Can't load perl file

[Saxonpc]

Hi all,
Sorry if this turns in to a long post. Absolute noob at Apache.
Here's as much detail about the system that I know
Windows XP Pro on SP3
Apache Friends Xampp (Basic Package) version 1.5.3
Install path c:\Program Files\Xampp
No config changes since it last worked

I've taken over a new client and they run Xampp with Apache for their invoicing system. I believe it is running a really old version of Xampp (1.5.3).
The problem is, everything was working fine up until last Tuesday. It all worked ok in the morning but in the afternoon when they tried to access the program all they got was a blank page. I looked into it and found Apache would start and then stop within about a second. I have done some searching over the last few days and found in the error logs there is the following line:-
[error] Can't load Perl file: C:\\Program Files\\xampp/apache/conf/extra/startup.pl for server localhost:80, exiting... This occurs repeatedly every time I try and run the program

A bit more research told me to edit the perl.conf file and # out as follows

#PerlRequire "C:\Program Files\xampp/apache/conf/extra/startup.pl"

By doing this Apache now starts and everything seems to work ok, apart from ( and this may be completely unrelated to the ssue) when I go into their invoices and go to month view, I am unable to select any invoices from 2014. They have been using the system since 2008 and i can view invoices from any year back to then, and this years 2015. But 2014 is missing from the list.

My main question is, What effect will it have by using the # in the perl.conf file? and secondly, any ideas as to why it would suddenly need to be there in order to make Apache work?

Apologies if I have missed any details, but as i said, absolute noob at Xampp & Apache.

Any help will be most gratefully received.

Thanks
Tony

[mark.mcdonald]

The missing 2014 does not sound like an apache issue. Where is this information being stored? Are you using mysql as the database to hold this information?
Have you tried using phpmyadmin to view the records in mysql (if using this as db) and see if the records are there?
Are they missing? Can these be deleted? IF so who has power to delete these records? Do you have backups?

[Saxonpc]

Thanks for the reply Mark, as i say, i've only just started dealing with Apache etc, & only just taken over looking after this clients hardware.
1, not sure where information is stored
2, yes, i think mysql is used as the database
3, i don't know how to use phpmyadmin to view the records (never used it before) - Edit - Quick research & found how to view the database - Yes the records from 2014 sales are in the database, but still not available as an option from the drop down box when trying to view by month.
4, the client this is for would have no idea how to access the database to delete any records, they only know how to run the program from the icon on the desktop
5, i doubt there is a backup, they have no backup devices attached to the PC.

My primary concern was having to edit the perl.conf file to make it work, when it all worked fine the day before, with no changes having been made to it.

I'm sorry if this doesn't help much, but this software is all new to me (even though it's been around for years).

[mark.mcdonald]

Please send the apache error logs before and when things started to fail. This will be the only way we can help. Otherwise please view below for an alternate solution

I am surprised it is still running windows xp (no longer supported software). Here is something worth testing.
If allowed to: export the database/tables as a .sql file from phpmyadmin (simple to use https://www.siteground.com/tutorials/ph ... ration.htm)
Download a fresh 5.6.3 copy of xampp (I know 5.6.8 is the latest).
Install it on a newer machine to just run locally (don't need to host it with a domain name).
Using PHPMyAdmin, import the .sql file and copy over the contents of htdocs and mysql-data folder.
See if it runs (also uncommenting the line of code requiring perl).

I am saying all this because unless the apache error logs or mysql error logs say anything and nothing has changed from day 1 to day 2 in terms of code, the computer didn't restart and do updates, nothing else started before apache, nothing changed except apache failing to start on a operating system no longer supported. Then there is no way to help.

[Saxonpc]

Thanks again for the reply Mark,
I've got the error logs and will upload them as soon as I can. I'm working on another job for next 3 days but will try an get them uploaded when I can get back on to my PC.
My client isn't in too much of a rush now, they are happy it at least works for now and I've reassured them that all the data is still there.

I'll also give your alternative solution a try as soon as I can.

Thanks again.

Tony