We have deployed WSS 3.0 SP2 x64 on an Server 2008 SP2 x64 with SQL 2005
x64, on the same machine.
Everything was working smoothly till the day we decided to install
secure field. (http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/SecureField)
During the installation the system check failed with the message
"The Windows Sharepoint Services Administration Service is NOT started"
So, I entered the central administration site->operations->services on
server and the central administration service was in started mode.
On Start->Administrative tools->services, the "Windows SharePoint
Services Administration" was in stopped status. I tried to start the
service but the service wouldn't start. I reentered the credentials
using the domain administrator credentials who was also farm
administrator, but the service wouldn't start.
I entered the central administration site->operations->services on
server and stopped the central administration service.
Then I tried to recreate the Central Administration site using the
"sharepoint products and technologies configuration wizard"
Unfortunately the wizard fails on step 3.

I checked the log and found these interesting entries

"Task secureresources has failed
11/05/2009 10:42:34 9 INF  friendly Message for task secureresources is
An exception of type
System.Security.Principal.IdentityNotMappedException was thrown.
Additional exception information: Some or all identity references could
not be translated.
11/05/2009 10:42:34  9  INF  debugMessage for task secureresources is An
exception of type System.Security.Principal.IdentityNotMappedException
was thrown.
Additional exception information: Some or all identity references could
not be translated.
System.Security.Principal.IdentityNotMappedException: Some or all
identity references could not be translated.
    at System.Security.Principal.NTAccount.Translate
(IdentityReferenceCollection sourceAccounts, Type targetType, Boolean
forceSuccess)
    at System.Security.Principal.NTAccount.Translate(Type targetType)
    at System.Security.AccessControl.CommonObjectSecurity.ModifyAccess
(AccessControlModification modification, AccessRule rule, Boolean& modified)
    at System.Security.AccessControl.CommonObjectSecurity.AddAccessRule
(AccessRule rule)
    at
Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.ResourceAccess.SetRegistryAcces sRule()
    at Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.ResourceAccess.Secure()
    at
Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.SecurityTask.SecureResources()
    at Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.SecurityTask.Run()
    at Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.TaskThread.ExecuteTask()"

I 've tried to repair the WSS installation but when I run the
"sharepoint products and technologies configuration wizard" again
the same error.

I 've tried using command prompt to recreate the CA site

psconfig.exe -cmd adminvs -provision -port 23309 -windowsauthprovider
onlyusentlm

"Performing configuration task 1 of 3
Initializing SharePoint Products and Technologies configuration...

Successfully initialized the SharePoint Products and Technologies
configuration.

Performing configuration task 2 of 3
Provisioning the SharePoint Central Administration Web Application...

Failed to provision the SharePoint Central Administration Web Application.

An exception of type
System.Security.Principal.IdentityNotMappedException was th
rown.  Additional exception information: Some or all identity references
could not be translated.

Total number of configuration settings run: 2
Total number of successful configuration settings: 1
Total number of unsuccessful configuration settings: 1
Successfully stopped the configuration of SharePoint Products and
Technologies.
Configuration of SharePoint Products and Technologies failed.
Configuration must be performed before you use SharePoint Products and
Technologies.  For further details, see the diagnostic log located at
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions
\12\LOGS\PSCDiagnostics_11_5_2009_11_54_28_908_7
67600368.log and the application event log."