Products table corrupts repeatedly

Using v1.5.0 and in the past year, have experienced some type of corruption of our products table several times. We have about 5300 items and have not modified the products table in any way. The corruption messes up any orders and eventually causes the program page-loading queries to spin out of control, locking up the entire site. Then we get our host yelling at us for overloading their server.

To fix it, we delete the table and simply copy the old table. But phpMyAdmin will not allow us to delete it. It just hangs. So we have to call the webhost's tech support. They also cannot delete it, so they send it to someone higher up.

Once deleted and the backup table copied in, everything is perfect again for a couple of months until it repeats.

This is driving us and our webhost crazy, though our webhost has been extremely nice and helpful and patient and who's tech and customer support is unbeatable.

Any ideas out there? Thanks in advance.

Matt

You may have a connecting table that is adding to the problem. Have you tried the options at the bottom of phpMyAdmin?
BACKUP THE EXISTING DATABASE!!
BACKUP THE EXISTING DATABASE!!
BACKUP THE EXISTING DATABASE!!
BACKUP THE EXISTING DATABASE!!
BACKUP THE EXISTING DATABASE!!
Did I mention you need to backup the database?:P
Open phpMyAdmin, and click on the database. All the tables should appear.
Scroll to the bottom and click on the "Check All/Check tables having overhead" square. To the right of that is the "With selected" drop-down.
I would try the Check table option first.
As long as you don't select anything above Check table or below Analyze table, you won't damage the database. Plus, you've always got the backup just in case. (see subtle hint above)