XAMPP installer has no apache/php?

[Lakeside55]

I downloaded a XAMPP package with installer. xaampp-windows-64-8.2.0-0-v1s6zip from sourceforge. When I clicked to the downloaded file to start the installer, I noticed that the apache, and php options were greyed out, so they would not be installing. I also downloaded just a straight xamp package and put that folder in the root (C:\) but have no idea how to install it, which is why I downloaded the package with the installer. Could someone please advise? Thanks!

[Altrea]

Apache and PHP are part of every XAMPP installation, that is why it is greyed out.

installation is easy. unzip to C:/, run setup_xampp.bat once to adjust the config paths. thats it. now you can start the xampp control panel to start Apache and the other processes. PHP is included in Apache.

[Lakeside55]

Thank you SO much Altrea for responding to me so quickly! I was truly baffled and it was holding up everything.

[Altrea]

You are very welcome

[Lakeside55]

If you could allow me another question.. So, I did click the install file for XAMPP and at the command prompt there was a message(amongst a few others) thatI needed to install visual C++ runtime. I downloaded it and tried to install but it said it can't be installed because another instance of VC++ was installed. ???? It had installed it before but since then have wiped out my laptop, reformatted to start over. I cannot find this VC++ on services, nor in any programme files, Once again I am puzzled lol
I found other instances of VC++ in Programmes ( somehow) uninstalled them and reinstalled the latest version of it from Microsoft downloads. Tried to install XAMPP again and got an error saying [ERROR]: Test php.exe failed !!!
[ERROR]: Perhaps the Microsoft C++ 2008 runtime package is not installed.
[ERROR]: Please try to install the MS VC++ 2008 Redistributable Package from the Mircrosoft page first
[ERROR]: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5582
I installed the microsoft C++ 2015 version, not 2008, not sure if this effects things

[Altrea]

Hi,

Please download and install the Visual C++ Download for Visual Studio 2015, 2017 and 2019 (x64) from here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... -downloads

This should fix your issue.

[Lakeside55]

It did! This time when I clicked on the bat file after installing C++ the black screen said success, Apache is installed BUT, I can't get the dialogue box or dashboard or whatever to come up after pressing 'any key', the XAMPP icon is in my tray, but clicking it only gives me the black screen, where nothing is happening.
I get this: XAMPP now starts as a console application.
and 2023-03-14 17:27:43 0 [Note] mysql\bin\mysqld.exe (mysqld 10.4.27-MariaDB) starting as process 12508 ...
I thought once I had done these things I would see the screen that showed on he tutorial for installing XAMPP, then one where you can manage php an apache etc.

[Altrea]

I get this: XAMPP now starts as a console application.

That is a message from xampp_start.exe.
What you really want to start is xampp-control.exe. Start Apache there by clicking the Start button next to Apache.
If Apache is started successful, you can click the Admin button to get to the XAMPP Dashboard (or open a browser and request http://localhost/ manually)

[Lakeside55]

* think I solved the issue- the 'properties' by going into the control file in the xampp folder, and setting permissions as admin, so not I can start/stop Apache, and am listed as Admin. My question now is, why don't I see xampp listed among the programs in the start menu or listed as a service?

[Altrea]

XAMPP is not listed in the Programs from the Start menu, or among the program files probably as I installed it into C:

Thats completely normal if you imagine that you just unzipped it, like a portable app. You don't downloaded and used the installer version.

Also, when I start Apache (briefly as it's probably a security risk) it does not show up listed among the 'services' from control panel.

That's normal too. you did not register any services for the components. You can do so (and it is recommend at least for mysql/MariaDB) by running the control panel with enhanced administrator rights (rightclick -> run as administrator). After that you can see red X buttons next to each application you can click to register the service.
They behave like any other automatic windows service (will start with any system start for example).

Eversy program that runs on a system can be a security risk, especially if it opens a port and very important true if the system is reachable from outside of your protected home network.

[Lakeside55]

Thanks for your patience so far Altrea. I think I may be okay and hope this is the LAST issue.. for awhile- PHP does not seem to be listed in the console I thought I had downloaded PHP along with Apache, MySQL etc. with the XAMPP package.
Something else weird: Before I didn't have XAMPP, I just had Apache and actually got it to run, and and index.html with some text, which showed up when I typed in localhost. Apache is installed in C:, the root. Now at localhost, a page loads which comes from this path: C:\\xampp\dashboard\htdocs, I type localhost in the browser and it autoumatically adds the folder dashboard to the address, localhost/dashboard.

[Altrea]

as already said, PHP is integrated in Apache. It is implemened as Apache module.
Any request for a .php file will be sent theough the php interpreter by Apache.

[Lakeside55]

Ah, gotcha. Sorry for being dense I'll get it eventually.

[Nobbie]

The Xampp FAQ answers most of your questions: https://www.apachefriends.org/faq_windows.html