Excel 2010 Data could not be retrieved from the Database

I’m using excel 2010 Windows 7 64

I'm having an issue with PivotTables linked to an Access database.

For some queries in the Access database, Excel starts retrieving records then stops with a message 'Data could not be retrieved from the database. Check the database server or contact your database administrator'.

• not all queries are affected, some do work, others not
• when run from within Access there is no problem
• when export the query to excel and then linked to the pivot table no problem

I have no idea maybe the access files are to big ?

David