What does my server run as?

[gizz]

How do I figure out what user my XAMPP server runs as?

[JonB]

Democrat or Republican?

OK J/K

Do you mean the server signature?

[gizz]

Lol, hmm... let me try to rephrase... if I were to ask my server whoami, where can I see what it would return?

[JonB]

OK - basically correct answer -

It is running as the logged in user, unless the user chooses to install as a service or uses Run as to initiate the Control Panel or Command Window. When you launch a process, generally you are its owner, and it is non-peristent. Task Manager > Processes shows who is running anything that is not "system" or a service,

Click on Show Processes from all users to see what is really happening.

If XAMPP components are installed as service(s) it/they will run as LocalSystem which is a special class of user.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... 85%29.aspx

Its worth knowing. If you read all that it will tell you the Server could not answer whoami, as it's limited to users. Owner might be a better concept. both Unix and Windows see processes as having owners, and the process' domain within the system is limited by the owner's rights