Issues changing root user password and then getting into php

[CX2500safari]

Hi, I have just started a databases module at uni today, and part of it requires us to setup Xampp to get a database up and running, following along to the notes my uni tutorial gives i have some issues in getting Xampp to work correctly.

If i type in localhost:80 the website appears as it should

however when i click on phpMyAdmin the browser window just goes blank

The lecturer has wanted us to go into phpMyAdmin and change the password of the root user to “COM810” which is the module code - easy to remember

When that got changed the expected red warings appeared essentially saying cannot connect invalid settings when trying to get into phpMyAdmin

The lecture notes tell us to go into a file and change some settings. The file is located in

/Applications/XAMPP/xamppfiles/phpmyadmin

the file we had to change is config.inc.php

Quoting the main area that was changed, in its original state was:

/**
* First server
*/
$i++;
/* Authentication type */
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['auth_type'] = 'config';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['user'] = 'root';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['password'] = '';
/* Server parameters */
//$cfg['Servers'][$i]['host'] = 'localhost';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['compress'] = false;
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['AllowNoPassword'] = true;

Then after making the requested changes that same part was:

/**
* First server
*/
$i++;
/* Authentication type */
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['auth_type'] = ‘cookie’;
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['user'] = 'root';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['password'] = 'COM810’;
/* Server parameters */
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['host'] = 'localhost';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['compress'] = false;
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['AllowNoPassword'] = false;

I saved the file, and restarted the servers in XAMPP, then typed in localhost:80 into chrome

The homepage opens fine in chrome, but when i go to click on phpMyAdmin the browser window just goes blank. I have no error logs as such to even get a clue as to what could be going on.

Ive spent the past few hours at this, if i uninstall XAMPP and reinstall it, it seems to let me back into phpMyAdmin but the lecturer wants us to change the password, and presumably expects there to be some hassle as we have been left with the task. The only downside is most of the notes provided focus on setting up XAMPP on a PC rather than a Mac.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, its my first day at this module so apologies for being a total newbie to the subject.


Regarding the system/version information:
XAMPP version 8.1.12-0
Mac version - Ventura 13.2.1 - Running on a 2019 MBP with an intel i9 processor.

[Nobbie]

Code: Select all

$cfg['Servers'][$i]['auth_type'] = ‘cookie’;
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['user'] = 'root';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['password'] = 'COM810’;

Why did you provide these settings? Did you read the most important and basic documenation about PhpMyAdmin configuration: https://docs.phpmyadmin.net/en/latest/config.html
If i were a "Newbie" (and, of course, i definately have been a Newbie as well), i would read the provided documentation. Thats always the very first step into learning a new software.

What does "cookie" mean? What is the effect of this setting?
Why did you provide a user and password anyway?

Before analyzing your problem, you of course MUST know, what you are doing there. Changing basic settings without any clue, thats a bad idea.

P.S.: How did you insert the value ‘cookie’ as auth_type? You should have a very close look to the quote characters. And compare to 'config'. Magnify your screen if necessary - you *should* see a difference. Last not least - did you look into the error_log?