October 2019 Windows 10 Update Apache shutdown Fix/Cause

[Yan-yan]

Hi! i am new to this comunity and english is not my first language so be patient and expect grammar errors.


Xampp 7.1.32
Windows 10 x64

Cause of the error (i think): In the new Windows 10 update the path reading (i pressume) got some changes making the line 39 and others from \xampp\apache\conf\httpd.conf and other files to have problems like this one (line 39 of \xampp\apache\conf\httpd.con):

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ServerRoot "/xampp/apache"

not being able to reach the correct file.

Solution: Change the path to a more specific one:

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ServerRoot "E:/xampp/apache"

or

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ServerRoot "E:/Xampp2/apache"

in my case because i reinstalled before trying to fix it(I suggest going into the path manually and then copy the link).
This error repeats itself in a few more files from apache.
And to know where is the error i recommend using the apache_start.bat file. It shows more info about the problems that you are facing giving you a greater view of the issue.

If you are using the control pannel this is what the error would look like:

Initializing Control Panel
08:53:54 [main] Windows Version: Enterprise 64-bit
08:53:54 [main] XAMPP Version: 7.1.32
08:53:54 [main] Control Panel Version: 3.2.4 [ Compiled: Jun 5th 2019 ]
08:53:54 [main] Running with Administrator rights - good!
08:53:54 [main] XAMPP Installation Directory: "e:\xampp2\"
08:53:54 [main] Checking for prerequisites
08:53:54 [main] All prerequisites found
08:53:54 [main] Initializing Modules
08:53:54 [main] Starting Check-Timer
08:53:54 [main] Control Panel Ready
08:53:56 [Apache] Attempting to start Apache app...
08:53:57 [Apache] Status change detected: running
08:54:02 [Apache] Status change detected: stopped
08:54:02 [Apache] Error: Apache shutdown unexpectedly.
08:54:02 [Apache] This may be due to a blocked port, missing dependencies,
08:54:02 [Apache] improper privileges, a crash, or a shutdown by another method.
08:54:02 [Apache] Press the Logs button to view error logs and check
08:54:02 [Apache] the Windows Event Viewer for more clues
08:54:02 [Apache] If you need more help, copy and post this
08:54:02 [Apache] entire log window on the forums

I hope this helps to fix the problem.

[mnscottie]

I get the error shown. I checked the ServerRoot in the httpd.con file and it is correct C:/xampp/apache . I know that Windows installed an "update" today and now I can't get to my databases.

[Altrea]

I don't think that the "missing" drive letter in the configs is the real issue of the October 2019 update problem.
Apache works without this drive letter since ever and is still working on my current Windows 10 machines.

To identify the real issue please read the following threads and reply with all the information written there
[Q&A] Insufficient debug information - Apache starting issue
[Q&A] Apache won't start

In 95% of Windows update issues with Apache the real problems are blocked ports of running IIS instances.

[Yan-yan]

Well i dont know then what could have caused it, no port is blocked acording to the netstat and this fixed everything that happened. It may not be the real cause but it is a solution that worked with me and a few other so i posted it here.
i used thoese Q&A to fix the problem. it started by missing a dll, then several files were not found etc etc. i added the dll and "fixed" the paths and it worked. if you want i can tell you exactly what happened before and what i did after to solve it.

[Yan-yan]

I get the error shown. I checked the ServerRoot in the httpd.con file and it is correct C:/xampp/apache . I know that Windows installed an "update" today and now I can't get to my databases.

i think that Xampp had some issues when installed in the C: disk, if it worked before it may not be the cause.

[Altrea]

i think that Xampp had some issues when installed in the C: disk, if it worked before it may not be the cause.

Most of the XAMPP users install XAMPP on C. What makes you think that is a problem? References? Bug reports? Show me some of your found problems.

Well i dont know then what could have caused it, no port is blocked acording to the netstat and this fixed everything that happened. It may not be the real cause but it is a solution that worked with me and a few other so i posted it here.

Which others? If you are certain that this has solved your issue, i'm fine with that.
But from my experience (XAMPP User since 14 Years, 100+ made XAMPP installations, Administrator of 50+ Servers, 600+ Workstations) your issue was a different one and got solved accidentically by something unknown. We cannot analyze the real issue because of missing debug information.
Wrong paths can be an issue (for example if you move XAMPP to a subdirectory), but not a missing drive letter.
btw. you can correct all paths in the important config files by executing the setup_xampp.bat script. No need for any manual work here.