Slow Access to Access 97 Database

When accessing databases on our servers from a specific workstation, load
time is very slow. This happens when the database is first loading, and when
a user tries to use a dropdown menu. The menu will appear, but only after a
minute or so wait.

Neighboring computers have no problems, and the workstation's network cable
has been checked and proven to be working correctly.

This machine is running Windows 2000, with Access 97. I have tried removing
and reinstalling Access to no effect.

Any help would be appriciated, as I have limited knowledge of Access and am
out of ideas.

A good rule of thumb to use..... load as little data across the network as
needed....

Full recordsets and Combo boxes bound to larger tables will slow things down
in any Access database.

I would use the slow machine as the lowest common denominator and to set the
performance bench mark. If it loads fast enough on the slowest machine....
it will be amazing on a machine with better performance.

OR.... have you tried plugging a different machine into that location....

B Comrie
http://www.codewidgets.com


"Pat B" <Pat B@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:021228C8-0B5B-4E3E-9990-24946175F567@microsoft.com...
> When accessing databases on our servers from a specific workstation, load
> time is very slow. This happens when the database is first loading, and
when
> a user tries to use a dropdown menu. The menu will appear, but only after
a
> minute or so wait.
>
> Neighboring computers have no problems, and the workstation's network
cable
> has been checked and proven to be working correctly.
>
> This machine is running Windows 2000, with Access 97. I have tried
removing
> and reinstalling Access to no effect.
>
> Any help would be appriciated, as I have limited knowledge of Access and
am
> out of ideas.

I would also take another look at the network hardware and setup on the problem
PC. Unlike many hardware areas of a PC the network stuff isn't always black and
white (it works or it doesn't). It is very common to have sub-optimal
performance and Access is often the "canary in the coal mine" as it requires
near perfection on the network stuff to work well.

This requires much more than simply "checking the cable". Try copying a largish
file from local disk to a network share and back again then compare that
operation to one of the PCs that is working better. If you see a big difference
then networking could still be the problem.

I once saw the movement of a 20 MB file drop from 30 seconds to 3 or 4 seconds
simply by moving to a different port on the switch I was plugged into. So a
network problem need not even be caused by the hardware of the PC with the
problem.


--
I don't check the Email account attached
to this message. Send instead to...
RBrandt at Hunter dot com


"B. Comrie" <rbchip@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:OZORxe6zEHA.4028@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>A good rule of thumb to use..... load as little data across the network as
> needed....
>
> Full recordsets and Combo boxes bound to larger tables will slow things down
> in any Access database.
>
> I would use the slow machine as the lowest common denominator and to set the
> performance bench mark. If it loads fast enough on the slowest machine....
> it will be amazing on a machine with better performance.
>
> OR.... have you tried plugging a different machine into that location....
>
> B Comrie
> http://www.codewidgets.com
>
>
> "Pat B" <Pat B@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:021228C8-0B5B-4E3E-9990-24946175F567@microsoft.com...
>> When accessing databases on our servers from a specific workstation, load
>> time is very slow. This happens when the database is first loading, and
> when
>> a user tries to use a dropdown menu. The menu will appear, but only after
> a
>> minute or so wait.
>>
>> Neighboring computers have no problems, and the workstation's network
> cable
>> has been checked and proven to be working correctly.
>>
>> This machine is running Windows 2000, with Access 97. I have tried
> removing
>> and reinstalling Access to no effect.
>>
>> Any help would be appriciated, as I have limited knowledge of Access and
> am
>> out of ideas.
>
>

That makes a lot of sense. My guess (now) is that it is a software problem -
not with Access - but that something he installed (intentionally or
otherwise) may have done something.

The reason that I don't think its any problem outside of his machine is
because everything that I used to test his connection works with other
computers.

As for the actual database speeds, that is something that I have no control
over. I'm just an intern. *Grins*

Thanks a lot, both of you.

"Rick Brandt" wrote:

> I would also take another look at the network hardware and setup on the problem
> PC. Unlike many hardware areas of a PC the network stuff isn't always black and
> white (it works or it doesn't). It is very common to have sub-optimal
> performance and Access is often the "canary in the coal mine" as it requires
> near perfection on the network stuff to work well.
>
> This requires much more than simply "checking the cable". Try copying a largish
> file from local disk to a network share and back again then compare that
> operation to one of the PCs that is working better. If you see a big difference
> then networking could still be the problem.
>
> I once saw the movement of a 20 MB file drop from 30 seconds to 3 or 4 seconds
> simply by moving to a different port on the switch I was plugged into. So a
> network problem need not even be caused by the hardware of the PC with the
> problem.
>
>
> --
> I don't check the Email account attached
> to this message. Send instead to...
> RBrandt at Hunter dot com
>
>
> "B. Comrie" <rbchip@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:OZORxe6zEHA.4028@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> >A good rule of thumb to use..... load as little data across the network as
> > needed....
> >
> > Full recordsets and Combo boxes bound to larger tables will slow things down
> > in any Access database.
> >
> > I would use the slow machine as the lowest common denominator and to set the
> > performance bench mark. If it loads fast enough on the slowest machine....
> > it will be amazing on a machine with better performance.
> >
> > OR.... have you tried plugging a different machine into that location....
> >
> > B Comrie
> > http://www.codewidgets.com
> >
> >
> > "Pat B" <Pat B@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:021228C8-0B5B-4E3E-9990-24946175F567@microsoft.com...
> >> When accessing databases on our servers from a specific workstation, load
> >> time is very slow. This happens when the database is first loading, and
> > when
> >> a user tries to use a dropdown menu. The menu will appear, but only after
> > a
> >> minute or so wait.
> >>
> >> Neighboring computers have no problems, and the workstation's network
> > cable
> >> has been checked and proven to be working correctly.
> >>
> >> This machine is running Windows 2000, with Access 97. I have tried
> > removing
> >> and reinstalling Access to no effect.
> >>
> >> Any help would be appriciated, as I have limited knowledge of Access and
> > am
> >> out of ideas.
> >
> >
>
>
>