Windows 2003 server and the aspnet_wp.exe process

[Cliff Harris]

I don't currently have an installation of Windows 2003 server, or I could
answer this myself.
After having a client install ASP.NET on Windows 2003, I then tried to find
the aspnet_wp.exe process but he claims it's not here. Now at first I
didn't beleive him, however, I wondered if now that Asp.Net is integrated
into IIS in WIndows 2003, is there a separate process?
In the end, what I want to find out is, on a default installation of ASP.NET
on Windows 2003 Server, what is the name of the user that is executing the
asp.net code? I want to be able to grant permissions, etc. using that user
account? Is it just System? Does an ASPNET user exist in WIndows 2003?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,
-Cliff

 

[Kevin Spencer]

By default: ASPNET is the user account.

--
HTH,
Kevin Spencer
..Net Developer
Microsoft MVP
I get paid good money to
solve puzzles for a living

 

[Cliff Harris]

Thanks for the info!

By default: ASPNET is the user account.

--
HTH,
Kevin Spencer
.Net Developer
Microsoft MVP
I get paid good money to
solve puzzles for a living

 

[Carl Prothman [MVP]]

I don't currently have an installation of Windows 2003 server, or I
could answer this myself.
After having a client install ASP.NET on Windows 2003, I then tried
to find the aspnet_wp.exe process but he claims it's not here. Now
at first I didn't beleive him, however, I wondered if now that
Asp.Net is integrated into IIS in WIndows 2003, is there a separate
process?
In the end, what I want to find out is, on a default installation of
ASP.NET on Windows 2003 Server, what is the name of the user that is
executing the asp.net code? I want to be able to grant permissions,
etc. using that user account? Is it just System? Does an ASPNET
user exist in WIndows 2003?

Cliff,
On Windows Server 2003 / IIS 6.0, the ASP.NET work process
is named "w3wp.exe". And the default worker process identity
is "NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICES".

The ASPNET local user account is still created but is not used
on Windows Server 2003.

To change the worker process identity on Windows Server 2003,
you must go into IIS 6.0 and Application Pool's Identity.
e.g. Edit the DefaultApplPool's Identity

Note modifing the machine.config's processModel userName
won't have any effect.

--

Thanks,
Carl Prothman
Microsoft ASP.NET MVP

Hire top-notch developers at
http://www.able-consulting.com

 

[Cliff Harris]

Sorry Kevin, but this round goes to Carl. After talking through it with the
client, I have detemined that the use is NETWORK SERVICE
(Carl, it's not plural though.. found that one out after trying for 30 mins
to figure out what my client was doing wrong)

Thanks,
-Cliff

 

[Kevin Spencer]

My apologies, Cliff. We use the System account, and I got lazy and just
looked it up under Local Users.

--
HTH,
Kevin Spencer
..Net Developer
Microsoft MVP
I get paid good money to
solve puzzles for a living

 

[Carl Prothman [MVP]]

Correction (typo):

"NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICES"

"NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE"

There is no "S" on SERVICE

 

[Carl Prothman [MVP]]

Sorry Kevin, but this round goes to Carl.
After talking through it with the client,
I have determined that the use is NETWORK SERVICE

Cliff,
Learning that one must go (by default) from ASPNET
to NETWORK SERVICE identity when moving from
Windows 2000 (with IIS 5.0) or XP (with IIS 5.1)
to Windows Server 2003 (with IIS 6.0), has tripped
a lot of folks up, even me...

BTW if you do create a new identity for the ASP.NET
worker process, then make sure to add that new identity
to the local IIS_WPG (IIS Worker Process Group), in
addition to modifying the IIS 6.0 Application Pool's
Identity value.

(Carl, it's not plural though...

Right, sorry for the typo. I typed that in "by-hand" rather
than doing a "cut and paste". I've posted a correction.
Good catch.