this is a limitation of MSDE - it only handles a certain number of queries, and then queues the rest. There is no way around this with MSDE. However,you can use the free sql express database instead, as it has this restriction removed (instead it only allows you to utilise 1GB of ram). Alternatively, you can purchase sql2000 or sql 2005

Cathal

What I've done with other applications is set limits to the connection pool and the time they are held. This can be changed by adding some values to the connection string. In your scenario, the app could be pooling the connections and keeps going until the pool reaches the .NET default of 100 connections (but of course stops), and/or tries to grab another connection because another hasn't been told it should be released.

The times are in seconds.

Max Pool Size=30;Connect Timeout=90;Connection Lifetime=30;

Messing with these settings to control pooling isn't exactly standard, and many will tell you not to do this. You will be destroying your connections and not taking full advantage of pooling. But this can solve a problem with too many connections and not being released soon enough.