php folder and copied in the files from a windows php download. The result from phpinfo(); now only mentions Curl as a credit to the module author and get the Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function curl_init() error message when attempting a curl_init().
When I return the original php folder and copy in the files (overwriting 77) from the windows php download everything works fine - note the windows php download contains less files than are already in the original Xampp installed php directory
Conclusion - Curl is not configured within the standalone windows php download BUT is within the original Xammp php folder - I don't know the intricacies of how it's configured but just use this existing configuration and it works.