>The dbf file is about 2 000 000 KB, the FPT file is about 450 000 KB and the CDX file is about 41 000 KB. The file was created, and is largely accessed, using VFP 6.0 (although some clients are moving to 9 BETA).

Are you saying the DBF weighs 2GB? Then you are hitting the upper limit for a VFP file.

Options:
- trim the file
- narrow it (less columns)
- move to SQL Server or similar
- partition the file vertically into separate files (a PITA to query and deal with).


although some clients are moving to 9 BETA

BAD idea! You should not give customers a Beta product. Betas are by definition test versions (incomplete products). They are also bloated with test code and therefore slower. The VFP 9 Public Beta was incomplete in some of its functionality. And besides it will expire in a couple of months (April??)

You should definitely upgrade them to the production version of VFP9.0 which is available since December.

HTH