How do you really shut down apache2?

[Whitehill]

If I turn off Web Sharing in the Sharing pane of System Preferences, it seems that it's still there. When I point Safari to http://localhost, I get the same display (an experimental web site) as when Web Sharing is on - even after I empty Safari's cache. This is 10.6.4.

 

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Have you modified Apache in any way? Installed a newer version, perhaps?

If yes, then you've probably got two Apache servers running or not running: the built-in, Apple-supplied Apache web server, and the Apache web server that you installed (if'n, in fact, you did).

Apple's Apache is partly installed in non-standard locations, in terms of UNIX directories and such. If you installed another version of Apache, then you probably installed in alongside the built-in Apache, rather than over the top of it.

Also, if you did this, then the Sharing system preference will control Apple's Apache only, while you'll have to start and stop your installed Apache from the command line.

 

[Whitehill]

Have you modified Apache in any way? Installed a newer version, perhaps?

I edited /etc/apache2/httpd.conf to un-comment the PHP5 line. Other than that ...

I have installed the MacPort for a later version into /opt/local. At the end, it advised me to perform

sudo port load apache2​

to start it and cause it to launch at start up. I did NOT do that.

 

[Whitehill]

I found the problem, purely by accident. With web sharing turned OFF, I noticed in Activity Monitor there were still httpd processes. The command associated with each was "httpd --help". I have no idea how they came to be, so I killed them off. Now behavior has reverted to what I expected.