Frustrated with WampServer

Question

I've downloaded WampServer twice. The specifications for my WampServer are: "Apache/2.4.17 (Win64) PHP/5.6.16 - Port defined for Apache: 80" and for MySql: "5.7.9 - Port defined for MySQL: 3306". The first time, it worked for sometime (2 weeks) and then it started to complain about:

*** ERROR *** The PHP configuration loaded file is: - should be: C:/wamp64/bin/apache/apache2.4.17/bin/php.ini or c:/wamp64/bin/php/php5.6.16/phpforapache.ini".

When I tried to try to move php.ini files to the right locations there was many of them ("for production ,"for development", "phpforapache" and one that just said it was an ini file). Since I was getting the error that no mbstring extension was found, I went ahead and made sure i un-commented ;extension=php_mbstring.dll from all those ini files. Guess what, nothing worked.

So I decided to uninstall WampServer and downloaded it again. It worked. But after I shut my computer down, it gave the same exact problems as before. I've been looking online to see how I can fix this problem. There are many solutions but none of them seem to work. There's one where there must not be Internet Information Services on, one where I have to set the system environment variable value to the path of my php ini file, one where I must make sure no other service or program is using port 80. I have made sure that port 80 isn't accessed by other programs already.Then, other solutions mentioned that i should change 127.0.0.1 on my httpd.conf file to "all". Finally, there's another problem that says Skype should not be turned on. I do have Skype for business, but is not turned on. I've tried to delete it and uninstall many times, but somehow is not going away. However, WampServer has worked for me in the past.

More strange things: The only way that WampServer will turn green is if I double tap on the desktop icon. Then, it asks me if I will allowed it to make changes to my hard drive. I've tried stopping services and restarting them, but it wont start this way. Also, when I typed localhost it takes me to the WampServer homepage, but if I try to access "phpMyAdmin" it gives me that the extension to "mbstring" is not found. Here is probably the strangest of all: When I click on my task manager and check for services running on my computer, it says that "wampmysql64" and "wampapache64" are both running, while the the icon for WampServer is red. Also, if i test the files under the www folder: one of them is called "testmysql.php" it gives me this error: Fatal error: Class 'mysqli' not found in C:\wamp64\www\testmysql.php on line 7. The other file "test_sockets.php" gives the server error: Extension PHP sockets not loaded.

I don't know why this product is out there if it will do as it pleases: move files, change ports and all these extensive checks that must be made in order to make sure it works. Am seriously looking for an alternative. Sad, cause the graphical interface seems so easy to understand and navigate through.

Please can someone give me a hand. I am seriously thinking about uninstalling WampServer, loading it again and giving it another go. But, i know all those problems will come back.

Answer 1

I resolved that issue: I just renamed the file phpForapache.ini in the php directory to php.ini, then I copied this php.ini to apache directory; finally all the troubles is resolved.

I hope this helps you.

Answer 2

Thanks for the answer @tizak. What I did is I uninstall wampserver and downloaded the previous version for my 64 bit machine. It hasn't given me any problems.

Answer 3

I ran into the same problems as you did, and I got the answer by checking on their forums. To begin with, exit Wampserver. According to this page*, you should take the following steps:

1. Open a command prompt window, and run as administrator
   C:\Windows\system32>
2. Move to the apache directory
   C:\Windows\system32>cd C:\wamp\bin\apache\apache2.4.17\bin
C:\wamp\bin\apache\apache2.4.17\bin>
3. Create a symbolic link linking the php.ini to phpForApache.ini in the PHP directory
   C:\wamp\bin\apache\apache2.4.17\bin>mklink php.ini C:\wamp\bin\php\php5.6.15\phpForApache.ini
   You should get a response that says
   symbolic link created for php.ini <<===>> C:\wamp\bin\php\php5.6.15\phpForApache.ini
4. For Wampserver to run correctly, it has to be run as administrator. So locate the desktop and start menu shortcuts for Wampserver and right-click. Then select Properties > Shortcut > Advanced and check Run as administrator
5. After applying changes, you can start up Wampserver again and it will run normally.

*The page is in French, so you may need to run it through Google Translate