Mike,

>What happens if you use the Client Network Utility to configure the workstation to use TCP/IP to communicate with the remote server?

Exactly the same problem, fine until you drill down at Database level and then connection broken etc. This problem occurs on every box here so I know it's not machine specific.

Does the MMC use some kind of file access that the SQL Query Analyser does not? The systems we link to on that server run fine, by using a DSN, or using the Query Analyser, so I figure there must be some differences.

Any ideas?

Cheers
Steve Lea