I just installed XAMPP, but when I try to run it I get the error: "XAMPP: Couldn't start MySQL!". Also, when I visit http://localhost, the main page (picking a language) is all I can access. Nothing happens when I click on one. This sort of makes sense: Each language links to a PHP command, and without MySQL the command probably doesn't do anything.
I've been programming for about a year, but I'm new to web programming as well as Linux. What might be causing the error?
I tried to install MySQL in the past but didn't get very far, so I doubt there are any residual files from that.