XAMPP is a software package containing Apache web server, PHP, MySQL, and phpMyAdmin. You can install it on your Windows, Linux, or Mac operating systems. But in this post I will be installing  it on a USB drive connected to a Windows PC so it is portable, but the installation method are pretty much the same no matter where you install it.

Step 1 is go to https://www.apachefriends.org/download.html and download the installer exe file I choose the latest version for Windows (7.1.30) at the time of writing this post but there may be a later version as you complete this process.

Step 2 Once you have downloaded the installer exe file run it and make sure that you choose your use and specify a folder.  Let it go through the installation process.
Note: Make sure you give it UAC access and allow Apache access through the firewall it if requests this

Step 3 Once it has completed installing and you click the FINISH button the XAMPP console  may automatically start up or naivgate to the XAMPP folder on you USB and double click on the file xampp-control.exe as per the screen shot below

Step 4 –Starting the services. Now you just need to start the services you want (for this exercise I only need Apache and MySQL)

Step 5 In a browser type http://localhost and if you get a page similar to below congratulations you have got XAMPP up and running

NOTE: Any file you create that you wish to access via a browser must be stored in the HTDOCS folder