Thanks, Georg. Yes, Application_Start only runs under ASPNET, as I learned during this whole exercise. That's why you worked just fine by granting ASPNET dbms access and I didn't - I was granting to the anonymous user and my database was on a physically separate box from the web server.
As I said, I'm a middle-tier and database guy new to log4net roped into providing logging for a web app; I sure learned about ASP, here. We are currently debating the very 2 suggestions you made about different dbmss and selective grants - great minds think alike! Anyway, I think we've about beaten this one to death. Thanks again. -BillyB
