XAMPP 1.7.7 menu does not display on localhost [Solved]

[bluelantern1163]

Hello forums,

I am new to web servers, and I know very little about coding, but I am trying to get my Windows 7 computer to become a server.

I initially had Apache and MySQL installed on my computer but uninstalled it in order for XAMPP to install properly. Now that I have installed XAMPP, when I try to type in localhost/xampp/xampp.php, it will not display the menu for the XAMPP service, it just says its not found, and immediately sends me to a search engine. What can I do to fix this, so it displays the XAMPP service?

[Altrea]

Hi bluelantern1163,

What happens if you just type in http://localhost/ ?

best wishes,
Altrea

[bluelantern1163]

Hello Altrea,

It just says "It Works" (without quotation marks)

[Altrea]

seems like your old Apache or any other webserver is responding your requests.
Please stop any Apache processes and unregister the Apache service if any is registered.
After that you can try to start Apache in the XAMPP control panel again andtry to request http://localhost/

[bluelantern1163]

Looking in the task manager, nothing with the name "apache" in it is running, so I do not think there is any Apache processes left.

How do I unregister the Apache service (if registered)?

[Altrea]

Open your Windows Services Window
Search for Apache2.2 or any similar service
rightclick and stop it
double click it and set its starttype to deactivated

[bluelantern1163]

I checked, and Apache2.2 is not on the list, and neither is MySQL.

[Altrea]

Okay...

If you open your XAMPP control panel:
- is Apache running or stopped?
- is the Svc checkbox ticked or unticked?

[bluelantern1163]

In XAMPP, both Apache and MySQL are both stopped (i.e. the button says "start"), and both unticked

[Altrea]

Please start your Apache by clicking the start button. That should start the XAMPP Apache.
Please post the contents of your \xampp\apache\logs\error.log file after starting.

[bluelantern1163]

Okay... looks like we got a problem

There is no error log in the address you gave me, the folder is empty.

In addition, the XAMPP control panel says Apache started on port 80, but the button still says start (what the heck?)

[Altrea]

Okay... looks like we got a problem

There is no error log in the address you gave me, the folder is empty.

Have you already installed the Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86) Runtime? If not, you have to do it. Thats a requirement for the Apache version which comes with XAMPP.

After that try to start Apache with the start button again.

[bluelantern1163]

So I downloaded the file, but the file did not ask me to install, it asked for either repairing or uninstall, so I clicked repair.

I then proceeded to run Apache on XAMPP, but the same thing happened (nothing), and no error file was made.

Keep in mind, I do not have Apache installed, only XAMPP

[Altrea]

Keep in mind, I do not have Apache installed, only XAMPP

Apache is part of XAMPP and all single components are as portable as possible.
So no need for installing any of that components first.

Okay next try:
Open the control panel v3 beta (xampp-control-3-beta.exe) instead of the default control panel and click on the Netstat Button.
Search for anything which uses port 80 or port 443

[bluelantern1163]

Bingo! I found that port 80 is being used by "system" (PID: 4)

So I guess the next step is to end the program, but I am not sure which program this is