Returning to Apache and MySQL after 15 year hiatus ... Running Vista. Downloaded and unpacked to C:\ start.exe starts tray icon Tried a few dozen times and finally got standalone up ONCE. Changed passwords. Restarted computer and still cannot reliably start standalone. Cannot EVER start as services. If I STOP services and stand-alone repeatedly I eventually get ports released and can start stand-alone. Apache log says Apache started twice, then a child process terminated unexpectedly without error code shown. Question: After unpacking what needs to be changed so that the servers start at all as services, or so that they can start reliably stand-alone? I know it's supposed to be all set to go. It's not. So what is missing? I'd like to use MySql Workbench, but it won't work, so it says, unless MySql is a service.
