Steven,

I haven't experienced such problems, so the following are guesses at best...

I assume that there is a NOS (Netware or NT Server) involved here. IF not, what is the count of workstations connected, what is the OS of the machine 'serving' the files and what else runs on the serving machine?

1) These sound like they are new workstations. Is it possible that there is some problem with either the network cards they have installed or the cabling itself between these workstations and the file server?

2) If there is a virus check software installed on the workstations in question, can it be disabled for testing purposes? If not disableable, can it be configured to omit scanning of VFP-related files and tables?

My understanding of the problems fixed by Win2K SP3 is that it is related to machine shutdown and that even a clean shutdown isn't helpful to remedy the error. So it would be adviseable to do, as you say you plan to.
On the other hand, I don't know if XP has the same affliction, but to be safer on them you might consider disabling write-cacheing on the workstation HDs. The performance hit shouldn't be much and the safety margin should be much greater.
The general route to do this is through ControlPanel/System/Device Manager, then expand the Hard drives node, then d-click on the HD description itself, then click on a tab at the top to see the checkbox to do it.
NOTE: this is there in Win2K too BUT it will not 'stick' between re-boots unless SP3 is installed.

good luck

>I have a client that has a rather large FoxPro for Windows 2.6 application that has been running well. Recently they acquired some Windows 2000 and Windows XP workstations.
>
>When someone using a Windows 2000 /XP workstation logs in, it often reports that tables in the database are thrashed. The application automatically fixes these errors, but it has to have exclusive right to the files to repair the headers. However, when other people are logged in then they all have to log out first.
>
>When someone is using Windows 98/ Windows ME, this does not happen. While the person running the application from Windows 2000 reports the files as damaged, the person running 98/ME simultaneously reports no problem.
>
>Has anyone noticed this before? Any solution to the problem?
>
>Help appreciated.
>
>Steven