Xampp from non-admin account

[damselfish]

I have just installed xampp on my laptop. I installed it using the admin account because it gave me an error when I tried to install it from my normal user-level account.

The error turned out to be unrelated...it was the one about UACs and not installing xampp into the program files x86 directory. I didn't figure that out until later, so went ahead and moved to admin for the install.

I assumed it would ask me if I wanted it to be available for all users, but it did not ask that question. Now I cannot use xampp under my regular user account. Even if I go straight to the directory and launch the control panel, it does not work.

I have no desire to be out on the web using an admin account, for security reasons, so I'd like to use xampp from a normal user-level account.

Do I just need to chuck the current install and reinstall at user level, or is there something else I should do? I've read a little bit of the old posts about non-admin users but I'm not sure if they apply to Windows 7.

All help much appreciated.

Judith

[Altrea]

Hi Judith,

If XAMPP is installed in a directory where normal users can read/write (for example directly in C:\), and you don't use the windows services to start the components, the single components can be sarted and stopped with normal user permissions.

I assumed it would ask me if I wanted it to be available for all users, but it did not ask that question.

The XAMPP installer is not a true installation, it just extract itself to a directory, runs the setup script to update the paths of the single components and maybe creates a desktop icon, etc. There is no magic in it, so it is user independend.

Even if I go straight to the directory and launch the control panel, it does not work.

In which directory have you installed XAMPP?
What does "does not work" mean? What happens?

best wishes,
Altrea

[damselfish]

Thanks for answering, Altrea. I have installed it properly (I think!), in c:\xampp...not in any subdir of the program files directory. I did not do anything unusual with the install, left the check boxes all as they were, did not install anything as service.

If I try to launch it by opening the xampp-control.exe file from the xampp directory, while logged in as my normal non-admin user ID, this is what the control panel responses look like:
12:17:02 PM [main] Initializing Control Panel
12:17:02 PM [main] Windows Version: Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit
12:17:02 PM [main] XAMPP Version: 1.8.0
12:17:02 PM [main] Control Panel Version: 3.0.12 [ Compiled: June 24th 2012 ]
12:17:02 PM [main] You are not running with administrator rights! This will work for
12:17:02 PM [main] most application stuff but whenever you do something with services
12:17:02 PM [main] there will be a security dialogue or things will break! So think
12:17:02 PM [main] about running this application with administrator rights!
12:17:02 PM [main] XAMPP Installation Directory: "c:\xampp\"
12:17:02 PM [main] Initializing Modules
12:17:02 PM [apache] Possible problem detected!
12:17:02 PM [apache] Port 80 in use by "unknown program"!
12:17:02 PM [apache] Possible problem detected!
12:17:02 PM [apache] Port 443 in use by "unknown program"!
12:17:02 PM [main] Starting Check-Timer
12:17:02 PM [main] Control Panel Ready

So it warns me about the lack of admin rights, which makes sense, and then I seem to have port issues. I do get functioning start buttons but if I try to actually start Apache, for instance, I get this:
12:19:30 PM [apache] Starting apache app...
12:19:30 PM [apache] Status change detected: running
12:19:35 PM [apache] Status change detected: stopped
So it does not keep running.

Let me know if you need more info and thank you for trying to help me.

[Altrea]

12:17:02 PM [apache] Possible problem detected!
12:17:02 PM [apache] Port 80 in use by "unknown program"!
12:17:02 PM [apache] Possible problem detected!
12:17:02 PM [apache] Port 443 in use by "unknown program"!

[...]I seem to have port issues.

That is exactly the problem you need to solve.

In your XAMPP control panel there is a Button "Netstat".There you can see all ports that are used by other programs. Search for the ports 80 and 443.
If this will not get any more information that "unknown program" try the external program TCPview. In that program first uncheck the "Options->Resolve Addresses" and then search for the process of the local ports 80 and 443.

best wishes,
Altrea

[damselfish]

OK, netstat doesn't show them at all. TCP view shows local ports 80 and 443 as process <non-existent>.

But before I continue to drag you thru this path, I don't want to waste your time...does what I am trying to do make sense? Will I be able to do my website development work as a non-admin user, or should I give up the idea?

I used xampp a lot about two years ago to develop a business website for myself and didn't have any problems because back then I was doing everything as an admin. I don't remember the xampp terminology very well so I'm not sure what it is telling me will break when it says this:
12:17:02 PM [main] You are not running with administrator rights! This will work for
12:17:02 PM [main] most application stuff but whenever you do something with services
12:17:02 PM [main] there will be a security dialogue or things will break! So think
12:17:02 PM [main] about running this application with administrator rights!

I mean, every time I start Apache, or mySQL, or FileZilla, is that a "service"?

The reason behind me wanting to do this is that when I am working on the website I'm sure I will be constantly going out to the web, as I did last time, to look at sample sites, read up on PHP syntax, search blogs and forums for how somebody else solved whatever problem, etc. But I have completely banned myself from surfing the web as admin in the couple of years since then, and I have had zero virus/malware/etc problems since I did so. It would sure be a pain to have to switch user IDs every time I want to do some research.

Thanks again,
Judith

[hackattack142]

I mean, every time I start Apache, or mySQL, or FileZilla, is that a "service"?

No

I think there is a general confusion about services. There is two ways to run each program. You can run it as a standalone application like most other programs on your system (does not require admin privileges) and this will have the red 'X' in the service box. You also have the option of running the application as a Windows Service (a green check in the service box) which registers it with the system and it will automatically start when you boot your box. Working with Windows Services requires Admin privileges. You can run all the applications as a standalone application (all red 'X' in the service column) and should not need Admin privileges.

You also have the option of running just the control panel with Admin privileges (right click it -> run as Admin). This way, the control panel will be running with elevated privileges but you do not need to have the whole system be at this privilege level.

That said, your issue is blocked ports. Since you are only running with user privileges, your programs might not be able to get the information about what program is blocking if it is running at a higher privilege level (like a system service). Ports 80 and 443 need to be unblocked before Apache will start.

[damselfish]

Thanks, that was a helpful explanation of services.

I still cannot find the ports. I switched back to my admin account, ran TCPView, Netstat both from the xampp control panel and from the command line, and ports 80 and 443 do not appear anywhere on any of these.

I'm pretty much at a loss at this point.

Edited to add: I don't have Skype, I know that is often mentioned as the culprit for these ports.

[hackattack142]

Do you still get the "possible problem detected" messages in the CP even when running as admin?

Could you open the XAMPP Control Panel options (top-right button) and check the "Show Debug Information" then click Save.

Close/Reopen the control panel and post the log of it here.

[damselfish]

Sorry, I was away from this yesterday. The buttons are a little different, top right button is called something else now but I am pretty sure this is what you were asking for. Let me know if not. Thanks!

Here is the log:
8:20:16 AM [main] Initializing Control Panel
8:20:16 AM [main] Windows Version: Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit
8:20:16 AM [main] XAMPP Version: 1.8.0
8:20:16 AM [main] Control Panel Version: 3.0.12 [ Compiled: June 24th 2012 ]
8:20:16 AM [main] You are not running with administrator rights! This will work for
8:20:16 AM [main] most application stuff but whenever you do something with services
8:20:16 AM [main] there will be a security dialogue or things will break! So think
8:20:16 AM [main] about running this application with administrator rights!
8:20:16 AM [main] XAMPP Installation Directory: "c:\xampp\"
8:20:17 AM [main] Initializing Modules
8:20:17 AM [apache] Initializing module...
8:20:17 AM [apache] Checking for service (name="apache2.4"): Service not installed
8:20:17 AM [apache] Service Path: Service Not Installed
8:20:17 AM [apache] Checking default ports...
8:20:17 AM [apache] Possible problem detected!
8:20:17 AM [apache] Port 80 in use by "unknown program"!
8:20:17 AM [apache] Possible problem detected!
8:20:17 AM [apache] Port 443 in use by "unknown program"!
8:20:17 AM [mysql] Initializing module...
8:20:17 AM [mysql] Checking for service (name="mysql"): Service not installed
8:20:17 AM [mysql] Service Path: Service Not Installed
8:20:17 AM [mysql] Checking default ports...
8:20:17 AM [filezilla] Initializing module...
8:20:17 AM [filezilla] Checking for service (name="FileZillaServer"): Service not installed
8:20:17 AM [filezilla] Service Path: Service Not Installed
8:20:17 AM [filezilla] Checking default ports...
8:20:17 AM [mercury] Initializing module...
8:20:17 AM [mercury] Checking default ports...
8:20:17 AM [tomcat] Initializing module...
8:20:17 AM [tomcat] Checking for service (name="Tomcat7"): Service not installed
8:20:17 AM [tomcat] Service Path: Service Not Installed
8:20:17 AM [tomcat] Checking default ports...
8:20:17 AM [main] Starting Check-Timer
8:20:17 AM [main] Control Panel Ready

[JonB]

You can use Windows Task Manager > Performance > Resource Monitor > Network > Listening Ports - to see what is using Ports 80 and 443 (sort on Port #)

If you need more detective work, try Windows SysInternals Process Explorer -
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysi ... 96653.aspx

Good Luck

[damselfish]

Thanks Jon,

I tried that, sorted by port number and those two ports are still not there. Lowest number ports are 135, 137, 138, 139 and then it jumps to 445.

More thoughts are welcome...

Judith

Edited to add, I found an old thread on here (I can't figure out how to post links to this forum) that seemed to imply that maybe the install didn't work correctly, causing this error...but then the thread just kind of died with no resolution. Thread number is 47472 if that will let someone find the thread.

[Altrea]

If the ports are completely gone from all of these programs please try to start Apache again and show us the output of your \xampp\apache\logs\error.log from this start attempt.

[damselfish]

Altrea,

I opened xampp again last night, and now my port error messages were (miraculously?) gone. I haven't done anything to the computer that seems like it should have affected that...downloaded some new backup software is about the only thing I've done, and I have not changed anything re firewalls/security.

This happened even though the ports were already not appearing in the port lists back on the 24th and the error persisted until at least the 26th.

I did it again this morning, all looked good.

So, I closed down, then went back in again...and voila, the warning is back, although it then seems to resolve itself and Apache starts up OK.

Here's the log from the second time this AM.
5:58:33 AM [main] Initializing Control Panel
5:58:33 AM [main] Windows Version: Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit
5:58:33 AM [main] XAMPP Version: 1.8.0
5:58:33 AM [main] Control Panel Version: 3.0.12 [ Compiled: June 24th 2012 ]
5:58:33 AM [main] You are not running with administrator rights! This will work for
5:58:33 AM [main] most application stuff but whenever you do something with services
5:58:33 AM [main] there will be a security dialogue or things will break! So think
5:58:33 AM [main] about running this application with administrator rights!
5:58:33 AM [main] XAMPP Installation Directory: "c:\xampp\"
5:58:33 AM [main] Initializing Modules
5:58:33 AM [apache] Possible problem detected!
5:58:33 AM [apache] Port 80 in use by "unknown program"!
5:58:33 AM [apache] Possible problem detected!
5:58:33 AM [apache] Port 443 in use by "unknown program"!
5:58:33 AM [main] Starting Check-Timer
5:58:33 AM [main] Control Panel Ready
5:58:42 AM [apache] Stopping apache (PID: 7476)
5:58:42 AM [apache] Status change detected: stopped
5:58:46 AM [apache] Starting apache app...
5:58:46 AM [apache] Status change detected: running
5:59:00 AM [apache] Stopping apache (PID: 7340)
5:59:00 AM [apache] Stopping apache (PID: 4880)
5:59:01 AM [apache] Status change detected: stopped
5:59:05 AM [apache] Starting apache app...
5:59:05 AM [apache] Status change detected: running
5:59:13 AM [apache] Stopping apache (PID: 8308)
5:59:13 AM [apache] Stopping apache (PID: 2392)
5:59:14 AM [apache] Status change detected: stopped
5:59:33 AM [apache] Starting apache app...
5:59:34 AM [apache] Status change detected: running

This is all a little odd.

Judith

[AaronS81]

I have recently installed Xampp for the purpose of website development offline and ran into the exact same issues as Judith. After following the various instructions I realized that her last post mentioned that she had Xampp off and then turned it on another day. So I restarted my computer and Apache is working with the correct ports (80,433) something I was not seeing after initial installation. For those who may run into this in the future so far it looks like you should just restart after installation for the ports to get aligned.


Aaron