Moving a XAMPP Project to Another Computer

One of the advantages of using XAMPP is that projects can easily be moved between computers.
This is useful when:
Working between school and home.
Upgrading to a new computer.
Sharing a project with a teacher.
Creating a backup before reinstalling Windows.
A complete project transfer requires:
Website files.
Database files.
On the Original Computer
Before moving the project, create a backup.
You should have:
XAMPP Backups
├── Website Files
│   └── security_dashboard
│
└── Databases
    └── project_db.sql
If you have not already created a backup, refer to:
Backing Up a XAMPP Project
Copy the Backup Files
Copy the backup folder to:
USB drive
External hard drive
OneDrive
Google Drive
Example:
USB Drive
└── XAMPP Backups
Install XAMPP on the New Computer
Download XAMPP:
https://www.apachefriends.org/
Install XAMPP using the default settings.
The installation folder will usually be:
C:\xampp\
Start XAMPP
Open the XAMPP Control Panel.
Start:
Apache
MySQL
Both services should show a green status.
Copy the Website Files
Open:
C:\xampp\htdocs\
Copy the project folder from your backup.
Example:
security_dashboard
Paste it into:
C:\xampp\htdocs\
Your folder structure should now look like:
C:\xampp\htdocs\
└── security_dashboard
Create the Database
Open phpMyAdmin:
http://localhost/phpmyadmin/
Click:
New
Create a database with the same name as the original project.
Example:
project_db
Click:
Create
Import the Database Backup
Select:
project_db
Click:
Import
Choose:
project_db.sql
Click:
Import
Wait for the import to complete.
Verify the Tables
After importing, you should see the project tables.
Example:
project_db
├── users
├── security_events
└── products
Your tables may differ depending on the project.
Check the Database Connection
Open the database connection file used by the project.
Example:
$conn = new mysqli(
    "localhost",
    "root",
    "",
    "project_db"
);
Verify:
Database name is correct.
Username is correct.
Password is correct.
The default XAMPP configuration uses:
Server: localhost
Username: root
Password: (blank)
Test the Website
Open:
http://localhost/security_dashboard/
Check:
Pages load correctly.
Images display correctly.
Database content appears.
Login systems work.
Forms submit correctly.
Common Problems
Database Not Found
Example:
Unknown database 'project_db'
Solution:
Create the database.
Import the SQL backup.
Table Not Found
Example:
Table 'project_db.users' doesn't exist
Solution:
Verify the SQL file imported successfully.
Check the table exists in phpMyAdmin.
Access Denied
Example:
Access denied for user 'root'
Solution:
Check the database username and password.
Verify MySQL is running.
Page Not Found
Example:
404 Not Found
Solution:
Confirm the project folder is inside:
C:\xampp\htdocs\
Verify the URL matches the folder name.
Transfer Checklist
Website Files
✔ Project folder copied
✔ Files restored to htdocs
✔ Images restored
✔ CSS restored
✔ JavaScript restored
✔ PHP files restored
Database
✔ Database created
✔ SQL file imported
✔ Tables restored
✔ Data restored
Testing
✔ Website loads
✔ Database connection works
✔ Forms work
✔ Login works
✔ Data displays correctly
Complete Process
Original Computer
        ↓
Create Backup
        ↓
Copy to USB / Cloud Storage
        ↓
Install XAMPP
        ↓
Copy Website Files
        ↓
Create Database
        ↓
Import SQL File
        ↓
Test Website
You have successfully moved a XAMPP project to another computer.