I'm a newby foe xampp.
I was working with its to use joomla.
With 1.74 is impossible for a lot of error when you istall mysql database. so for joomla it's preferred to use 1.73 version.
You should write this in faq for xampp if you can.
another:
when you have services like iis installed, apache doesn't run and you don't have any messages. So isn't true this:
http://www.apachefriends.org/en/faq-xam ... ml#nostart - The apache does not start on my system!!!, n.1, but only you have only that apache doesn't run.
thanks
ciao
u