PHP exec running in background with Windows & Apache but not Nginx

Question

I have tried both Apache/PHP and Nginx/PHP with nearly the same configuration.

I am running this script:

<?php
exec("calc.exe");
?>

In Apache/PHP, calc.exe is not opened but is found running as a background process. In Nginx/PHP, calc.exe is opened properly.

I would like to use Apache/PHP to open calc.exe properly.

Answer 1

Exec has no functionality with display, it will spawn processes and such under a different user (thus no affect on the current logged in user)

Scenario; your logged in as User1

On php do the following;

 Exec("whoami");

You will see a different user which apache/web service is running as