Hi -

I have a web service which needs to use a C++ COM component. The ws runs
under an NT service account and allows impersonation. The directory security
allows anonymous access using the NT service account.

The ws uses the COM component to carry out some processing. When I try and
use the COM component inside the ws the call enters the component correctly
but has issues when I try and access network resources (it needs to load the
configuration from the network).

A file that I know exists on a network UNC path reports that it doesn't
exist (GetFileAttributes returns -1 (aka INVALID_FILE_ATTRIBUTES)). The
account has rights to the specified network directory and file.

If I write a simple C# application to call the same method in a C# console
application it works both when run under my NT account and also the NT
service account (using RUNAS).

Calling GetUserName inside the COM component reports ASPNET even though: i)
the service is run under the NT service account, ii) I've allowed
impersonation, iii) I've tweaked settings inside of DCOMCNFG to force the
COM component to run under the NT service account both under "COM+
applications\IIS in-process applications" and also in "DCOM config"
(although I cannot see why I'd need to do this; I know Word automation
requires this but that's another story).

Someone mentioned that threads could cause an issue but there is no
threading evident: the COM component implements a method and the ws calls it
using Interop.

Any help or other ides to try would be greatly appreciated?

TIA

- Andy