Append query runs a looong time

[kmclane]

I am trying to append historical data to a table. All table structures are identical. I am running on a Proliant Server with dual processors and a gig and a half of memory. I started it about noon and it's now 3:30. I have a full progress bar, the hourglass is on, and in task manager access is cycling between running and not responding evry 10-30 seconds. I don't understand why this won't run. Is it better to select each field individually, rather than using "*"?
Ken

- If you are flammable and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit.
Mitch Hedburg

 

[BNPMike]

Are you just selecting from one table and inserting into another? If so, if you run the select by itself, is that very slow?

Are you dealing with very large numbers of records or very large tables?

Presumably the data is not being sorted?

Can you post the SQL?

 

[kmclane]

I think I had a problem with the original database I was using. I have recreated it and things are going much better. All total I will end up with about a million records. Nothing is being sorted. A Select is almost immediate. I think I had a corrupt db I was trying to import into.
Ken

- If you are flammable and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit.
Mitch Hedburg

 

[BNPMike]

When I was young, one million records in a table was what they called "Very Large Databases" in conferences.

Glad it's going ok now but bear in mind even modern hardware is starting to get challenged with tables that big, so keep an eye on all tuning aspects. Pretend instead of a modern pc you've only got a corporate mainframe of yesteryear and you'll maybe spot some opportunites for reducing cpu or i/o demands.

 

[kmclane]

The funny thing is, it never over runs the cpu, I am trying to append June right now, I got the "there is not enough disk space to undo, do you want to continue the action query anyway" message at about 20% and now I'm at 50%. I had it abort on me with the "database has reached maximum size" message the first time I tried to append it, so I went back and compacted both the incoming and receiving dbs before trying again.
Ken

- If you are flammable and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit.
Mitch Hedburg