I'm wondering if there's some sort of Windows security setting preventing me from being able to start Apache as a service.
If I click on the checkbox "Svc" for Apache, I get the popup: "Click OK to install the Apache service". I click OK.
I read online that at this point, I should be able to go to Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Services and see Apache in the list. But it's not there.
If I exit the XAMPP Control Panel, and then restart it, "Svc" next to "Apache" is once again unchecked.
I'm not sure what the difference is between clicking the "Svc" checkbox and clicking the "Services..." button, but when I click that, I get the "Service Settings" dialog. Here I click the checkbox "Run XAMPP Control Panel as a Service", and then the "Apache" checkbox under that. "System Account" is selected below. I hit "OK", but then if I reopen the dialog by clicking "Service..." once again, nothing is checked anymore.
So, it seems like either XAMPP or Windows doesn't want me doing this.
Interestingly, (and maybe I set it up this way...I don't remember) MySql and FileZilla are both being run as system services. (The "Svc" checkbox is selected next to both, and I see both in Control Panel->Serivces.)