SharePoint 2007 workflow 'Failed on Start'

I have been trying to work out for some time why I have been getting a 'Failed on Start' error when I try to run the OOB workflows in my MOSS VM.

When I look in the SharePoint log I see the following exception;

02/19/2008 20:04:53.82     w3wp.exe (0x14A0)                           0x1524    Windows SharePoint Services       Workflow Infrastructure           72fs    Unexpected    RunWorkflow: System.ArgumentException: Value does not fall within the expected range.     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWorkflowActivationProperties..ctor(SPWorkflow workflow, Int32 runAsUserId, String associationData, String initiationData)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWinOEWSSService.MakeActivation(SPWorkflow workflow, SPWorkflowEvent e)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWinOeEngine.RunWorkflow(Guid trackingId, SPWorkflowHostService host, SPWorkflow workflow, Collection`1 events, TimeSpan timeOut)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWorkflowManager.RunWorkflowElev(SPWorkflow originalWorkflow, SPWorkflow workflow, Collection`1 events, SPRunWorkflowOptions runOptions)    
02/19/2008 20:04:53.82     w3wp.exe (0x14A0)                           0x1524    Windows SharePoint Services       Workflow Infrastructure           98d7    Unexpected    System.ArgumentException: Value does not fall within the expected range.     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWorkflowActivationProperties..ctor(SPWorkflow workflow, Int32 runAsUserId, String associationData, String initiationData)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWinOEWSSService.MakeActivation(SPWorkflow workflow, SPWorkflowEvent e)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWinOeEngine.RunWorkflow(Guid trackingId, SPWorkflowHostService host, SPWorkflow workflow, Collection`1 events, TimeSpan timeOut)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWorkflowManager.RunWorkflowElev(SPWorkflow originalWorkflow, SPWorkflow workflow, Collection`1 events, SPRunWorkflowOptions runOptions)    

I finally found a blog entry from Rodney Langley that steered me to the solution (see link below).

It turns out that at one stage I change the accounts for the application pools, but DIDN'T do it through the Central Admin interface. When I went into Central Admin - Service Accounts and changed them in there, the workflows miraculously started to work....

Thanks Rodney

Workflows, SSPs, and IIS Nightmares - SharePoint Squared - Rodney Langley's SharePoint Weblog