MySQL service wont start on XAMPP

Question

I installed MySQL Server 5.6, but soon after I had to install XAMPP.

When I try to start MySQL it just hangs at...

Attempting to start MySQL app...

The errors in the logs are as follows...

140401 15:05:43 [Note] Plugin 'FEDERATED' is disabled.
140401 15:05:43 InnoDB: The InnoDB memory heap is disabled
140401 15:05:43 InnoDB: Mutexes and rw_locks use Windows interlocked functions
140401 15:05:43 InnoDB: Compressed tables use zlib 1.2.3
140401 15:05:43 InnoDB: Initializing buffer pool, size = 16.0M
140401 15:05:43 InnoDB: Completed initialization of buffer pool
InnoDB: Error: space header page consists of zero bytes in data file C:\xampp\mysql\data\ibdata1
140401 15:05:43 InnoDB: Could not open or create data files.
140401 15:05:43 InnoDB: If you tried to add new data files, and it failed here,
140401 15:05:43 InnoDB: you should now edit innodb_data_file_path in my.cnf back
140401 15:05:43 InnoDB: to what it was, and remove the new ibdata files InnoDB created
140401 15:05:43 InnoDB: in this failed attempt. InnoDB only wrote those files full of
140401 15:05:43 InnoDB: zeros, but did not yet use them in any way. But be careful: do not
140401 15:05:43 InnoDB: remove old data files which contain your precious data!
140401 15:05:43 [ERROR] Plugin 'InnoDB' init function returned error.
140401 15:05:43 [ERROR] Plugin 'InnoDB' registration as a STORAGE ENGINE failed.
140401 15:05:43 [ERROR] Unknown/unsupported storage engine: InnoDB
140401 15:05:43 [ERROR] Aborting

140401 15:05:43 [Note] c:\xampp\mysql\bin\mysqld.exe: Shutdown complete

I tried stopping the MySQL56 service in services, but still it didnt work

I also tried changing ports in my.ini to 3307, but still no luck

I have obviously restarted everything after these changes but it just stays hanging on the attempt to start

Answer 1

Uninstall both and reinstall XAMPP with MySQL included. Many times these installs will run as administrators and then you won't have rights to modify them if it sees you as a different user.

You could also try right clicking on the icon to start XAMPP and choose "Run as Administrator" before uninstall / reinstall and see if that solves it.