Xampp Apache won't start - port 80 is free - no error in logs

Question

I'm using xampp on windows 8 for some time now and it was working fine until I've try to restart apache today. On restart this message appeared :

17:54:35  [Apache]  Error: Apache shutdown unexpectedly.
17:54:35  [Apache]  This may be due to a blocked port, missing dependencies, 
17:54:35  [Apache]  improper privileges, a crash, or a shutdown by another method.
17:54:35  [Apache]  Check the "/xampp/apache/logs/error.log" file
17:54:35  [Apache]  and the Windows Event Viewer for more clues

I already disabled services using port 80 a long time ago and no software is using it. I've checked with netstat command. I've tried to change port to 8080 and the problem remains the same. So I don't think it's a port problem.

I don't have any error message in my apache error.log and in windows events viewer.

Some things I've try already and that doesn't work:

• start xampp control panel with administrator rights,
• install apache as a service,
• restart my computer,
• added this line on my httpd.conf: LoadModule socache_shmcb_module modules/mod_socache_shmcb.so and uncommented this line in httpd-ssl.conf: SSLSessionCache "shmcb:logs/ssl.scache(512000)"

I don't know what to do now. Please help me. Thanks all.

Answer 1

Deactivate IIS in windows then run Xammp as the Admin

Answer 2

Maybe you should deactivate IIS in Windows because sometimes it blocks port 80 silently without showing any errors. Go to your Windows Control Panel and Program and Features, click on WIndows Features on and off and set the checkbox to off!

Answer 3

check whether your windows firewall is on. use firewall.cpl from windows run box. if it is on then check whether Apache Http server is allowed (in private/public mode). If not allow it. If prob not solved then check your httpd.conf file in xampp/apache/conf directory . Check for the server port in line 47 and for the serveroot directory in line 35. Make sure you have full access to that path.