Question posted in 
I have just installed the XAMPP software few days ago and I’m excited to use it. The installation went pretty well. When it was finished, I opened the XAMPP software.
I was pretty worried of the messages appearing on XAMPP software. These messages look like this:
To make things right, I first attempted to repair the error involving Apache. The error looked like this:
8:33:34 PM [Apache] Problem detected!
8:33:34 PM [Apache] Port 80 in use by "Unable to open process" with PID 4!
8:33:34 PM [Apache] Apache WILL NOT start without the configured ports free!
8:33:34 PM [Apache] You need to uninstall/disable/reconfigure the blocking application
8:33:34 PM [Apache] or reconfigure Apache and the Control Panel to listen on a different port
I searched for some answers in Internet and I found how to repair the error in Apache above.
My Attempts
The first solution looks like this, from this Stack overflow question
(XAMPP – Port 80 in use by "Unable to open process" with PID 4! 12)
I was able to follow it, but the problem is the error still appears on the XAMPP, presumably because I wasn’t able to find the software
named “World Wide Web Publishing Service” and the highest-voted comment hinted on disabling the “SQL Server Reporting Service(MSSQLSERVER)”,
which involves looking in Visual Studio (I had the Visual Studio 2012 Ultimate) which can make my laptop very laggy, finding the SQL Server data tools futile, and presents too many processes and clicks.
The command “net stop was /y” didn’t work because I was shown an error encircled below:
The second solution looks like this:
I was able to follow it. I was able to find the term “Listen 80” on the text file and I changed it to “Listen 8080” and the term “localhost:80” and I changed it to “localhost:8080”.
I found the “Listen 80” keyword that should be changed to “Listen 8080” (look at the “Listen 8080” word highlighted in blue)
I found the “localhost:80” keyword that should be changed to “localhost 8080” (look at the “localhost 8080” word highlighted in blue)
I closed the XAMPP software and opened the said software. I was relieved because the I can only see the error involving MySQL. But when I clicked on the “Start” button on the “Apache”, a new error appears, which I’m going to solve in the near future. The new error is enclosed in a red box below:
Now, I partially solved my problem regarding “Port 80 in use by “Unable to open process” with PID 4!” error, but it hasn’t end because
I get a new error.
Now we turn on attempting to repair the error involving MySQL. The error looked like this:
9:56:28 PM [mysql] Problem detected!
9:56:28 PM [mysql] Port 3306 in use by ""C:Program FilesMySQLMySQL Server 5.7binmysqld.exe" --defaults-file="C:ProgramDataMySQLMySQL Server 5.7my.ini" MySQL57"!
9:56:28 PM [mysql] MySQL WILL NOT start without the configured ports free!
9:56:28 PM [mysql] You need to uninstall/disable/reconfigure the blocking application
9:56:28 PM [mysql] or reconfigure MySQL and the Control Panel to listen on a different port
I searched for some answers in Internet and I found how to repair the error in MySQL above.
My Attempts
The first solution looks like this, from this Stack overflow question:
(xampp MySQL does not start)
I was able to follow it, but the problem is the error still appear on the XAMPP. I don’t know where I messed up. I found the my.ini file in an unexpected place as shown encircled in red.
Then I followed the solution stated. I changed the port 3306 into 3307 in the my.ini file. I changed it in this part of the file (Shown being highlighted in blue).
I closed the XAMPP software and opened it again. Surprise, surprise, the same error was still there on start-up.
When I tried the alternate way to find the my.ini file to change the port number from 3306 to 3307 by following the path folders (by default, it is xamppphpphp.ini). I installed the XAMPP software on drive D because it has much free space there. So I followed the path folders and I’m disappointed, because there were TWO ini files as shown below.
What would I do to this two php.ini files? I won’t dare touch them.
The second solution looks like this:
It’s almost similar to the alternative solution preceded, so it’s pretty useless.
My question is:
How do we correct the error
"Port 3306 in use by ""C:Program FilesMySQLMySQL Server 5.7binmysqld.exe" --defaults-file="C:ProgramDataMySQLMySQL Server 5.7my.ini" MySQL57"!"
if the preceding solutions that worked on others doesn’t work on me? Am I facing a unique situation?
3
Answers
After a couple times downloading and installing, and uninstalling the XAMPP three times while looking for answers (In the fourth time I downloaded and installed the XAMPP software, everything now works probably due to my prior troubleshooting efforts), I may now present to you how I was able to repair the error shown below.
The solution was to uninstall the three software indicated in the picture below.
I never used them...probably other people had downloaded it.
And perhaps my prior troubleshooting efforts I've done in the question probably helped to solved my problem.
Now, after you uninstalled those three pesky softwares, always start the XAMPP software in Administrator mode as shown below.
When you see the XAMPP opened, you should see something like this. No red letters.
Do not mind about the Tomcat part. I currently don't need it.....
Hope it helps you...:-)
Port 3306 in use by "Unable to open process"!
MySQL WILL NOT start without the configured ports free!
You need to uninstall/disable/reconfigure the blocking application
or reconfigure MySQL and the Control Panel to listen on a different port
I had this one, and the solution was to open my.init file and simply change port name from 3306 to 3307 on 2 instances.
end sql programs on task manager and restart xampp.
It works for me.