Hi,

>-OS on server - Windows 2003, on WS - Windows XP
>-The table is a free table - no DBC.
>-The key is obtained from the table itself, in a separate program which, basically, sets the order to the key field, does a go bottom, takes the value and increments it.

From prior experience you will get duplicates using this method unless you use a queueing mechanism i.e. lock control file retrieve ID, increment, save record & unlock.

>I disabled the cache manually on most of WS, on the server I don't know, the net admin says it is disabled...

Disable the oplocking & read caching on all Workstation, it only takes one to cause problems.

Check this link out, especially the remotes http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;297684&Product=win2000

This link is on read caching & oplocks

http://www.dataaccess.com/whitepapers/opportunlockingreadcaching.html

Also optimise the MTU settings especially the remotes.

You may have a bad NIC somewhere as well.

Regards N Mc Donald