Apache Friends Support Forum

My operating systems is Windows 8
XAMPP version is: 1.8.1

Using XAMPP, I start Apache and get the following message

Attempting to start Apache app...
Status change detected: running
Status change detected: stopped
Error: Apache shutdown unexpectedly.
This may be due to a blocked port, missing dependencies,
improper privileges, a crash, or a shutdown by another method.
Check the "/xampp/apache/logs/error.log" file
and the Windows Event Viewer for more clues

/xammp/apache/logs/error.log is empty

I don't know how to get the Windows Event Viewer.

I am "guessing" this a "Port" problem. What ports should I change in Apaches httpd.conf file?

Thanks for the help.

The main issue with ports is something using port 80, which 90% of the time in the past, it was Skype that was the culprit. Skype by default chooses port 80 and the workaround is simple ... shutdown Skype, start Apache, then re-launch Skype and Skype will choose a different port automatically.

The other issue could be with Windows Firewall blocking it, Windows User Account Control, etc., which it should alert you saying that an application is trying to access it and allow you to accept or deny it, depending on your settings. So if the first part doesn't work (Skype), then troubleshoot these two areas.

I don't have Skype installed, at least it doesn't appear in my list of installed programs.

I turned the Firewall off. No help.
UAC messages does not appear.

When I use the XAMPP control panel to start Apache, a PID appars briefly, then I get the error message that I posted in my original message.
Attempting to start Apache app...
Status change detected: running
Status change detected: stopped
Error: Apache shutdown unexpectedly.
This may be due to a blocked port, missing dependencies,
improper privileges, a crash, or a shutdown by another method.
Check the "/xampp/apache/logs/error.log" file
and the Windows Event Viewer for more clues

In httpd.conf, I have "LISTEN 80". Can you suggest any other configuration control statements I should be looking at?

Again, thanks for the help.

Bruce

I just installed XAMPP 1.8.1 on Windows 8 and even left the UAC on and had no problems whatsoever...

What you might try is changing the

Code: Select all

LISTEN 80

to

Code: Select all

LISTEN 8080

, save it, then try starting Apache again. If it starts, then yeap, it's a port issue.

I changed to LISTEN 8080. Didn't help. I couldn't find"CODE:SELECT ALL" in the config file. I added to see if it would help. No Joy!!

I'm going to uninstall and reinstall XAMMP.

Let's hope!!

Thanks for the help.

Bruce

Hehe, CODE: SELECT ALL is not part of the config file ... it's just formatting on the forums. The actual part is the LISTEN 80 part. Re-installing it probably won't help, but it won't hurt either, so give it a try.

localhost displays the XAMMP proper install html page. So, reinstall worked.

Apache is now displaying the ports of 80 and 443.

All is good.

Thanks much for your help. I really aporeciate it.

Bruce

Okay. I think I have found the root of the problem. If I restart Apache from the XAMPP Control panel displayed on the monitor, it seems to start another copy of Apache. This, after a few restarts, confuses Apache because of the mulitple copies. If I stop and restart Apache from the task bar icon, all seems to be good. I did 5 or 6 restarts this way and never got the error.

This problem seems to be solved.

Now, I have alias_module problem which I'll open a new Post with.

Thanks..

Bruce