XAMPP - 404 error, this is not a common 404 case[solved]

[Aniruddh]

I wanted to learn PHP so I downloaded XAMPP for saving the time required for getting hosting and stuff.

But its not working!
"localhost" gives the text "It works!", but localhost/xampp gives a 404 error.
I tried changing the text in the xampp/htdocs/index.html, but the text in the localhost does not change. This suggests that the root directory of localhost is somewhere else, but searching for "index.html" did not return any results.

Can anyone please help me out?

[Altrea]

Hi Aniruddh (there is ALWAYS time for an introducing welcome line, especially if you are asking for help. It's a matter of politeness),

"localhost" gives the text "It works!", but localhost/xampp gives a 404 error.

If your XAMPP Apache would be running, http://localhost/ would not display the index.html file bit the index.php file which would redirect you to http://localhost/xampp/ automaically.
In your case there is another Webserver listening on port 80 and respond on your requests.

best wishes,
Altrea

[Aniruddh]

Srry for not being all that polite, but I was really excited about learning php, and when I saw the error, I really wanted it to be fixed really fast.
How can I fix this?

[Altrea]

I really wanted it to be fixed really fast.

It will not make the solving process much slower, if you type the two letters "Hi" at the very first line quite the opposite.

How can I fix this?

Stop the other webserver if you want to use XAMPP is the easiest way.
Search for any Apache processes in your task managers processes tab and any Apache Services in your Windows Services.

[Aniruddh]

Sorry for it again, and there are no Apache processes in the task manager, not that I know of any way.
Stopping the Apache service stopped Apache in xampp too, so I suppose that would not help.
Anyways even when apache service was stopped, and was showing stopped in xampp, localhost still showed "it works!", so I suppose, you are right about it not being XAMPP that is responding to the request.

Any other way I can fix this?

EDIT: localhost is not working now

[Altrea]

Stopping the Apache service stopped Apache in xampp too, so I suppose that would not help.

Thats just partly correct, because the control panel can't 100% identify of the service is its own one or a different Apache service.
If you have stopped the service you should unregister it completely. After that you should just start the Apache in your control panel without any service.
That should work.

[Aniruddh]

Working allright now! Thank you sooooo much for it! Now I can continue with learning PHP!
Thanks again!

[Altrea]

You are welcome.
Have fun with XAMPP and all that stuff