EXreaction wrote:They just are not running, it continues to say start where the start/stop button is and if I check both are not running. Accessing localhost tells me that it couldn't connect to server.
Try
http://127.0.0.1 instead, let me know back if that works - what OS are you using?
EXreaction wrote:I've tried running apache_start.bat, and that did make it start, however once the prompt was closed apached closed as well. No message was given, just a blank screen.
That is what the message tells you after Apache has started, it says
Please close this command only for Shutdown and Apache will stop, leave it open and Apache is still running.
EXreaction wrote:The ports are available, I tested them with the port checking tool. There is no AV installed and it is using the Windows firewall...
Windows firewall is only half a firewall as it only blocks incoming requests not outgoing requests - but as they say, half a firewall is better than no firewall at all, but only marginally.