Beginner's help with Apache installation (Apache Users)

Hello,
I am a novice amateur WEB programmer. I am reading now Kevin Yank's "Build your own database driven WEB site with PHP and MySQL".
I proceeded with MySQL, Apache, PHP installation as was recommended in the book installing them separately.
As far as I can perceive I succeded with "Apache HTTP Server 2.2.17" installation. I have no idea if I had already web server running on my Windows XP computer, therefore I selected "only for the Current User, on Port 8080, when started Manually" configuration option.
When checking if the installation is done properly with typing "http://localhost:8080" in browser address window I receive the expected "It works!" congratulation. From the other hand I don't see any server working in the "Service status" window of "Apache Service Monitor" and all the "start", "stop", restart" buttons are disabled.
Thus I am not sure ifI have Apache working or not.
I found some error in error log, which might have not any significance though:
"[Sat Oct 30 13:45:24 2010] [notice] Child 4224: Starting thread to listen on port 8080.
[Sat Oct 30 13:45:40 2010] [error] [client 127.0.0.1] File does not exist: C:/Program Files/Apache Software Foundation/Apache2.2/htdocs/favicon.ico"

Would appreciate any help.