Apache is not running from XAMPP Control Panel ( Error: Apache shutdown unexpectedly. This may be due to a blocked port)

Question

I have installed XAMPP (xampp-win32-1.8.2-0-VC9-installer.exe) on Windows 7 successfully. But unfortunately, the following error was found during running Apache from XAMPP C

Answer 1

There are many possible answers for this problem. The most common and most likely is that you're running another program which is blocking port 80 or 443. If you've installed Skype, then you've found your problem! Change apache's port settings to 81 and apache will work. There's a good tutorial on that To check this you can open up your command line by clicking the start menu, and typing 'cmd', and enter the command

    netstat -nab

this wil return a list of programs that will vaguely resemble this pattern

    [someprogram.exe]
    UDP     [fe80::numbers:numbers:numbers:numbers%numbers]:portnumber

You need to find a line (or lines) ending in :80 and terminate them in order to start apache. If there is no line ending in :80, there are more things you can do.

First, navigate to xampp's directory (default is c:\xampp) and double click apache_start.bat. This will open up a comand line and return more detailed errors about why apache can't run. Mostly, be looking for syntax errors that you could've created by editing your httpd.conf, or httpd-ssl.conf files. This is very easy to do if you've edited it and are a new user.

If still this fails, your last hope is to check the apache error log by clicking on the logs tab in apache's row in the xampp control panel and clicking error log.

If none of this works, don't give up! You got this!

Edit: If you change the port of apache, you will also have to go into httpd.conf (located in xampp/apache/conf) and near line 184, replace

ServerName localhost:80

with

ServerName localhost:81

It is also possible to specify port 81 in the url of your localhost, i.e.

localhost:81/my_project.php

Answer 2

For my case, I didn't have htdocs folder in xampp folder. It seems that it requires htdocs folder to run so you can create an empty htdocs folder in the xampp folder.

Answer 3

Salam,

You don't need to change port no.

only go to task manager & end task any other programs that are running.

and then can you START APACHE.......

Sincerely,

Answer 4

Using XAMPP for laravel development currently.

I have skype installed on my desktop, which blocks port 80 and 443 (both of which Apache uses)

This fix worked for me:

1) Under C:\xampp\apache\conf\httpd.conf , search for Listen 80 and change to Listen 81

2) Under C:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd-ssl.conf, search for Listen 443 and change to Listen 444

Answer 5

There can be lots of methods to solve this problem, but here is simplest one:

GO to XAMPP-control and...

Run as administrator

That's all..

This is the Golden Point for any such Abnormality.

Concept behind the work

Actually all the services in Xampp need Ports dependency. What happens is, When there is no special powers given to xampp, it only look for some predefined ports to run those services. And, if in case, those ports are somehow already busy... eek! the service couldn't be started.

But if we give superpower to our Xampp-control (by running as administrator), it will somehow manage and for certainly on earth will run the services on the ports. And triumph! You made it.

Permanent tip for my dear Brother and Sisters

To do the efforts one and for all, follow these steps:

• right-click on xampp-control.exe file and go to properties.
• Go to Compatibility Tab.
• In the settings below, choose the checkbox Run this program as an administrator.
• Apply the changes. And you are done.

Now, every time you run the application, it will run with the Administrator status and You don't need to take care about the ports at all.

Answer 6

For me it was because of vmware (services-it has about 2 or 3 different services),stop it and every thing works fine