ACC97: Dual Processor Computer Hangs When Running Query

• Microsoft Access 97

SYMPTOMS

Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

When you try to run a large, complex, select query or a large action query such as a make-table query on a dual processor computer, the query does not finish processing, and Microsoft Access stops responding (hangs). If you monitor the system, you see that the processor time drops to between 0% and 1% shortly after the query begins running. However, you can press CTRL+BREAK to terminate the query, and Microsoft Access functions normally. This behavior also occurs if you try to import a delimited text file that is 70 megabytes (MB) or larger.

You can run the same query or import the same text file on a single processor computer.

RESOLUTION

Use only one processor if you intend to run large, complex queries or import large text files on a dual processor computer.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Access 97. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Problem

1. Start Microsoft Access on a dual processor computer and open the sample database Northwind.mdb.

2. Create a new query in Design view.

3. In the Show Table dialog box, click the Tables tab and select the Orders table.

4. Click Add twice so that the Orders table is added to the query twice, and then click Close. Do not create a join between the tables.

5. Drag the asterisk (*) from the Orders table into the query grid, and then drag OrderID from Orders_1 (the second instance of the Orders table) into the query grid.

6. On the Query menu, click Run. The query should return over 688,000 records.

7. On the View menu, click Design View.

8. On the Query menu, click Make-Table Query.

9. In the Make Table dialog box, type "qryTestTable" (without the quotation marks) and click OK.

10. On the Query menu, click Run. Note that Microsoft Access stops responding before the query finishes processing.