HDD using xampp,enabled after bootup cannot communicate with the internet - Unless FW rules deleted 1st

MystaMagoo 1

Ok,so I run xampp and a database server on a removable HDD also stated in bios as hot plug/removable.

Boot PC,start xampp,start db server,all runs fine.

data passes back and forth from db server almost immediately

website in xampp is connectable from the internet.

Now,if I've disabled the HDD on shutdown.....
Or if I unplug,wait,replug HDD.........

Boot PC,enable HDD,start xampp,start db server both run fine,locally.

BUT! no data passing and no website online

Found to be related to Windows Firewall.................

21 answers

MystaMagoo 1 Reputation point

2021-09-27T07:18:00.027+00:00

Router is an Asus RT-AC5300 running Merlin FW
You can assign any IP to a rule or a drop down to choose attached devices.

IP's are all fixed/assigned including internet/WAN IP,nothing is DHCP'd

more test results...

boot up,drives attached/enabled
check port 80 on your link,not open.
start xampp,check port 80 again,open
db server receives info,all works
stop xampp and its services,check 80,not open all working fine then.

pull drive from bay,wait 10 secs,put drive back in bay
start xampp,check port 80,not open but xampp and its services seem to be running fine,website connectable over localhost
db server receives no info

only a reboot with HDD attached seems to allow xampp/port 80 to work???

twistin ma mellons man

found in the router....... WAN - Virtual Server / Port ForwardingWAN - Virtual Server / Port Forwarding "When your network's firewall is disabled and you set 80 as the HTTP server's port range for your WAN setup, then your http server/web server would be in conflict with RT-AC5300's web user interface." Possibly? xampp uses port 80 and 443,could windows do a quick check when its booting up? xampp doesn't start until I start it,maybe the router is checking for port 80 when pc boots? anyone using port 80....yes me says xampp.....pc boots up with the rule working. gets no reply then it 'rules' that port 80 is for itself.....

although my firewall is actually on
Please sign in to rate this answer.
MotoX80 36,291 Reputation points

2021-09-27T11:37:28.64+00:00

Do you have another pc on your network that you can test with? Or can you connect your phone to WIFI and use it's browser. .

Connect the drive and boot up. Start the programs.
Open a command prompt and run ipconfig to get your ip address
Browse http://nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn where nnn's is the ip address.
Do the same with https to test port 443. You will likely get a certificate error. That's ok.

Then on your phone or another pc, run the same http tests with the same ip address.
If you don't get the same results then the obvious problem area is the firewall.

Disconnect the drive, boot up, connect the drive, start the programs.

Open a command prompt and run ipconfig to get your ip address
Browse http://nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn where nnn's is the ip address.
Do the same with https to test port 443. You will likely get a certificate error. That's ok.

Then on your phone or another pc, run the same http tests with the same ip address.
If that all works the the problem would appear to be within your router.
.
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.
MystaMagoo 1 Reputation point

2021-09-27T18:36:13.553+00:00

All works fine except the last part,phone/other pc does not see the website pages.
Please sign in to rate this answer.
MotoX80 36,291 Reputation points

2021-09-27T21:48:29.977+00:00

Even when you boot with the drive attached?

MystaMagoo 1 Reputation point

2021-09-28T07:05:17.707+00:00

Sorry my bad I meant the very last one.....

Disconnect the drive, boot up, connect the drive, start the programs.

Open a command prompt and run ipconfig to get your ip address
Browse http://nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn where nnn's is the ip address.
Do the same with https to test port 443. You will likely get a certificate error. That's ok.

Then on your phone or another pc, run the same http tests with the same ip address.
If that all works the the problem would appear to be within your router.

port 80 does not open with xampp if its not attached at boot.

MotoX80 36,291 Reputation points

2021-09-29T22:41:46.897+00:00

Then do as I suggested in my very first answer.

If it still doesn't work, temporarily turn off your firewall to see if that is your problem.
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.
Limitless Technology 39,921 Reputation points

2021-09-30T09:14:03.45+00:00

Hello,

Thank you for your question.

I believe there could some application configuration files or database files resides on that removable ( external HDD) due to which it can not work and it can not communicate with internet.

Try plug the HDD on different port and try to change Driver letter and see if it works ,
Also try to check if there is any folder shared from this removable HDD which stops working you remove HDD.

--If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept as answer--
Please sign in to rate this answer.
MystaMagoo 1 Reputation point

2021-10-07T12:05:15.147+00:00

Sorry for delay,hospital visits etc

Hi
There's databases as mentioned yes.
Nothing on the HDD should be starting from boot,it's just a storage HDD,game files.
No folder shares or anything like that.

Yes it works if you delete the firewall instances of xampp/fesl and try again or indeed turn off the firewall.

I have noticed oculus does indeed seem to 'ask' if the HDD is present?
Oculus 'games path' changes when not booted up with the HDD.
But oculus only starts when I tell it to,nothing on the HDD is asked to start at boot or anything that points to it.

MotoX80 36,291 Reputation points

2021-10-07T22:57:38.867+00:00

I have noticed oculus does indeed seem to 'ask' if the HDD is present?
Oculus 'games path' changes when not booted up with the HDD.
But oculus only starts when I tell it to,nothing on the HDD is asked to start at boot or anything that points to it.

What is Oculus? That is your first mention of this. How does this relate to your problem? What is an "Oculus 'games path'" and how does that relate to the problem? If you don't clearly explain the interaction of the software, we don't know what you are doing. Go ask this question in a Oculus or xampp or fesl forum where you can interact with users who are familiar with that software.

Yes it works if you delete the firewall instances of xampp/fesl and try again or indeed turn off the firewall.

Ok, great you have isolated it to a firewall problem. But I can't see your screen. I don't know what firewall rules are defined on your system. Go review every active firewall rule and look for one that references your software or a port that is used. If you deleted a rule, and then it worked, well what was defined in that rule? A program? A port? What?
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.
MystaMagoo 1 Reputation point

2021-10-08T14:33:10.733+00:00

HDD is removable and has game vendors,steam,oculus and origin and their game files on it.
Origin and steam are relatively portable as in they are on the HDD and all I do on a clean windows install is start them.
when a game is installed it is installed on the HDD.
Oculus needs installing on the machine and then telling that the HDD is its game directory.
None of them start on boot or at least have not been told to.

xampp and a similar program fesl also do this on the HDD
fesl talks to xampp for its database and talks to the game servers from the internet.
when you start xampp firewall ask for perms for apache and mysqld,start fesl firewall asks again.
allow all 3 programs,website works fine,fesl receives info from servers.
stop xampp/mysql services,stop fesl,remove HDD,wait 5,plug HDD back in.
start xampp,start fesl,they both work except no internet connection
so no website shown online and fesl doesn't communicate with servers online.
stop xampp/fesl,remove the 6 entries for apache,mysqld and fesl.
start xampp,firewall asks twice,apache and mysqld,start fesl firewall asks for fesl.
allow all 3 and everything works again.
the game vendors never get asked anything or even started.

so like @Limitless Technology says it seems to be something to do with databases and firewall?
Please sign in to rate this answer.
MotoX80 36,291 Reputation points

2021-10-08T15:08:53.767+00:00

stop xampp/fesl,remove the 6 entries for apache,mysqld and fesl.

Are you removing firewall rules? What settings are in those rules? Why are you removing them?

start xampp,firewall asks twice,apache and mysqld,start fesl firewall asks for fesl.

Firewall asks twice for what? What rule is defined? What is different from the 6 rules that you removed earlier.
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.
MystaMagoo 1 Reputation point

2021-10-09T17:09:49.143+00:00

Aaaaaaand now your confused too..............

If I don't remove them xampp/fesl don't work.

The same rule windows firewall makes/asks when any program asks for internet,that program and all ports.

windows makes 2 rules for all programs that ask,1 TCP and the other UDP
xampp has 2 programs that want access,apache and mysqld,fesl just 1 so in total 6 rules.
Please sign in to rate this answer.
MotoX80 36,291 Reputation points

2021-10-10T14:38:23.427+00:00

Oh I'm not confused. Been doing this for a long time. I enjoy the challenge of trying to solve problems, but with you, I don't seem to be having any luck getting specific details of your problem.

Forum users like me can't see your screen. We can't see what firewall rules are defined on your PC. We don't know what "don't work' means. If you just describe the problem instead of sharing specific messages, prompts, and firewall settings, then I can only guess as to what you are doing.

Typically, firewall rules are defined at application install time. There is no prompt. If your app doesn't have an install, then it should only need to define the firewall rules once. If it needs to keep redefining the rules, then there must be something different in the rule.

Maybe you'd be better of with a "find a friend" solution. Go find someone who has experience troubleshooting Windows and sit them down in front of your PC and show them the problem.
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.

Share via

HDD using xampp,enabled after bootup cannot communicate with the internet - Unless FW rules deleted 1st

21 answers

Your answer