title: On XAMPP for Windows: Apache closes abruptly
body: <p>I started using XAMPP for Windows recently. Yesterday, it was working just fine, but not today. I had already disabled the use of port 80 and 4xx from Skype (after seeing lots of posts about that) and had even removed the software from startup. MYSQL and FileZilla start just fine with XAMPP, but I get this when I try to use Apache (which I can install it as a service): </p>
  
  <pre>
  Attempting to start Apache app...
  Executing "f:\xampp\apache\bin\httpd.exe"
  Return code: 0
  Status change detected: running
  Status change detected: stopped
  Error: Apache shutdown unexpectedly.
  This may be due to a blocked port, missing dependencies, 
  improper privileges, a crash, or a shutdown by another method.
  Press the Logs button to view error logs and check
  the Windows Event Viewer for more clues
  If you need more help, copy and post this
  entire log window on the forums
  </pre>
  
  <p>Now, I am also getting this on Event Viewer: "Event Log is unavailable. Verify that the service is running." When going to services and I try to initialize Apache2.4, it gives me a message and later disappears from the Service list.</p>
  
  <p>I can start Apache when I install the serivce and then click on "Start," but then it gets stuck on "Attempting to start Apache service..." and nothing happens.</p>
  
  <p>I also click on Apache's "Start" without installing the service, and that's when I get the long error above.</p>
  
  <p>When I click on "Start" again, after the "Attempting to start Apache service..," I get "Status change detected: running" and then immediately "Status change detected: stopped" and then again</p>
  
  <pre>
  Error: Apache shutdown unexpectedly.
  This may be due to a blocked port, missing dependencies, 
  improper privileges, a crash, or a shutdown by another method.
  Press the Logs button to view error logs and check
  the Windows Event Viewer for more clues
  If you need more help, copy and post this
  entire log window on the forums
  </pre>
  
  <p>Not sure what to do now. Please help.</p>