In search of ... win7 startup problem solvers

[barney]

Folk,

This has me at my wit's end (not a particularly great distance  ).  I have Apache 2.2 installed on a laptop as a service.  But it never starts when system is started/restarted.  Two (2) other laptops work just fine.  They are Gateways, however, and this is a Toshiba.  None of my searches have turned up a viable methodology to correct this situation.  Pareto Logic PC Health was recommended, but it does naught but list a plethora of error conditions.  For correction, ya hafta buy da damned t'ing   .  MS FixIt didn't work.  

The problem is most often described as a conflict other software using port 80.  However, I can start the Apache process via the monitor after the system has booted, so nothing is occupying - at least, long-term - port 80.

[eleman]

What does the application section of the windows' event viewer say on the issue?

[db90h]

... bleh, don't want to get involved on second though. And don't buy Pareto, it won't fix whatever, I can guarantee you that much.

[skwire]

One thing to try is to go to the Services console, right-click the Apache service and choose Properties.  Once there, go to the Recovery tab and set all the dropdowns to "Restart the Service."

[barney]

Had these three (3) errors after changing port to 8080
~~~~~ start paste ~~~~~
The Apache service named  reported the following error:
>>> (OS 10049)The requested address is not valid in its context.  : make_sock: could not bind to address 192.168.1.130:8080     .


The Apache service named  reported the following error:
>>> no listening sockets available, shutting down     .


The Apache service named  reported the following error:
>>> Unable to open logs     .
~~~~~  end paste  ~~~~~
Changed port back to 80, same error set.
Rebuilt C:/Windows/System32/WBEM/Repository, no change.

I've tried a good half-dozen fixes that apparently worked for other folk, but still getting the same problem.  Interestingly, haven't seen 0x80041003 in the event log for the last few boots.  That, apparently, was not the issue  .

(skwire chimed in while I was typing, so I'll try his suggestion after posting this.)

[Ath]

Is 192.168.1.130 the actual, connected, IP of your system, or is it an IP of a virtual networkadapter of one of the virtualization solutions, like VMWare or VirtualBox, that'll take a few seconds longer to start?
You could try port 8081 or 8090, if both 80 and 8080 are (temporarily) occupied by other applications, or your AV package could block binding of the port during startup.

[barney]

OK, that didn't work.  This is maddening:  I can start the service manually, but it will not autostart.  That breaks a few other things that are set to start on boot  .  Oh, well, back to DuckDuckGo  .

OK, Ath chimed in while I was typing. 
Have tried ports 80, 81, 83, 8080, 8081 (currently back to 80) - I don't think this is a port issue.  n.n.n.130 is the system IP, which I also have changed manually several times, just in case.  (I don't use DHCP because too many elements demand a fixed IP for access.)  I'm using Win7 firewall & AV, no special adjustments, just plain vanilla, same as on the Gateways.  If it were the security stuff, I'd expect to be blocked when I start manually, but I'm not as conversant with those elements as I could be.  I do have some Comodo and Revo stuff installed, but they're for install tracking & removal.

[Ath]

Can you somehow delay the start of the service, by using a tool for that (never used/searched for 'm but they've been mentioned here, AFAIK), could be something else dependent that's slow to start, blocking a proper start of Apache.

OTOH, could be an issue with Apache 2.2, can't you upgrade to the vastly improved 2.4 version (httpd) ?

[barney]

There was some reason I went back to 2.2 from 2.4, but I do not recall what it was  .  Some kind of conflict, I think.  However, that seems to be the next step.  At least that should give me some clue(s) as to what is happening.  Frustrating, though, when 2.2 runs just fine on the other two (2) boxes  .

I might bypass the problem, but I'll never know what it was - or how to correct it  .

[4wd]

Can you somehow delay the start of the service, by using a tool for that (never used/searched for 'm but they've been mentioned here, AFAIK), could be something else dependent that's slow to start, blocking a proper start of Apache.

If it's Windows 7 you should be able to set the service to Automatic (Delayed Start).

Automatic (Delayed Start) specifies that a service should be started approximately 2 minutes after the system has completed starting the operating system.

• The Automatic (Delayed Start) startup type is preferred over the Automatic startup type because it helps reduce the effect on the system’s overall boot performance.
• An example of a service that use the Automatic (Delayed Start) startup type is the Windows Update service that scans for applicable security updates for the system.

[db90h]

oops, nevermind, posted something you'd already said you is N/A...

[barney]

If it's Windows 7 you should be able to set the service to Automatic (Delayed Start).

Automatic (Delayed Start) specifies that a service should be started approximately 2 minutes after the system has completed starting the operating system.

• The Automatic (Delayed Start) startup type is preferred over the Automatic startup type because it helps reduce the effect on the system’s overall boot performance.
• An example of a service that use the Automatic (Delayed Start) startup type is the Windows Update service that scans for applicable security updates for the system.

I am absotively, posilutely certain I tried that  .  So I probably thought about it, got distracted, and failed to implement  .  At any rate, I just tried it [again?].  Lo! And behold!  It worked  !

Thanks, 4wd for applying impetus where it belonged.  I keep thinkin' that someday I'll learn, but obviously not lately  .

[4wd]

Thanks, 4wd for applying impetus where it belonged.