Apache could not be started - ServerRoot must be a valid directory and Unable to find the specified module

Question

I'm using xampp portable server and I'm having some trouble with Apache http server, it says "ServerRoot must be a valid directory"

Command line output:

Please close this command only for Shutdown Apache 2 is starting ... httpd.exe: Syntax error on line 35 of K:/../../../xampp/apache/conf/httpd.conf: ServerRoot must be a valid directory  Apache could not be started 

I checked the line 35 of xampp/apache/conf/httpd.conf and it was:

ServerRoot "/xampp/apache" 

Which doesn't exist. My folders are:

K:/../../../xampp/apache/conf     <- where the httpd.conf is K:/../../../xampp/apache/         <- the server root K:/../../../xampp/apache/modules  <- where server modules are 

If i change (at line 35) to

ServerRoot ".." 

It says:

Please close this command only for Shutdown Apache 2 is starting ... httpd.exe: Syntax error on line 65 of K:/../../../xampp/apache/conf/httpd.conf: Cannot load modules/mod_access_compat.so into server: Unable to find the specified module  Apache could not be started 

I checked, and modules/mod_access_compat.so exists, so i can't figure out how to fix it.

Any help will be appreciated

Answer 1

Just run setup_xampp.bat from shell (shell from XAMPP control panel)and the paths should be set automatically for the portable version of XAMPP for windows. It has worked for me.

Answer 2

navigate to httpd.conf file in conf direcotry in Apache24 or whatever apache file you have.

Go to ServerRoot= ".." line and change the value to the path where apache is located like "C:\Program Files\Apache24"