Apache hanging

[trogladyte]

I am using XAMPP to run my Joomla install locally prior to uploading to a remote server. I used to run XAMPP with no problems on my Vista Pro desktop. When I moved countries I installed on my wife's XP Pro laptop and it's been nothing but trouble since the day I did. Apache and MySql are installed as services and load and run correctly upon boot up. However after a time (can't see any pattern) Apache will hang causing localhost to become inoperative - that is, any attempt to access it will just sit there doing nothing, or, at best, give an incomplete display - menus aren't active in the Joomla backend, or websites will display with contect missing.

If I open the XAMPP control panel and stop the Apache service I can't then restart it. I get a busy error. I either must shut it down, or disable the service then re-enable and then start. Then I can generally access Joomal and my local sites properly for a time.

I did find a post somewhere on the forum about inserting this line of code to go into httpd.conf "Win32DisableAcceptEx" (minus quotes). This improved the situation - dramatically to begin with - but has now resolved it. Previously it was almost impossible to run on Firefox and was OKish on IE.

I plan to develop everything in Joomla on my new remote host in the near future but have a couple of sites I ave 1/2 down via localhost that I will finish on it. Maybe things will improve when I install on my new computer when we get home. In the meantime I have 2 weeks till we get back and work to do.

Any ideas anyone? TIA.

Ian