Can anyone put in real laymans terms, ideally in an Analogy what exactly a "service" is (i.e. MS-SQL, Printer Spooler), and how a "service" differs from "software". Also, where these "service", passwords live on a windows server hard disc.

This article may help. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/d56de412(VS.80).aspx The service control manager stores account info within the SCM database http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms682544(VS.85).aspx Regards, Dave Patrick .... Microsoft Certified Professional -Microsoft MVP [Windows]

If this server is part of an Active Directory domain and you are using a domain account, the account information is part of AD domain. AD domain configuration is inside AD database (ntds.dit) and schema. Santhosh Sivarajan | MCTS, MCSE (W2K3/W2K/NT4), MCSA (W2K3/W2K/MSG), CCNA, Network+ Houston, TX This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights. http://publications.sivarajan.com/