localhost only works for a little while..... >:(

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

localhost only works for a little while..... >:(

Postby bobleny » 27. December 2006 02:20

I fire up my computer and turn on XAMPP, I open firefox and type in "localhost", it loads up, works fine for ten minutes, and then nothing loads. Firefox says it is loading and it says it is loading until firefox times out and stops the loading process. Ok, maybe something happened, I restart firefox, type in "localhost", and it again loads until firefox decides to stop the loading process, at which point, I'm still at my home page... OK, no idea why it's doing that, so I navigate to my XAMPP folder and stop XAMPP, after which I start XAMPP up, open firefox, type in "localhost", were it then works fine for about 10 minutes, and then it doesn't load anything anymore. I check the control panel and everything is working right.

Why is it doing this? I can't get any work done with it like that...
bobleny
 
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Joined: 19. December 2006 05:07

Postby Izzy » 27. December 2006 02:42

Any clues in xampp\apache\logs\error.log or access.log?

Is the browser cache setting adequately sized?

What OS?
Are there any clues in your systems event log?

What page stalls your browser?

What page(s) loads fine?

Because of your previous issues did you change anything in your confuguration file?
Izzy
 
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Postby bobleny » 27. December 2006 07:08

Izzy wrote:Any clues in xampp\apache\logs\error.log or access.log?
What should I be looking for in the logs?

Izzy wrote:Is the browser cache setting adequately sized?
What size should it be? Currently I have it set at 76.8MB. Thats an odd number.... lol

Izzy wrote:What OS?
Windows XP

Izzy wrote:Are there any clues in your systems event log?
Never herd of it... :oops:

Izzy wrote:What page stalls your browser?

What page(s) loads fine?
There isn't a specific page. It is simple the entire "localhost". Anything and everything that has to do with "localhost", "stalls" the browser.

Izzy wrote:Because of your previous issues did you change anything in your confuguration file?
No, I havn't touched a thing.
bobleny
 
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Joined: 19. December 2006 05:07

Postby Izzy » 27. December 2006 07:50

Q. What should I be looking for in the logs?
A. Error messages at the time and date you noticed the stall.

Q. What size should it be?
A. 76.8MB is odd but fine.

A. Windows XP
Q. Windows XP what?

A. Never herd of it...
A. start>Administrative Tools>Event Viewer (relates to Windows XP what?).

A. There isn't a specific page. It is simple the entire "localhost". Anything and everything that has to do with "localhost", "stalls" the browser.
Q. If it's the entire localhost, then what pages load in relation to your first post - "I open firefox and type in "localhost", it loads up, works fine for ten minutes..."

Q. Do you have the localhost set in the Windows hosts file?
c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
Drag this file into your text editor and it should have this line:
127.0.0.1 localhost
If not then include it and save the file as hosts with no extention.

Try using another browser to see if the same thing happens.
Izzy
 
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Postby bobleny » 27. December 2006 08:29

Izzy wrote:Q. What should I be looking for in the logs?
A. Error messages at the time and date you noticed the stall.
If, all the lines in those files are errors, then I have a lot of errors... A lot of child this parent that... I don't know what any of that means.

Izzy wrote:A. Windows XP
Q. Windows XP what?
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Version 2002 Service Pack 2

Izzy wrote:A. Never herd of it...
A. start>Administrative Tools>Event Viewer (relates to Windows XP what?).
Event viewer doesn't like me, I get error messages that says it can't complete operation due to an unknown interface or something like that.

Izzy wrote:A. There isn't a specific page. It is simple the entire "localhost". Anything and everything that has to do with "localhost", "stalls" the browser.
Q. If it's the entire localhost, then what pages load in relation to your first post - "I open firefox and type in "localhost", it loads up, works fine for ten minutes..."
Everything works at first. The whole "localhost" stuff works...

Izzy wrote:Q. Do you have the localhost set in the Windows hosts file?
c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
Drag this file into your text editor and it should have this line:
127.0.0.1 localhost
If not then include it and save the file as hosts with no extention.
Yes, It was set and still is set.

Izzy wrote:Try using another browser to see if the same thing happens.
Only other browser I have is IE, I get the same results.
bobleny
 
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Postby bobleny » 27. December 2006 09:10

I did a few other tests to see exactly when I run into this issue. As it turns out, this happens immediately after I open certain pages. For example, If I open "http://localhost/xampp/ming.php" or "http://localhost/TRIAL/trial_2.php".

trial_2.php is a test file that I made to help examine the problem.
I made for files-
trial_1.php - contains 2,651 bytes of the letter "3".
trial_1.htm - contains 2,651 bytes of the letter "3".
trial_2.php - contains 31,812 bytes of the letter "3".
trial_2.htm - contains 31,812 bytes of the letter "3".

These files are a literal strand of the letter "3". (e.g. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee) As you can see, trial_1.php is identical to trial_1.htm with the exception of the extension. Same is true with trial_2.php and trial_2.htm. However, the only file that wont load is trial_2.php. By not load, I mean when you click on the file name, the browsers "Refresh" button blinks once but the page never changes. From this point, the entire "localhost" stalls.
bobleny
 
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Joined: 19. December 2006 05:07

Postby Izzy » 28. December 2006 11:32

bobleny wrote:...By not load, I mean when you click on the file name...

You can't load a php file by clicking on the file name. It must be loaded through the server so the server can parse the php code.

As you typed before http://localhost/TRIAL/trial_2.php is going through the server but clicking on trial_2.php in the directory is not going through the server and so will not be parsed.

html files are handled some what differently by a browser. They will usually load without the need for them to go through a server as most browsers know how to parse html code by default.
Izzy
 
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Postby bobleny » 28. December 2006 14:06

I'm sorry, guess I didn't realize that I wasn't clear. I understand the confusion, and after reading it my self, I would have came to the same conclusion that you had. I went to the "C:\Program Files\xampp\htdocs" folder and deleted the index page that was there. So, when I go to "localhost", a list of folders in that directory appears. One of those folders being, "TRIAL". When I click on "TRIAL", provided my "localhost" isn't frozen, it displays the files in the "TRIAL" folder. I didn't put an index page in there either so that I can see the file names. It is from there, that I click on the file name. "http://localhost/TRIAL/"

I failed to explain this clearly.... lol I hope that makes things more clear.
bobleny
 
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Joined: 19. December 2006 05:07

Postby Izzy » 29. December 2006 00:02

It always pays to explain your issues clearly as someone not sat infront of your PC relies on you explaining what you have done and what you see when you do it.

I have just tried to reproduce your problems by renaming all index files in the htdocs directory (same result as deleting them).
No problems were evident.
All files loaded fine and all directory listings were in order.
I even stopped the server and tried again.
This returned a 'page not found error' when trying to load files, an expected result.
No browser freeze up or any signs of what might be causing your problem.
I tried with IE6, FireFox, Opera9 and SeaMonkey, all the latest versions except IE (only keep that thing for testing web sites).
All performed as expected.

You might have a corrupted XAMPP installation which has been known to happen from time to time.
If you do a full uninstall as per item 5 in the readme-en.txt file and delete the xampp directory totally and then re-install XAMPP this sometimes fixes some problems that evidently have no obvious solutions.

So, in consequence, I am at a loss now to suggest any other solutions. Others reading this might be able to make a few suggestions now the issues are clearly defined. ;)
Good luck.
Izzy
 
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Postby bobleny » 30. December 2006 03:10

OK, after I delete the file from "C:\Program Files\" and reinstall the program, I can't start my apache! I reinstalled this twice and I get the same problem! This is the same file I used before, when I didn't have this problem. As I've said before, I have checked the MD5 to ensure the file is not corrupt.

This is the error message I get when I start apache with "apache_start.bat":
Code: Select all
Diese Eingabeforderung nicht waehrend des Running beenden
Bitte erst bei einem gewollten Shutdown schliessen
Please close this command only for Shutdown
Apache 2 is starting ...
apache.exe: Syntax error on line 42 of C:/Program Files/xampp/apache/conf/httpd.
conf: ServerRoot must be a valid directory

Apache konnte nicht gestartet werden
Apache could not be started
Press any key to continue . . .


Is this a result of the previously mentioned problem?
bobleny
 
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Joined: 19. December 2006 05:07

Postby Izzy » 30. December 2006 03:21

bobleny wrote:
Code: Select all
apache.exe: Syntax error on line 42 of C:/Program Files/xampp/apache/conf/httpd.
conf: ServerRoot must be a valid directory. . .

This from my httpd.conf file and is the location of my XAMPP apache file:
Code: Select all
#
# ServerRoot: The top of the directory tree under which the server's
# configuration, error, and log files are kept.
#
# Do not add a slash at the end of the directory path.  If you point
# ServerRoot at a non-local disk, be sure to point the LockFile directive
# at a local disk.  If you wish to share the same ServerRoot for multiple
# httpd daemons, you will need to change at least LockFile and PidFile.
#
ServerRoot "C:/xampp/apache"

Your path may be different but should be in the above format. Find where the apache directory is on your installation and put it there.
Save the httpd.conf file and try and restart apache.

This usually happens if you did not run the bat file xampp\setup_xampp.bat when required as oulined in the xampp\readme-en.txt file

This file sets all the paths to their correct locations with reference to where you installed XAMPP. It is often overlooked and has some strange consequences as a result.
Izzy
 
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Postby bobleny » 30. December 2006 05:52

lol... DUR! Should have done that... I did and it starts now!

Ok, it works fine until I load that trial.php page! this time though, every time I click the link, it takes me to a blank white page and an error message appears, after that the server stalls again...

It says:
"Apache HTTP Server has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."

Then it gives you the standard windows message below it.... and asks if I want to send a report to microsoft.

I get error message this time....
bobleny
 
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Joined: 19. December 2006 05:07

Postby bobleny » 30. December 2006 06:13

I went ahead and reinstalled it again and made sure that I ran the setup_xampp.bat file before I did anything else.... The browser still stalls and I still get the error message...

I don't know if this error message will help solve the problem or not...
bobleny
 
Posts: 25
Joined: 19. December 2006 05:07

Postby Izzy » 30. December 2006 06:35

When you uninstalled it did you follow the uninstall instruction?
Close all running XAMPP components and uninstall any XAMPP services that might be running before closing the XAMPP Control Panel.
Then run xampp\uninstall.exe if you used the installer version to clear any registry entries.

Then delete the xampp directory totally. Make sure you don't have any directories that have failed to delete.

Check that none of the XAMPP .exe files are running using the Windows Task Manager:
Right click on the task bar and select Task Manager from the context menu, then click on the Processes tab. If you find any, right click on the exe file and select End Process and Yes to the question.

When you are satified that the whole of your previous XAMPP installation and all the components have also been stopped and deleted then you can try and reinstall a clean XAMPP installation.

It often happens when uninstalling and reinstalling several times that not all XAMPP components and services are removed cleanly. It is important that a clean removal is implemented.


With your error message now is the time to check the Windows System Event Log for more clues.

I am not sure about how to get to it in XP Home but in XP Pro it is:
Control Panel>Administation Tools>Event Viewer>System (or Application).

Another method:
start>Administration Tools>Event Viewer>System (or Application).

Check for the time the event took place.

Also there may be more info in the xampp\apache\logs\error.log.

Check the time you get the errors and match with the error log.
Usually Apache gives some very useful clues if it is server related.

Try and paste the actual error messages here if you can but only if you don't understand what they mean.

Make sure you don't have any more Apache or PHP or MySQL instances on your computer. If you have then uninstall them as XAMPP needs to have exclusive use of all the ports it requires.
Izzy
 
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Joined: 25. April 2006 17:06

Postby bobleny » 30. December 2006 07:38

Izzy wrote:When you uninstalled it did you follow the uninstall instruction?
Close all running XAMPP components and uninstall any XAMPP services that might be running before closing the XAMPP Control Panel.
Then run xampp\uninstall.exe if you used the installer version to clear any registry entries.

Then delete the xampp directory totally. Make sure you don't have any directories that have failed to delete.
This is what my "readme_en.txt" says:
"Step 5: XAMPP UNINSTALL? Simply remove the "xampp" Directory.
But before please shutdown the apache and mysql." That is what I did.

Izzy wrote:Check that none of the XAMPP .exe files are running using the Windows Task Manager:
Right click on the task bar and select Task Manager from the context menu, then click on the Processes tab. If you find any, right click on the exe file and select End Process and Yes to the question.
I didn't do that, but I am confident that, that wasn't an issue.

Izzy wrote:When you are satified that the whole of your previous XAMPP installation and all the components have also been stopped and deleted then you can try and reinstall a clean XAMPP installation.

I'm not so sure I'm satisfied. The first time I installed xampp, I installed xampp lite. I have know idea how I uninstalled it, but if there was an uninstall file, I used that. Other wise, I most likely used add/remove programs. This didn't work, so I tried the installer for the windows. Then, now I'm just using the .exe file as it is a billion times easier!

Izzy wrote:With your error message now is the time to check the Windows System Event Log for more clues.

I am not sure about how to get to it in XP Home but in XP Pro it is:
Control Panel>Administation Tools>Event Viewer>System (or Application).

Another method:
start>Administration Tools>Event Viewer>System (or Application).

Check for the time the event took place.

Control Panel>Administation Tools>Event Viewer.
I cant use the event viewer. I get this error when I try to view an even log:
Code: Select all
Unable to complete the operation on "Application".
The interface is unknown.


Izzy wrote:Also there may be more info in the xampp\apache\logs\error.log.

Check the time you get the errors and match with the error log.
Usually Apache gives some very useful clues if it is server related.

Try and paste the actual error messages here if you can but only if you don't understand what they mean.
Because I was unable to view the event logs, I turned the server off, exited out of the control panel, went to the apache error.log and at the end of the file I entered down a few spaces, saved and exited the file. I then opened the control panel, started apache, when to localhost, went to my music file, went back to localhost, opened the test file, which is a string of "3"s, got the error message, went back to localhost, let it load for a bit, told the browser to stop loading, stopped apache, exited the control panel, and finally, I went back to the apache logs, and this is what I got. I have now idea what any of this means, but I don't see anything that would cause a securty risk to my box so, this is what It says:
Code: Select all
[Sat Dec 30 01:11:36 2006] [crit] (22)Invalid argument: unable to replace stderr with error_log
[Sat Dec 30 01:11:36 2006] [crit] (2)No such file or directory: unable to replace stderr with /dev/null
[Sat Dec 30 01:11:39 2006] [crit] (22)Invalid argument: unable to replace stderr with error_log
[Sat Dec 30 01:11:39 2006] [crit] (2)No such file or directory: unable to replace stderr with /dev/null
[Sat Dec 30 01:11:40 2006] [notice] Apache/2.2.3 (Win32) DAV/2 mod_ssl/2.2.3 OpenSSL/0.9.8d mod_autoindex_color PHP/5.2.0 configured -- resuming normal operations
[Sat Dec 30 01:11:40 2006] [notice] Server built: Sep 30 2006 21:24:06
[Sat Dec 30 01:11:40 2006] [notice] Parent: Created child process 1440
[Sat Dec 30 01:11:43 2006] [notice] Child 1440: Child process is running
[Sat Dec 30 01:11:43 2006] [notice] Child 1440: Acquired the start mutex.
[Sat Dec 30 01:11:43 2006] [notice] Child 1440: Starting 250 worker threads.
[Sat Dec 30 01:11:43 2006] [notice] Child 1440: Starting thread to listen on port 443.
[Sat Dec 30 01:11:43 2006] [notice] Child 1440: Starting thread to listen on port 80.
[Sat Dec 30 01:12:14 2006] [notice] Parent: child process exited with status 3221225477 -- Restarting.
[Sat Dec 30 01:12:14 2006] [crit] (22)Invalid argument: unable to replace stderr with error_log
[Sat Dec 30 01:12:14 2006] [crit] (2)No such file or directory: unable to replace stderr with /dev/null
[Sat Dec 30 01:12:16 2006] [notice] Apache/2.2.3 (Win32) DAV/2 mod_ssl/2.2.3 OpenSSL/0.9.8d mod_autoindex_color PHP/5.2.0 configured -- resuming normal operations
[Sat Dec 30 01:12:16 2006] [notice] Server built: Sep 30 2006 21:24:06
[Sat Dec 30 01:12:16 2006] [notice] Parent: Created child process 2632
[Sat Dec 30 01:12:20 2006] [notice] Child 2632: Child process is running
[Sat Dec 30 01:12:20 2006] [notice] Child 2632: Acquired the start mutex.
[Sat Dec 30 01:12:20 2006] [notice] Child 2632: Starting 250 worker threads.
[Sat Dec 30 01:12:20 2006] [notice] Child 2632: Starting thread to listen on port 443.
[Sat Dec 30 01:12:20 2006] [notice] Child 2632: Starting thread to listen on port 80.


Izzy wrote:Make sure you don't have any more Apache or PHP or MySQL instances on your computer. If you have then uninstall them as XAMPP needs to have exclusive use of all the ports it requires.
I still have WAMP on my computer but I disabled the services and made sure that WAMP is not functioning in the background. I am also confident that all ports necessary for XAMPP to function correctly are open. (only to xampp of course. HACKERS BEWARE! lol)

This, I hope helps!

And again, I want to thank you for your help!
bobleny
 
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Joined: 19. December 2006 05:07

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