>> does the database on the server have appropriate write permissions >> enabled?? >They insist so, repeatedly. >How could I check remotely? Not sure if theres a scientific way, but not allowing inserts or updates to a file sounds like a decent test to me :) heres what MSDN says: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q175168 Sorry, If it's not that I'm stumped. cheers alastair