Apache Friends Support Forum

Hi everyone,
hope you had good holidays and that someone will be able to help me on this.

It's the second time I have this problem. Last time, I uninstalled xampp and re-installed it, but I've lost my databases. Somehow, the saves I've made didn't work anymore. So I don't wanna loose this one.

MySQL is not willing to open. Below the copy/paste of the "logs" informations.

Thanks in advance for your help!


2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: Mutexes and rw_locks use Windows interlocked functions
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: Uses event mutexes
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: Compressed tables use zlib 1.2.11
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: Number of pools: 1
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: Using SSE2 crc32 instructions
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: Initializing buffer pool, total size = 16M, instances = 1, chunk size = 16M
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: Completed initialization of buffer pool
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: Starting crash recovery from checkpoint LSN=30113005
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: 128 out of 128 rollback segments are active.
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: Removed temporary tablespace data file: "ibtmp1"
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: Creating shared tablespace for temporary tables
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: Setting file 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size to 12 MB. Physically writing the file full; Please wait ...
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: File 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size is now 12 MB.
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: Waiting for purge to start
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: 10.4.25 started; log sequence number 30113014; transaction id 23438
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] InnoDB: Loading buffer pool(s) from C:\xampp\mysql\data\ib_buffer_pool
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] Plugin 'FEEDBACK' is disabled.
2022-12-29 11:54:47 0 [Note] Server socket created on IP: '::'.
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] InnoDB: Mutexes and rw_locks use Windows interlocked functions
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] InnoDB: Uses event mutexes
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] InnoDB: Compressed tables use zlib 1.2.11
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] InnoDB: Number of pools: 1
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] InnoDB: Using SSE2 crc32 instructions
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] InnoDB: Initializing buffer pool, total size = 16M, instances = 1, chunk size = 16M
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] InnoDB: Completed initialization of buffer pool
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] InnoDB: 128 out of 128 rollback segments are active.
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] InnoDB: Creating shared tablespace for temporary tables
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] InnoDB: Setting file 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size to 12 MB. Physically writing the file full; Please wait ...
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] InnoDB: File 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size is now 12 MB.
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] InnoDB: Waiting for purge to start
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] InnoDB: 10.4.25 started; log sequence number 30113023; transaction id 23438
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] InnoDB: Loading buffer pool(s) from C:\xampp\mysql\data\ib_buffer_pool
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] Plugin 'FEEDBACK' is disabled.
2022-12-29 11:55:52 0 [Note] Server socket created on IP: '::'.
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] InnoDB: Mutexes and rw_locks use Windows interlocked functions
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] InnoDB: Uses event mutexes
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] InnoDB: Compressed tables use zlib 1.2.11
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] InnoDB: Number of pools: 1
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] InnoDB: Using SSE2 crc32 instructions
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] InnoDB: Initializing buffer pool, total size = 16M, instances = 1, chunk size = 16M
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] InnoDB: Completed initialization of buffer pool
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] InnoDB: 128 out of 128 rollback segments are active.
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] InnoDB: Creating shared tablespace for temporary tables
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] InnoDB: Setting file 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size to 12 MB. Physically writing the file full; Please wait ...
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] InnoDB: File 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size is now 12 MB.
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] InnoDB: Waiting for purge to start
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] InnoDB: 10.4.25 started; log sequence number 30113032; transaction id 23438
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] InnoDB: Loading buffer pool(s) from C:\xampp\mysql\data\ib_buffer_pool
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] Plugin 'FEEDBACK' is disabled.
2022-12-29 11:56:01 0 [Note] Server socket created on IP: '::'.
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] InnoDB: Mutexes and rw_locks use Windows interlocked functions
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] InnoDB: Uses event mutexes
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] InnoDB: Compressed tables use zlib 1.2.11
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] InnoDB: Number of pools: 1
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] InnoDB: Using SSE2 crc32 instructions
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] InnoDB: Initializing buffer pool, total size = 16M, instances = 1, chunk size = 16M
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] InnoDB: Completed initialization of buffer pool
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] InnoDB: 128 out of 128 rollback segments are active.
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] InnoDB: Creating shared tablespace for temporary tables
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] InnoDB: Setting file 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size to 12 MB. Physically writing the file full; Please wait ...
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] InnoDB: File 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size is now 12 MB.
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] InnoDB: Waiting for purge to start
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] InnoDB: 10.4.25 started; log sequence number 30113041; transaction id 23438
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] InnoDB: Loading buffer pool(s) from C:\xampp\mysql\data\ib_buffer_pool
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] Plugin 'FEEDBACK' is disabled.
2022-12-29 11:56:18 0 [Note] Server socket created on IP: '::'.
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] InnoDB: Mutexes and rw_locks use Windows interlocked functions
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] InnoDB: Uses event mutexes
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] InnoDB: Compressed tables use zlib 1.2.11
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] InnoDB: Number of pools: 1
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] InnoDB: Using SSE2 crc32 instructions
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] InnoDB: Initializing buffer pool, total size = 16M, instances = 1, chunk size = 16M
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] InnoDB: Completed initialization of buffer pool
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] InnoDB: 128 out of 128 rollback segments are active.
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] InnoDB: Creating shared tablespace for temporary tables
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] InnoDB: Setting file 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size to 12 MB. Physically writing the file full; Please wait ...
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] InnoDB: File 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size is now 12 MB.
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] InnoDB: Waiting for purge to start
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] InnoDB: 10.4.25 started; log sequence number 30113050; transaction id 23438
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] InnoDB: Loading buffer pool(s) from C:\xampp\mysql\data\ib_buffer_pool
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] Plugin 'FEEDBACK' is disabled.
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [Note] Server socket created on IP: '::'.
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [ERROR] mysqld.exe: Table '.\mysql\db' is marked as crashed and last (automatic?) repair failed
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [ERROR] Fatal error: Can't open and lock privilege tables: Table '.\mysql\db' is marked as crashed and last (automatic?) repair failed
2022-12-29 11:57:40 0 [ERROR] Aborting
2022-12-29 11:57:41 0 [Warning] InnoDB: Retry attempts for reading partial data failed.
2022-12-29 11:57:41 0 [ERROR] InnoDB: Tried to read 16384 bytes at offset 0, but was only able to read 0
2022-12-29 11:57:41 0 [ERROR] InnoDB: Operating system error number 203 in a file operation.
2022-12-29 11:57:41 0 [ERROR] InnoDB: File (unknown): 'read' returned OS error 403. Cannot continue operation
221229 11:57:41 [ERROR] mysqld got exception 0x80000003 ;
This could be because you hit a bug. It is also possible that this binary
or one of the libraries it was linked against is corrupt, improperly built,
or misconfigured. This error can also be caused by malfunctioning hardware.

To report this bug, see https://mariadb.com/kb/en/reporting-bugs

We will try our best to scrape up some info that will hopefully help
diagnose the problem, but since we have already crashed,
something is definitely wrong and this may fail.

Server version: 10.4.25-MariaDB
key_buffer_size=16777216
read_buffer_size=262144
max_used_connections=0
max_threads=65537
thread_count=0
It is possible that mysqld could use up to
key_buffer_size + (read_buffer_size + sort_buffer_size)*max_threads = 20295 K bytes of memory
Hope that's ok; if not, decrease some variables in the equation.

Thread pointer: 0x0
Attempting backtrace. You can use the following information to find out
where mysqld died. If you see no messages after this, something went
terribly wrong...
mysqld.exe!my_parameter_handler()
ucrtbase.dll!raise()
ucrtbase.dll!abort()
mysqld.exe!?_Assign_grow@?$_Hash_vec@V?$allocator@V?$_List_unchecked_iterator@V?$_List_val@U?$_List_simple_types@U?$pair@QEAU_iobuf@@PEAX@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@QEAAX_KV?$_List_unchecked_iterator@V?$_List_val@U?$_List_simple_types@U?$pair@QEAU_iobuf@@PEAX@std@@@std@@@std@@@2@@Z()
mysqld.exe!?_Assign_grow@?$_Hash_vec@V?$allocator@V?$_List_unchecked_iterator@V?$_List_val@U?$_List_simple_types@U?$pair@QEAU_iobuf@@PEAX@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@QEAAX_KV?$_List_unchecked_iterator@V?$_List_val@U?$_List_simple_types@U?$pair@QEAU_iobuf@@PEAX@std@@@std@@@std@@@2@@Z()
mysqld.exe!?_Assign_grow@?$_Hash_vec@V?$allocator@V?$_List_unchecked_iterator@V?$_List_val@U?$_List_simple_types@U?$pair@QEAU_iobuf@@PEAX@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@QEAAX_KV?$_List_unchecked_iterator@V?$_List_val@U?$_List_simple_types@U?$pair@QEAU_iobuf@@PEAX@std@@@std@@@std@@@2@@Z()
mysqld.exe!?_Assign_grow@?$_Hash_vec@V?$allocator@V?$_List_unchecked_iterator@V?$_List_val@U?$_List_simple_types@U?$pair@QEAU_iobuf@@PEAX@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@QEAAX_KV?$_List_unchecked_iterator@V?$_List_val@U?$_List_simple_types@U?$pair@QEAU_iobuf@@PEAX@std@@@std@@@std@@@2@@Z()
mysqld.exe!?_Assign_grow@?$_Hash_vec@V?$allocator@V?$_List_unchecked_iterator@V?$_List_val@U?$_List_simple_types@U?$pair@QEAU_iobuf@@PEAX@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@QEAAX_KV?$_List_unchecked_iterator@V?$_List_val@U?$_List_simple_types@U?$pair@QEAU_iobuf@@PEAX@std@@@std@@@std@@@2@@Z()
mysqld.exe!?_Assign_grow@?$_Hash_vec@V?$allocator@V?$_List_unchecked_iterator@V?$_List_val@U?$_List_simple_types@U?$pair@QEAU_iobuf@@PEAX@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@QEAAX_KV?$_List_unchecked_iterator@V?$_List_val@U?$_List_simple_types@U?$pair@QEAU_iobuf@@PEAX@std@@@std@@@std@@@2@@Z()
mysqld.exe!?_Assign_grow@?$_Hash_vec@V?$allocator@V?$_List_unchecked_iterator@V?$_List_val@U?$_List_simple_types@U?$pair@QEAU_iobuf@@PEAX@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@@std@@QEAAX_KV?$_List_unchecked_iterator@V?$_List_val@U?$_List_simple_types@U?$pair@QEAU_iobuf@@PEAX@std@@@std@@@std@@@2@@Z()
mysqld.exe!?assign@?$basic_string@DU?$char_traits@D@std@@V?$allocator@D@2@@std@@QEAAAEAV12@QEBD_K@Z()
mysqld.exe!?ha_finalize_handlerton@@YAHPEAUst_plugin_int@@@Z()
mysqld.exe!?mysql_uninstall_plugin@@YA_NPEAVTHD@@PEBUst_mysql_const_lex_string@@1@Z()
mysqld.exe!?real_value_ptr@sys_var_pluginvar@@QEBAPEAEPEAVTHD@@W4enum_var_type@@@Z()
mysqld.exe!?plugin_shutdown@@YAXXZ()
mysqld.exe!?c_ptr_safe@Binary_string@@QEAAPEADXZ()
mysqld.exe!unireg_abort()
mysqld.exe!?win_main@@YAHHPEAPEAD@Z()
mysqld.exe!?mysql_service@@YAXPEAX@Z()
mysqld.exe!?mysqld_main@@YAHHPEAPEAD@Z()
mysqld.exe!strxnmov()
KERNEL32.DLL!BaseThreadInitThunk()
ntdll.dll!RtlUserThreadStart()
The manual page at https://mariadb.com/kb/en/how-to-produce-a-full-stack-trace-for-mysqld/ contains
information that should help you find out what is causing the crash.
Writing a core file at C:\xampp\mysql\data\
Minidump written to C:\xampp\mysql\data\mysqld.dmp
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: Mutexes and rw_locks use Windows interlocked functions
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: Uses event mutexes
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: Compressed tables use zlib 1.2.11
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: Number of pools: 1
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: Using SSE2 crc32 instructions
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: Initializing buffer pool, total size = 16M, instances = 1, chunk size = 16M
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: Completed initialization of buffer pool
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: The log sequence number 30113050 in the system tablespace does not match the log sequence number 30113059 in the ib_logfiles!
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: 128 out of 128 rollback segments are active.
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: Removed temporary tablespace data file: "ibtmp1"
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: Creating shared tablespace for temporary tables
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: Setting file 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size to 12 MB. Physically writing the file full; Please wait ...
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: File 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size is now 12 MB.
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: Waiting for purge to start
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: 10.4.25 started; log sequence number 30113059; transaction id 23438
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] InnoDB: Loading buffer pool(s) from C:\xampp\mysql\data\ib_buffer_pool
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] Plugin 'FEEDBACK' is disabled.
2022-12-29 11:59:48 0 [Note] Server socket created on IP: '::'.

Hi,

Try to start MariaDB as console application and tell us what it responses. To do so, please:

• Open a new XAMPP Shell by clicking the Shell Button in your control panel
• type in the following command
  

  Code: Select all

  mysqld --defaults-file=mysql\bin\my.ini --standalone --console

• copy us the response of the console

Hi, thanks for the quick response. Xampp is running, but I can not go on the admin nor on my localhost work.... I followed your instructions. Please find below. Hope it might help...

Setting environment for using XAMPP for Windows.
User@DESKTOP-1UKBFBN c:\xampp
# mysqld --defaults-file=mysql/bin/my.ini -- standalone --console
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] Using unique option prefix 'key_buffer' is error-prone and can break in the future. Please use the full name 'key_buffer_size' instead.
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] mysqld (mysqld 10.4.25-MariaDB) starting as process 11764 ...
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] InnoDB: Mutexes and rw_locks use Windows interlocked functions
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] InnoDB: Uses event mutexes
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] InnoDB: Compressed tables use zlib 1.2.11
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] InnoDB: Number of pools: 1
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] InnoDB: Using SSE2 crc32 instructions
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] InnoDB: Initializing buffer pool, total size = 16M, instances = 1, chunk size = 16M
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] InnoDB: Completed initialization of buffer pool
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] InnoDB: 128 out of 128 rollback segments are active.
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] InnoDB: Creating shared tablespace for temporary tables
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] InnoDB: Setting file 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size to 12 MB. Physically writing the file full; Please wait ...
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] InnoDB: File 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size is now 12 MB.
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] InnoDB: Waiting for purge to start
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] InnoDB: 10.4.25 started; log sequence number 30113086; transaction id 23438
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] InnoDB: Loading buffer pool(s) from C:\xampp\mysql\data\ib_buffer_pool
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [Note] Plugin 'FEEDBACK' is disabled.
mysqld: Too many arguments (first extra is 'standalone').
2022-12-29 17:09:54 0 [ERROR] Aborting

User@DESKTOP-1UKBFBN c:\xampp

you added an extra whitespace between -- and stamdalone which is not valid

Sorry for the late reply. Here is the code. I hope there's no added space this time and that you can help!

User@DESKTOP-1UKBFBN c:\xampp
# mysqld --defaults-file=mysql\bin\my.ini --standalone --console
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] Using unique option prefix 'key_buffer' is error-prone and can break in the future. Please use the full name 'key_buffer_size' instead.
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] mysqld (mysqld 10.4.25-MariaDB) starting as process 10316 ...
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] InnoDB: Mutexes and rw_locks use Windows interlocked functions
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] InnoDB: Uses event mutexes
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] InnoDB: Compressed tables use zlib 1.2.11
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] InnoDB: Number of pools: 1
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] InnoDB: Using SSE2 crc32 instructions
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] InnoDB: Initializing buffer pool, total size = 16M, instances = 1, chunk size = 16M
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] InnoDB: Completed initialization of buffer pool
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] InnoDB: 128 out of 128 rollback segments are active.
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] InnoDB: Creating shared tablespace for temporary tables
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] InnoDB: Setting file 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size to 12 MB. Physically writing the file full; Please wait ...
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] InnoDB: File 'C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibtmp1' size is now 12 MB.
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] InnoDB: Waiting for purge to start
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] InnoDB: 10.4.25 started; log sequence number 30113176; transaction id 23438
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] InnoDB: Loading buffer pool(s) from C:\xampp\mysql\data\ib_buffer_pool
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] Plugin 'FEEDBACK' is disabled.
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [Note] Server socket created on IP: '::'.
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [ERROR] mysqld: Table '.\mysql\db' is marked as crashed and last (automatic?) repair failed
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [ERROR] Fatal error: Can't open and lock privilege tables: Table '.\mysql\db' is marked as crashed and last (automatic?) repair failed
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [ERROR] Aborting

Hey everyone, since the last windows update, mysql is working again, but I still can't access my localhost. It's my portfolio I've already had to remake 3 times.... does someone have any idea to help? Thanks in advance !

Sorry ... MySql crashed again.....

spattus wrote:2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [ERROR] mysqld: Table '.\mysql\db' is marked as crashed and last (automatic?) repair failed
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [ERROR] Fatal error: Can't open and lock privilege tables: Table '.\mysql\db' is marked as crashed and last (automatic?) repair failed
2023-02-03 13:58:32 0 [ERROR] Aborting

your mysql database needs to be repaired.

To do this please open the XAMPP Shell by clicking the Shell button in your XAMPP Control Panel and execute the following command:

Code: Select all

mysqld --console --skip-grant-tables --skip-external-locking

Leave this black command line window open and click on the Shell button in the Control Panel again to open a second command line window and execute this command:

Code: Select all

mysqlcheck -r --databases mysql --use-frm

After that you Can close both command line Windows and try to start mysql again normally from your XAMPP control panel

To prevent this happening again and again you should consider to register the windows service for mysql/MariaDB to start/stop this component through the windows service handler.

I'd suggest that after following what Altrea indicates you configure you MySQL package to run as a Windows Service. Currently, this appears to be the approach to run XAMPP without having issues with MySQL. I've had my system setup this way for almost a year, and have had no issues with MySQL.

Thanks for your help. How do I configure mysql to run as a wi Dow service?

Sorry guys, but I can't open the shell....it's closing automatically, as soon as it appears on screen.

well, than open your windows command line manually, navigate to the /xampp/mysql/bin/ folder with help of the cd command and type in the commands from last post

Running as a Windows Service just requires a little effort on your part. Run XAMPP Control Panel, I believe as local administrator, and check the correct box under the "Modules Service" column.