Hi, I'm a unix programmer and I have a java program I need to install on windows. I think the best way to install it is as a windows service. I want to restrict access to the data generated by the program. My understanding is that a service is running as "system" user (Please stop me if wrong). Still in my understanding, a system user has privileges superior to "administrator". I want to restrict access to the data even to the administrator. (I understand "system" as a "unix root user".) My question is from windows xp to 7. Am I right?

The system account and the administrator account (Administrators group) have the same file privileges, but they have different functions. The system account is used by the operating system and by services that run under Windows. There are many services and processes within Windows that need the capability to log on internally (for example during a Windows installation). The system account was designed for that purpose; it is an internal account, does not show up in User Manager, cannot be added to any groups, and cannot have user rights assigned to it. On the other hand, the system account does show up on an NTFS volume in File Manager in the Permissions portion of the Security menu. By default, the system account is granted full control to all files on an NTFS volume. Here the system account has the same functional privileges as the administrator account. Reference: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/120929/ Keep in mind that if you prevent the SYSTEM account from doing an administrative task, the SYSTEM account will grant itself administrative rights automatically when it needs them. This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights.