A Tough One - Importing A File Into A NEW Table

I work for a company that has a mainframe application that produces "outgoing" files. They are downloaded to a server and converted to ASCII (all at one time) and then ftp'ed to various clients. We are converting to a client server application and I am in charge of verifying that the mainframe application files (converted) are EXACTLY the same as the server application files. I came up with a process of loading the files to access databases and then with a series of queries and reports produce a list of exactly what doesn't match, which record, what positions and display the two fields that are mismatching.

My problem is that when I try to load the Mainframe file (note that it has already been converted and "eyeball to eyeball" the files are alike) using the "new" / import functions, Access rejects the file because it is greater than 65000 bytes. If I cut the file down to under 65k bytes it loads fine. I can load a 500,000 byte file that was created on the server in the first place.

Any suggestions? I can't change any of the processes that create the files. But I can change copies of the files so that I might be able to get them to load so I can verify that the data inside is the same. I'll let the geeks figure out how to fix the file/record control stuff.

(wouldn't have this problem if I was back on a mainframe!!!!)

Mac