I am new at this Server stuff so bare with me. I installed apache2 from source, Server version 2.0.58, on my linux machine running openSuse 10.2. Installation without a hitch until I tried to test it. I opened my browser, Firefox, and typed http://localhost, and got the error could not connect to local host. When I run the script to start, /usr/local/apache2/bin.apachectl start, I get nothing telling me that it is running, unless I run the command again.
I am in root so everything should be fine.

In the httpd.conf file I set the following as per the instructions:
Listen 80
SeverAdmin root@localhost
Servername www.example.com:80, I also tried ServerName 127.0.0.1:80

So, far I have been unable to get the server to work with just this one machine.

Any suggestions?
Please feel free to ask.

I have checked other threads but no one seems to have the same problem

I guess the first question I have is why did you try and re-invent the wheel when Yast does a more than competent Apache install. The second would be what do the logs say?? Did you run configtest before you tried to start Apache?? If so, What did it say??

is the server running? (check ps table)
is the httpd bound to the network socket you think? (netstat -nap)
do you have a firewall which permits traffic to flow in/out the 127.0.0.1 (ie, localhost) addresses/interfaces?
and make sure 'localhost' is listed in /etc/hosts or however your DNS resolver libraries are setup to work...
-c

/usr/local/apache2/bin.apachectl start

should be
/usr/local/apache2/bin/apachectl start
if you installed it with prefix= /usr/local/apache2
and should give out a message anyway.

check
ps -e | grep apache
if in doubt

Well, I appreciate everyones inputs. However, it still will not self-test. Any other suggestions? I am open to all.

Hey, I got it to work. Suse came out with a new kernel which I installed. I went back to a last version, now it works. How about that....
Thanks for everyones help..