[AccessD] Acc97: File Record Locking Count Exceeded error

Hello folks,

I have another odd problem I could use some suggestions on 
solving.

I have an Access97 back end and .mde front end setup. The 
backend .mdb is approximately 180MB. The backend is on a 
mapped drive on the machine(s) where the front end is 
located. We have a Windows NT network.

Each week, 8 files, about 200MB total, obtained from 
running various programs on our Unix system, then imported 
into the backend (via the frontend) using a process I 
programmed in several years ago. The data replaces the 
existing data. In addition, a good deal of processing is 
done, i.e. action queries to format data, calulate values, 
etc. during the import process. The import process takes 
several hours to complete, but this is acceptable because 
its once weekly and not time critical. The import process 
has operated fine for about three years.

This week, the import has stopped twice with File Record 
Locking Count Exceeded. Also, the import process is 
incredibly slow, taking more than 8 hours to finally crash 
less than half-way through; the whole thing usually 
completes in about 3 to 4 hours.

Before running the update each week, a simple filecopy 
backup is done, and then the backend is compacted using 
JetCompact.

The data files being imported appear to be of the correct 
sizes and a brief look at them reveals no obvious 
formatting or other errors.

In other words, something has changed, but I don't see 
what. The Microsoft site has two possibilities, one if on 
a Novell network and the other involving replication. 
Neither of those applies.

Any suggestions or insights?

Thanks,

Ron