Unable to start Apache 2.4.18 on Windows

Question

I try to start up my HTTP service by the following procedure:

1. Startup easyPHP DevServer 16.1

2. Open Dashboard Opens on the local machine 127.0.0.1:1111

3. Try to start the HTTP server using Apache 2.4.18 opens Apache page with VC11 compiler and server with php version 5.6.17 listening on port 80.

4. Clicking on the Start button results in a short execution and then no result. Both the error and access logs are empty.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Answer 1

In order to properly execute PHP7 you must allready install the Redistribuable Visual C++ V14 (as shown in the PHP7 information detail on easyphp dashboard)

You can find it out here https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?id=48145

Currently PHP7 is only available in easyPHP in 32bits version, so install the compatible version of VC14.

But soon I hope we can use the x64 PHP7 version, and then you must install the x64 VC14 version

Answer 2

Windows 7 SP1 box, EasyPhp-DevServer-16.1.

Since I have a website to migrate, I decided to update EasyPHP on my computer to start with fresh-up-to-date versions of PHP, Apache, MySQL. Maybe I shouldn't have... the TaskBar icon and admin interface have changed, nothing works like before.

But I am stubborn, and I want it to work. So I try to run something, and it is not. Here are the symptoms, very close to Richard's:

Trying to start Apache 2.4.18, choosing PHP 7.0.2. Click on green "Start" button, it turns into a red "Stop" button. Everything is OK? Nope. Clicking on the "Error log" button, the page comes back to previous state with green "Start" button and nothing in the error log textarea.

OK, so I choose PHP 5.6.17 and click on "Start". I have popups claiming for instance "bz2: Unable to initialize module. Module compiled with module API=20131226. PHP compiled with module API=20121212. These options need to match."

The button turns to red "Stop", and clicking on "Error log" button produces this output:

PHP Warning:  PHP Startup: bz2: Unable to initialize module\nModule compiled with module API=20131226\nPHP    compiled with module API=20121212\nThese options need to match\n in Unknown on line 0
PHP Warning:  PHP Startup: gd: Unable to initialize module\nModule compiled with module API=20131226\nPHP    compiled with module API=20121212\nThese options need to match\n in Unknown on line 0
PHP Warning:  PHP Startup: mbstring: Unable to initialize module\nModule compiled with module API=20131226\nPHP    compiled with module API=20121212\nThese options need to match\n in Unknown on line 0
PHP Warning:  PHP Startup: mysql: Unable to initialize module\nModule compiled with module API=20131226\nPHP    compiled with module API=20121212\nThese options need to match\n in Unknown on line 0
PHP Warning:  PHP Startup: mysqli: Unable to initialize module\nModule compiled with module API=20131226\nPHP    compiled with module API=20121212\nThese options need to match\n in Unknown on line 0
PHP Warning:  PHP Startup: pdo_mysql: Unable to initialize module\nModule compiled with module API=20131226\nPHP    compiled with module API=20121212\nThese options need to match\n in Unknown on line 0
PHP Warning:  PHP Startup: pdo_sqlite: Unable to initialize module\nModule compiled with module API=20131226\nPHP    compiled with module API=20121212\nThese options need to match\n in Unknown on line 0
PHP Warning:  PHP Startup: sockets: Unable to initialize module\nModule compiled with module API=20131226\nPHP    compiled with module API=20121212\nThese options need to match\n in Unknown on line 0
PHP Warning:  PHP Startup: sqlite3: Unable to initialize module\nModule compiled with module API=20131226\nPHP    compiled with module API=20121212\nThese options need to match\n in Unknown on line 0
PHP Warning:  PHP Startup: xsl: Unable to initialize module\nModule compiled with module API=20131226\nPHP    compiled with module API=20121212\nThese options need to match\n in Unknown on line 0
[Mon Feb 22 16:51:45.788809 2016] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 3292:tid 236] AH00455: Apache/2.4.18 (Win32) PHP/5.6.17 configured -- resuming normal operations
[Mon Feb 22 16:51:45.789809 2016] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 3292:tid 236] AH00456: Apache Lounge VC11 Server built: Dec 11 2015 11:26:53
[Mon Feb 22 16:51:45.789809 2016] [core:notice] [pid 3292:tid 236] AH00094: Command line: '..\\eds-binaries\\httpserver\\apache2418x160222160722\\bin\\eds-httpserver.exe -d C:/BIN/EasyPHP-Devserver-16.1/eds-binaries/httpserver/apache2418x160222160722'
[Mon Feb 22 16:51:45.797809 2016] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 3292:tid 236] AH00418: Parent: Created child process 2568
Xdebug requires Zend Engine API version 220131226.
The Zend Engine API version 220121212 which is installed, is outdated.

Since Apache seems to be running, I then launch MySQL. Then I try to run PHPMyAdmin. Here is the resulting message:

phpMyAdmin - Error
The mbstring extension is missing. Please check your PHP configuration.

Of course, since this extension didn't manage to be initialized!

So, here are my complementary questions to Richard's:

1. What can cause Apache to neither launch nor write any log when choosing PHP 7.0.2?
2. What can cause Apache to not initialize modules when launching with PHP 5.6.17?

Thanks for any clue,

Seagram

---

Hello again,

I found out an answer to myself for question 2. that may interest others:

When I installed EasyPHP-DevServer-16.1, I didn't uninstall EasyPHP-DevServer-14.1VC11. In order to have another development working months ago, I have modified my PATH environment variable to point to the php executable in this version.

Now I have removed this path reference in the PATH variable. I also exited from EasyPHP TaskBar icon. THIS IS IMPORTANT in order for this tool to forget the old PATH value. Then I restarted it, clicked on DashBoard again and launched Apache.

Now Apache starts smoothly with PHP 5.6.17 and the error log file contains only:

[Mon Feb 22 17:16:20.295146 2016] [core:warn] [pid 6652:tid 236] AH00098: pid file C:/BIN/EasyPHP-Devserver-16.1/eds-binaries/httpserver/apache2418x160222160722/logs/httpd.pid overwritten -- Unclean shutdown of previous Apache run?
[Mon Feb 22 17:16:20.313147 2016] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 6652:tid 236] AH00455: Apache/2.4.18 (Win32) PHP/5.6.17 configured -- resuming normal operations
[Mon Feb 22 17:16:20.313147 2016] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 6652:tid 236] AH00456: Apache Lounge VC11 Server built: Dec 11 2015 11:26:53
[Mon Feb 22 17:16:20.313147 2016] [core:notice] [pid 6652:tid 236] AH00094: Command line: '..\\eds-binaries\\httpserver\\apache2418x160222160722\\bin\\eds-httpserver.exe -d C:/BIN/EasyPHP-Devserver-16.1/eds-binaries/httpserver/apache2418x160222160722'
[Mon Feb 22 17:16:20.321147 2016] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 6652:tid 236] AH00418: Parent: Created child process 4052
[Mon Feb 22 17:16:20.895180 2016] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 4052:tid 316] AH00354: Child: Starting 64 worker threads.

However, with PHP 7.0.2., Apache keeps on not starting and doesn't trace anything in error log.

Something else is missing...