xampp wont open port 80 unless ...

[Indigian]

If I enable HDD where xampp resides after boot,xampp doesn't open port 80
Same if I insert HDD after boot up,no port 80 opened.

Website is fine locally.

If I boot up with the HDD in and enabled everything works fine.
If I then stop xampp/services,remove HDD,replug HDD,start xampp,then port 80 is not open,even though 1min ago it was working fine.

I'm baffled,any ideas?

[Indigian]

Didn't mention that it's a portable version of xampp

[Indigian]

is it windows firewall related?
delete the 3 rules,apache/mysql/fesl
try again,firewall window pops up,allow/allow/allow
everything works
pull drive out,put drive back in
no firewall window and things stopped working
delete rules
try again,firewall window pops up,allowx3,all working

checking the rule I see nothing that would single out this behaviour