SharePoint Musings

Problem I recently ran into this snag at a client site while setting up the Search Service Application.  I was able to create the service application without a problem however when I attempted to start the SharePoint Server Search service (Manage services on server page) I kept getting Error Starting . After taking a peak at the logs I found the following: An attempt to start/stop instance of service SharePoint Server Search on server did not succeed. Re-run the action via UI or command line on the specified server. Additional information is below. Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED)) I double/triple checked the permissions and made sure that my Farm Administrator account was a member of WSS_WPG and WSS_ADMIN_WPG groups, and that those groups had full control permissions to the C:\Windows\Tasks and C:\Windows\Temp folders. Resolution I nearly lost hope when I remembered my old lost friend called STSADM.EXE. Just like in the old days,