GS: If you want, send me your scripts and I'll try and help you investigate (andyn at installaware dot com).
SQL Scripts Won’t Run Against SQL 2005 SP2
I know what you mean 
To be honest, SP2, Vista and all the other stuff MS have pushed out recently are really making security a major headache for a lot of applications.
However, it can only really be a good thing; up until now there has been far too many security loopholes caused by sloppy code and permissions
Now a days, it's usually better to let the app in question deal with placement - any Admin who requires the files to be elsewhere will have changed the configuration to cater for it.
To be honest, SP2, Vista and all the other stuff MS have pushed out recently are really making security a major headache for a lot of applications.
However, it can only really be a good thing; up until now there has been far too many security loopholes caused by sloppy code and permissions
Now a days, it's usually better to let the app in question deal with placement - any Admin who requires the files to be elsewhere will have changed the configuration to cater for it.
Andy Neillans
For posterity... this post documents a SQLACCOUNT command line argument that can be used to specify during install of SQL Server 2005 which account it will run under.
This won't help determine or change the account for an existing SQL Server, but you can specify the account for a new instance installed with IA using Install SQL Express.
This won't help determine or change the account for an existing SQL Server, but you can specify the account for a new instance installed with IA using Install SQL Express.

