This looks like it only works if you upgraded an already existing replication setup. I have a brand new system runing 2005 ad I cannot get to the point where the publication even gets setup. So, there are no agents to change or update.

Is that correct?

My problem comes from adding the publication. When I run the sp_addpublication stored procedure I get this error:

Msg 15404, Level 16, State 19, Procedure sp_grant_publication_access, Line 136

Could not obtain information about Windows NT group/user 'DOMAIN\USER', error code 0x5.

It returns this error for every login in the sysadmin role on the publisher. It does not happen if I create it with a 2000 distributor.