Xdebug connection was reset in XAMPP - php

Question

I am attempting to get Xdebug to run in VSCode on Windows. I just installed Magento 2 framework in it's own directory in xampp/htdocs/magento.
Xdebug works fine within the /dashboard directory, but that's it. If I attempt to listen for Xdebug in any other directory no breakpoint will be hit and the browser will display the following error:
'This site can't be reached. Connection was reset.'
I've been searching for many hours for a solution but I was unable to get it to work.
This is the relevant launch.json configuration for VSCode:
"version": "0.2.0",
"configurations": [
{
"name": "Listen for Xdebug",
"type": "php",
"request": "launch",
"port": 9003,
"runtimeExecutable": "c:\\xampp\\php\\php.exe"
}
This is the relevant php.ini configuration:
xdebug.mode = debug
xdebug.start_with_request = yes
zend_extension = "C:\xampp\php\ext\php_xdebug.dll"
xdebug.client_host=localhost
xdebug.idekey = VSCODE
xdebug.log="C:\xampp\php\ext\xdebug.log"
The Xdebug log displays no error, here is the latest entry:
[14196] Log opened at 2021-10-14 12:35:22.508436
[14196] [Step Debug] INFO: Connecting to configured address/port: localhost:9003.
[14196] [Step Debug] INFO: Connected to debugging client: localhost:9003 (through xdebug.client_host/xdebug.client_port). :-)
[14196] [Step Debug] -> <init xmlns="urn:debugger_protocol_v1" xmlns:xdebug="https://xdebug.org/dbgp/xdebug" fileuri="file:///C:/xampp/htdocs/magento/index.php" language="PHP" xdebug:language_version="7.3.31" protocol_version="1.0" appid="14196" idekey="VSCODE"><engine version="3.1.0"><![CDATA[Xdebug]]></engine><author><![CDATA[Derick Rethans]]></author><url><![CDATA[https://xdebug.org]]></url><copyright><![CDATA[Copyright (c) 2002-2021 by Derick Rethans]]></copyright></init>
[14196] [Step Debug] <- feature_set -i 1 -n resolved_breakpoints -v 1
[14196] [Step Debug] -> <response xmlns="urn:debugger_protocol_v1" xmlns:xdebug="https://xdebug.org/dbgp/xdebug" command="feature_set" transaction_id="1" feature="resolved_breakpoints" success="1"></response>
[14196] [Step Debug] <- feature_set -i 2 -n notify_ok -v 1
[14196] [Step Debug] -> <response xmlns="urn:debugger_protocol_v1" xmlns:xdebug="https://xdebug.org/dbgp/xdebug" command="feature_set" transaction_id="2" feature="notify_ok" success="1"></response>
[14196] [Step Debug] <- feature_set -i 3 -n extended_properties -v 1
[14196] [Step Debug] -> <response xmlns="urn:debugger_protocol_v1" xmlns:xdebug="https://xdebug.org/dbgp/xdebug" command="feature_set" transaction_id="3" feature="extended_properties" success="1"></response>
[14196] [Step Debug] <- breakpoint_set -i 4 -t line -f file:///c:/xampp/htdocs/magento/app/code/Iksula/Appapi/Model/Home/Home.php -n 450
[14196] [Step Debug] -> <response xmlns="urn:debugger_protocol_v1" xmlns:xdebug="https://xdebug.org/dbgp/xdebug" command="breakpoint_set" transaction_id="4" id="141960001" resolved="unresolved"></response>
[14196] [Step Debug] <- breakpoint_set -i 5 -t line -f file:///c:/xampp/htdocs/dashboard/index.php -n 3
[14196] [Step Debug] -> <response xmlns="urn:debugger_protocol_v1" xmlns:xdebug="https://xdebug.org/dbgp/xdebug" command="breakpoint_set" transaction_id="5" id="141960002" resolved="unresolved"></response>
[14196] [Step Debug] <- run -i 6
Also in the /apache/logs/error.log there is nothing I could spot wrong
[Thu Oct 14 14:35:22.145361 2021] [core:notice] [pid 32252:tid 600] AH00094: Command line: 'c:\\xampp\\apache\\bin\\httpd.exe -d C:/xampp/apache'
[Thu Oct 14 14:35:22.147277 2021] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 32252:tid 600] AH00418: Parent: Created child process 31772
[Thu Oct 14 14:35:22.501540 2021] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 31772:tid 656] AH00354: Child: Starting 150 worker threads.
[Thu Oct 14 14:35:23.239695 2021] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 32252:tid 600] AH00428: Parent: child process 31772 exited with status 3221225477 -- Restarting.
[Thu Oct 14 14:35:23.309464 2021] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 32252:tid 600] AH00455: Apache/2.4.51 (Win64) OpenSSL/1.1.1l PHP/7.3.31 configured -- resuming normal operations
[Thu Oct 14 14:35:23.309464 2021] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 32252:tid 600] AH00456: Apache Lounge VC15 Server built: Oct 8 2021 10:03:59
[Thu Oct 14 14:35:23.309464 2021] [core:notice] [pid 32252:tid 600] AH00094: Command line: 'c:\\xampp\\apache\\bin\\httpd.exe -d C:/xampp/apache'
[Thu Oct 14 14:35:23.312450 2021] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 32252:tid 600] AH00418: Parent: Created child process 29828
[Thu Oct 14 14:35:23.682622 2021] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 29828:tid 660] AH00354: Child: Starting 150 worker threads.
It is unlikely that there is anything wrong with the configuration since my breakpoints DO get hit in /dashboard/index.php and the page loads accordingly, however if I do /magento/index.php the page does not even load.
Is there anything I am missing?