How to start Apache and MySQL automatically when Windows 8 comes up

Question

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&

Answer 1

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 the Control Panel with the "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 - the location is xampp/mysql and batch files are: mysql_installservice.bat for service installation and mysql_uninstallservice.bat for removing the 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. The MySQL service name is just: mysql.