[GRASSLIST:4209] trying to import data but getting dbmi:protocol error

[knut.langeland at nina.no]

Hi 
I've just been playing with GRASS57 for some weeks now to try to learn
it, but i've got trouble importing vector data. I'm running it on Cygwin
on WinXP.
I have a table of xy-pointdata that I have been trying to import both
from a dbase IV file (made in excel) with v.in.db and from a shape-file
(made in arc-view 3.3)with v.in.ogr (have also tried other shapefiles
that I haven't mad myself), but I just get this error message
 
dbmi:protocol error
Error:Cannot create table: create table vegpunkt(cat integer TPUNKTID
integer, RUTEID.........listing categories..) 
dbmi:protocol error

The points are then imported but there is no connection with the
database and the attribute table is not made.
I then tried to play with the spearfish57 dataset and tried to list the
database tables with db.tables driver=dbf -p but got the error 
Signal 11
dbmi: Protocol error

I have made a database connection with db.connect and been running
g.gisenv with the debugger set to 5, telling me that the dbf file is
read (it's listing the right category names) but then the protocol error
comes up and a warning message: Cannot copy table, before its building
topology and registering lines. 

I have also tried to import a small version of the same table from an
ascii-file (.csv made in excel) with s.in.ascii but then I get the this
error
WARNING: Vector used instead of sites.
WARNING: Site/vector attributes ignored.
WARNING: Input file is DOS format. Attempting anyway .. s.in.ascii -
line 1 ** invalid format ** <tx;ty;tpunktid;rein_feces_tra> 
Building topology ... 
Registering lines: 99 primitives registered 
Building areas: ............. 
...and so on..

But there is no links to the db, and no attribute table made.
So then I wonder, what do I do wrong?
Is there something wrong with my gdal/ogr libraries?
What is wrong with the ascii format file? (I looked at the file in
xemacs and it looks fine to me)

Thanks I advance
Knut