If you don't like xampp you could use WAMP 5 1.7.4.
It is available at www.anaska.com and precisely www.wampserver.com .
don't get frustrated, it is sweeter when you learn this way...
I've struggled the same way for ages to get everything working. Well eventually I got everything working, but I have had no idea how to configure apache to effectivly read some scripts and web software that I have downloaded. WAMP solved my problem, but at a stage I needed Apache to read PERL. So after ages struggling to get it work, I got XAMP - solved my problem!
Amazing software. Personally I prefer using WAMP, because of the interface and user-friendlyness, but I must admint, I enjoy XAMP far more, specially the included local mail server - Excellent and saves ages of time testing my web based email forms.!
So, I'll go with XAMP.