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Which logon credentials can one use to run a windows service with different permissions than "Local System" when the user is logged in using his Windows Live ID?

I have developed a windows service which must access a software API using a specific user's windows account. What if the user is only known from the Windows Live ID? Is there any chance to use this account or do our clients have to create a local Windows account?

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I just upgraded to Windows 8, so I went through this myself. I upgraded my Windows 7 install, and linked my Windows account to my Live/MS account. When you link your Windows account to a Live/MS account, the MS account basically takes over. For this purpose, of having a Task or Service run as that user, you use the same local username you normally would use under older Windows versions, but for the password you enter their Live/MS password, not their Windows password.

So let's say you have this setup: Windows account:

Username - foo

Password - bar

Then you link it to their MS/Live account, and they have this for that account:

Username - [email protected]

Password - xyz

In the Service's Log On tab, for 'This account:' you put in foo, but for password, you put xyz.


If instead you've created a new MS/Live account when you created the user, then the username you use for 'This account:' would be their first name. Their password would be their password. If multiple people share the same first name on your system, go to Control Panel-> Administrative Tools-> Computer Management-> Local Users and Groups-> Users. Each user will have an entry in the list in the center panel. Find the person based on their Full Name in that column. The Name column will provide their Windows Username. Alternatively, their home directory under C:\Users will be their Windows Username.


This also works for Tasks that you've setup to run as a user.

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  • Hmm, ok, but I made a "raw" Win8-Installation without upgrading. And I`m quite sure that I did not set up a local username before connecting to my live ID.
    – dhh
    Jan 31, 2013 at 20:27
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    @dhh Hmm, let me do some digging into my install. Mine was a W7->W8 upgrade.
    – Keen
    Jan 31, 2013 at 20:31
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    @dhh There you go, added that information.
    – Keen
    Jan 31, 2013 at 21:06
  • Thanks Keen, that worked for me. I was sure I had tried that before... I was using an existing Live ID when adding the new Win8-Account - the username for me is part left of the @ in the mail address. For my wifes account, its just like you said, the firstname. I will now try if this works when installing a new service either.
    – dhh
    Feb 1, 2013 at 5:36
  • @Dhh Could you do me a favor and confirm something? Go to C:\Users. Is this person's username the same as their home folder name? I want to update my answer to be useful for people with Windows 8 non-Pro.
    – Keen
    Feb 4, 2013 at 17:37

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