apache not starting

[newed]

HI
I cannot get my webpages to come up .
they were, and now i cannot get browser to retrieve files from xampp/htdocs

I suspect it might be httpd.conf or php.ini
When I press start apache in control panel it tell me the service is started but the green panel only flickers and then goes off - unlike sql it stays on

when I use http://localhost I get no pages

incidently, which directories are the working one's in
and what is the "safe" - ideal iP address and port to enter.


God Bless
newed