Apache Service stopping at random?

Problems with the Windows version of XAMPP, questions, comments, and anything related.

Apache Service stopping at random?

Postby adamtate » 05. December 2011 10:12

Good morning,

I have an OLD version of Apache running and all was working great until a few weeks back and now all of a sudden for no reason whatsoever (or so it seems!) my Apache service will suddenly stop and my websites all obviously go down until I start the service again. Once this is done it might last for a day, it might last for a week! I'm not very good with all the technical side of things, I work more from a design point of view, and therefore couldn't even tell you what version of XAMPP I'm running - i don't even know how to find out!

If anyone could point me in the right direction of where to look for what's going wrong I'd appreciate their help, but please remember to dumb things down for me as I'm a bit 'special' when it comes to all this stuff! :oops:

Thanks


Adam
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Re: Apache Service stopping at random?

Postby Sharley » 05. December 2011 10:16

The top line of the readme_en.txt file in the xampp folder will give you the XAMPP version and if different to the one you posted in your profile then please amend it as your issue may be version related:
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=48626
Thanks. :)
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Re: Apache Service stopping at random?

Postby adamtate » 05. December 2011 10:24

OK Thanks - I'm using v1.6.4
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Re: Apache Service stopping at random?

Postby Sharley » 05. December 2011 10:31

Now you need to find the Windows Event Viewer and look for entries in the Applications menu item.

Apache in 1.6.4 should not stop of it's own accord but if running as a Windows service then there could have been a Windows update in the background that could be affecting it.

You can also check the \xampp\apache\logs\error.log file and see if it contains any clues.
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Re: Apache Service stopping at random?

Postby adamtate » 05. December 2011 10:40

The only things that I can find is the following:

The Apache service named reported the following error:
>>> [Mon Dec 05 07:53:33 2011] [error] VirtualHost _default_:443 -- mixing * ports and non-* ports with a NameVirtualHost address is not supported, proceeding with undefined results.

Faulting application name: httpd.exe, version: 2.2.6.0, time stamp: 0x46f2f454
Faulting module name: php5ts.dll, version: 5.2.4.4, time stamp: 0x46d6a4a4
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x0000aa06
Faulting process id: 0x464
Faulting application start time: 0x01ccb2c0948d2435
Faulting application path: C:\xampp\apache\bin\httpd.exe
Faulting module path: C:\xampp\apache\bin\php5ts.dll
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Re: Apache Service stopping at random?

Postby Sharley » 05. December 2011 11:09

Intermittent issues are always hard to pin down.

The Event Viewer message seems to indicate an old bug in PHP but I am not familiar with if it was fixable.

Is there any reason why you can't upgrade to a newer XAMPP version?

[Mon Dec 05 07:53:33 2011] [error] VirtualHost _default_:443 -- mixing * ports and non-* ports with a NameVirtualHost address is not supported, proceeding with undefined results.
There is an error in your virtual host settings - where are your vhosts settings located and do you know how to fix that error message?
This may prevent Apache from starting but should not affect the intermittent stopping issue.
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Re: Apache Service stopping at random?

Postby adamtate » 05. December 2011 11:14

Apache seems to start perfectly every time. My vhosts are stored in c:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd-vhosts.conf

It's had that particular error for a LONG time but not sure why it seems to be doing it! As for upgrading, I tried to do this when I put a new server in not so long ago. The reason behind me putting a new server in was to do with this error, but it used to happen far more frequently! Anyway, I tried to go to the latest version and it laughed at me! I just couldnt get it to work properly. I have no idea how to upgrade from 1.6.4 to the latest version successfully... that would put me WELL out of my comfort zone!
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Re: Apache Service stopping at random?

Postby Sharley » 05. December 2011 11:18

A forum search for php5ts.dll will reveal how many times this has raised it's ugly head with no definitive solution.
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Re: Apache Service stopping at random?

Postby adamtate » 05. December 2011 11:27

:( Really appreciate your help anyway...

Is there any easy way to perform the upgrades? Some kind of pretty GUI that will do all the hard work for me!? I'm guessing not, and that I'd have to update one version at a time?
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Re: Apache Service stopping at random?

Postby Sharley » 05. December 2011 11:36

That would be a tedious task indeed but the versions are all found here:
SourceForge XAMPP File Repository

There are gaps in the upgrades that would require a complete uninstall to go further ahead so perhaps if you follow these instructions you may be able to download a much later version quickly:
viewtopic.php?p=179699#p179699


Where it tells you finally to delete the xampp folder well just rename it so you have all your own files and folder and your personal configurations still on your PC - sort of a backup method with one caveat, do not copy over to your new installation any XAMPP configuration files or any XAMPP system files as that would cause issues.

Good luck and best wishes Adam. :)
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