Hi all, actually what the developer did was : ------------------------------------ As TEST user (SQLPLUS session 1): DELETED 40,000 rows from ERR table (did not COMMIT) As TEST user (SQLPLUS session 2): (before DELETE is completed) SELECT COUNT(*) FROM ERR ; ----------------------------------------- This SELECT did not return back immediately . This is what her problem was. She has come to know that the table has been locked and assumed that it's a problem. Me not communicating with her properly and my lack of knowledge about LOCKS has led to this confusion . my SINCERE APOLOGIES to the LIST. I will have read the concepts guide. Anyway thanks Ganesh ,Steve,Powell,sol beach , Manjula and Diego Cutrone . Sorry to waste ur time.I will take care that this will not happen again . Regards, Prem. -- To unsubscribe - mailto:oracle-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx&subject=unsubscribe To search the archives - //www.freelists.org/archives/oracle-l/