PHP & MySQL® Web Development All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies®

5.7. Troubleshooting

Occasionally, when you look in the XAMPP Control Panel, you find Apache and/or MySQL listed but not running, and the Svc check box isn't selected. This means that XAMPP was not able to start Apache or MySQL as a service during installation.

It's best to run MySQL and Apache as a service, but not necessary. You can start them without checking the Svc check box and your development environment will work okay. You just need to restart MySQL and Apache in the Control Panel whenever you start your computer. When MySQL and Apache are both running as a service, they start automatically when your computer starts. In most cases, you can start them as a service in the Control Panel using the methods described in this section.

First, try selecting the Svc check box and clicking the Start button. XAMPP attempts to start the software as a service. If XAMPP is unsuccessful, you will see a message displayed in the bottom box, stating that it isn't started or that it stopped. A second or third try might be successful.

When XAMPP is unsuccessful starting the software as a service over several tries, click the Start button with the Svc check box deselected. The software will start. Then, stop the software by clicking the Stop button. Then, start the software again with the Svc check box selected. Usually, XAMPP is now able to successfully start both packages as a service.

If you are unable to start MySQL and/or Apache as a service even after starting them without selecting ...