You should always use local accounts for IIS. You can use domain accounts but the validation must be configured in the IIS manager for the application. In the site (or virtual) folder you can select the authentication domain where users are validated against. I suspect if that domain is not set to the domain your identity account lives in the Application pool fails to start.

Also check and make sure that your application pool actually started to run (they can be cycled individually).

The runtime identity setting in web.config doesn't apply to IIS 6 and later - the identity is exclusively set in the Application pool.


+++ Rick ---

>Hi Rick,
>
>I found where and how to do what you suggested. I created a new application pool and assigned it to run under a domain account I created for this purpose. Now I have a new problem. :) If I run the pool under the default network service account, the web service will be available. When I change the credentials to the domain account I made for it, the service becomes unavailable. If browsed to in a browser, the page says : Service Unavailable.
>
>What changes must be made to the user account to enable this service to run under it?
>
>
>
>>If you need network access you'll need to change the service account running the ApplicationPool (IIS 6/7). Create a new ApplicationPool and change the Impersonation Identity for the application pool. Then map this application pool to your site or virtual directory that holds the application.
>>
>>+++ Rick ---
>>
>>>I have an ASP.Net web service I'm developing. It calls a COM server written in VFP9 to do backend work. The com server runs fine tested separately. The error I get says a file does not exist on a network drive share, and I expect its because the credentials the web service is running under don't have access to the network.
>>>
>>>Can anybody walk me through fixing the account a web service runs under to have network access?