> What is the server platform and database filename?

FB1.52SS on WinXP-Prof-SP2. Database is on a local drive
"T:\contidoc.gdb" and has been backupped and restored. Connecting is
done with the local protocol (without localhost: in from of the
connection string.

The FB1.52Emb variants run on WinXP-Prof-SP2 or WinXP-Tablet-SP2.

You can notice that the machine's harddisk is very active accessing
dring this initial connecting.

I noticed the same situation when I connected to the database from my
application (using Delphi7/2006 and UIB) and when connecting via
IBExpert or via PHP5.1/Apache2 all from the same machine.