Xampp Apache module not working - 'waiting for localhost' error

Question

I have encountered a problem when trying to preview PHP files using the Xampp control panel Apache module. Basically I open the control panel, click 'start', and have it minimised on my screen. I then navigate to a PHP page that I want to preview in my browser - but when I try to load it, it just sits there and says 'Waiting for Localhost' on the tab. The page never loads. Has anyone ever encountered this problem before, and if so, is there a simple fix?

Regards,

Robert Young

Answer 1

This happened to me and the problem was that some other application was listening on port 80 . I couldn't figure out what it was. Usually, it would be Skype so I shut down Skype and I still had a problem connecting to localhost. The other application was Audible Download Manager which automatically starts when I start windows and you can usually see in the windows task manager. Once I closed the app, localhost started working.

This is how you figure out which application is listening on port 80.

Go to Start, then Run or type cmd and open cmd.exe. Then type:

 cd desktop
 netstat -a -b -p TCP >port_list.txt

After command runs, port_list.txt will be saved on your desktop. Open port_list.txt and go through the list and find the application listening to :http. Then find the application under processes in your windows task manager and end the process.

Answer 2

I had similar issue... Here is what you can do:

Step 1: on xampp control panel checkout netstat & look if any other application is using that port as your xampp

( If yes then shut down those applications using Task Manager)

Step 2: Irrespective of Positive or negative results of step 1, Just Turn off your firewall through control panel.

In my case I just had to turn firewall off & it did the miracle.