I am using XAMPP, version 3.2.1. I just installed it on Windows 8. Every time I need to go to the XAMPP Control Panel to start services (MySQL, Apache,...); in windows 7 it started automatically when Windows came up.
Is there any way I can make it auto-start in Windows 8 too?
Start the Control Panel using "Run as administrator", then you can install Apache & MySQL as a service:
Go to the Config button (up right) and select the Autostart for Apache. 
To Start XAMPP at Startup in Windows, paste a Shortcut of Xampp Control Panel in this folder:
C:\Users\ USERNAME \AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp
One of the latest XAMPP releases (XAMPP for Windows v5.6.11 (PHP 5.6.11) for sure, probably some earlier versions too) does not have Control Panel with "Svc" checkbox that allows to install Apache and MySQL as a service.
Go to your xampp/apache directory instead (typically C:/xampp/apache) and run apache_installservice.bat as an Administrator. There is also apache_uninstallservice.bat for uninstall.
To run mysql as a service, do it the same way - location is xampp/mysql and batch files are: mysql_installservice.bat for service installation and mysql_uninstallservice.bat for removing mysql service.
You can check if they were installed or not by going to services manager window ( press Windows + R and type: services.msc ) and check if you have Apache service (I had Apache2.4) running and set to startup automatically. Mysql service name is just: mysql.
Hope it helps!
As a service
You can set this one by:
Going first to your installation directory(in my case it’s c:\xampplite). It could be somewhere else depending on your installation. Have also my full version in c:\x2\xampp.
Once your in the installation directory find xampp-control.exe and click/double-click to launch it.
You should first stop all running instances of your apache2 and mysqld/mysql to do this.
Click the checkmark next to Apache and Mysql with the header name Service. It will warn you that it’s installing as a service which of course is what we like it to do. Click Yes.
Do step 5 also with Mysql. We’re almost done.
Type services.msc (it can also be done in control panel under administrative tools which is a way lot of click than this one). Find apache2 and mysql services.
Double click each one and set the startup type to Automatic (You will be presented with 3 options: Automatic, Manual, Disabled)
Automatic
ManualDisabledbe warned though that any change in the services just like the registry can cause your system to stall Click the start button to manually start it(just for the session though). The next restart it’ll be automated.
Do the same with mysql. As a startup program
Find xampp_start.exe from your installation directory.
Press Ctrl+C to copy it or right-click the file and hit copy.
Go to C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Start Menu\Programs\Startup and right click on it and hit Paste Shortcut When you restart it’ll be starting also and you’ll see something like this:
You can stop it by issuing the xampp_stop.exe command in your installation directory.
Also worth mentioning is that if you right click again on the shortcut and hit properties, try to change the run option to minimized. This way the shortcut will be on your taskbar once started. Enjoy.
You could copy the XAMPP shortcut into "Local Disk C /users/YourUserName/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Windows/Start Menu/Programs/Start-up".. This will make the control panel start up with the computer, then if you were to select config in the top right hand corner of the control panel you can make apache and mysql auto start... This is a quite long winded get around but it works for Windows 10. Hope it helps:)
Apache
cmd as AdministratorC:\xampp\apache\binhttpd.exe -k install more infoMySQL
cmd as AdministratorC:\xampp\mysql\binmysqld.exe --install more infocopy xampp_start.exe from your xampp install directory to C:\Users\YOUR USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup replace YOUR USERNAME to your user name
If on Your system User Control Account is Off then You can Run the Xampp as Administrator and check the boxes for run as service. And if on your system User Control Account is on then it may not work You have to do is goto Configuration files and manually install as service or run apache_installservice.batfor apache and mysql_installservice.bat for sql at the path
- C:\xampp\apache
- C:\xampp\mysql
if path is default path
Find/Search "xampp-control.ini" where you installed XAMPP server (eg- D:\Server or C:\xampp).
Then edit on [Autostart]
Apache=1 MySQL=1 FileZilla=0 Mercury=0 Tomcat=0
Where 1 = true and o = false
That so simple