Strange problem when running a Windows service using Windows Server 2003

[Martijn Remmen]

I have developed a service which exposes a COM object. This service is
running perfect on Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Professional
under the SYSTEM account.

When the service is installed on Windows 2003 Server, the application
works well, and the COM object can be called just as it's meant to be.
The service is however running under the IWAM account (I know strange
account to run a service).

However, after a while (from approximately 15 minutes till 2 days) the
service suddenly stops. I get an error message in the EventLog stating
the 'service terminated unexpectedly'. The Win32_exit_code = 1067.

First I added try catch exceptions around all code, and write the
exception to the eventlog. However no exceptions occur when the service
crashes.

Then I started the debugger of Visual Studio.NET and debugged the
service. This works well, but when the service crashes, only an error
message is displayed stating 'Application Error : The instruction at
"0x03ab186b" referenced memory at "0x03ab186b". The memory could not be
"read"' .

When I try to debug nothing happens.

It looks like Windows calls a method from the service that I have not
implemented. If I compare my code with a standard Windows Service
Framework as created by VS.NET 2003, I don't see anything strange.

Can someone point me in the right direction?

Thanks in advance,

Martijn Remmen