>Why not try something like this:
>

>CREATE CURSOR crsTest (FieldName M)
>lcFileName = SYS(2000,[*.*]) && All files
>DO WHILE NOT EMPTY(lcFileName)
>   IF LIKE(UPPER(myStemPart), UPPER(JUSTSTEM(lcFileName))) OR;
>      LIKE(UPPER(myExtPart), UPPER(JUSTEXT(lcFileName)))
>      INSERT INTO crsTest VALUES (m.lcFileName)
>   ENDIF
>   lcFileName = SYS(2000,[*.*],1)
>ENDDO
>

There are 13173 jpg files in that folder and the total time took 30 sec.