Access 2003 keeps crashing

[Jeemo]

I've been tearing my hair out on this one. This effin' database keeps crashing on me while I'm doing query-related operations.

System info:
Access 2003 SP2 with all the latest updates on an XP Pro machine.

DB info:
The database file in question is merely several queries based upon a single, linked Excel file of about 17,000 records that resides in the same directory as the Access file, both of which are stored locally on my machine.

Problem:
It started when I was simply right-clicking on a field in the query's design view and selecting "build." It would hesitate for a moment, then it would crash and offer the option to "Repair and re-open" the database and send an error report or not. I tried opening the database file in Access 2K on my home machine and the problem would not occur in that environment.

I'm now trying to run a very simple Union query and I'm experiencing the same problem. Here's the meat and potatoes from the error report:

AppName: msaccess.exe      AppVer: 11.0.6566.0     AppStamp:42cdb33e
ModName: msjtes40.dll      ModVer: 4.0.8618.0      ModStamp:403430ac
fDebug: 0       Offset: 000092d0

Attempted solutions: (none of these have had any effect)
Did a repair of Office/Access
Uninstalled and re-installed Access
Uninstalled and re-installed Office
Performed a compact/repair on the database file.

Thanks in advance for any help on this one.

[PEB]

Hi,

Try to transfer your information from Excel to Access and then try your queries!

Do it only to try if it works!

Than you'll think how to do your facilties to migrate your data and so on...