Form won't maximize after database connection

Question

I've been having a very frustrating (and time consuming) issue with the application I am trying to develop. I've had NO success on other forums so hopefully Microsoft's site can answer this.
I have broken it down to this for simplicity's sake.
I have a form with its WindowState property set to "maximized" at design time. That's it. I have ONE sub:
Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
End Sub
Works perfect. Run it and its maximized to the ENTIRE screen.
The issue starts after I make a connection to an Access database. like this:
Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
Dim conn As New System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection
conn.ConnectionString = "Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=U:\Visual Studio .NET 2003\My Projects\Schedule Board\MachineDepartments.accdb;Persist Security Info=False"
conn.Open()
conn.Close()
End Sub
Same sub, just added a connection string that DOES WORK with no issues.
NOW when the app runs, the window is not "maximized". It takes up about 3/4 of the total screen. I can click on THE FORM'S maximize button and it will resize to my entire screen (like it did BEFORE I added the connection string).
I cannot however resize it programmatically. I have tried no less than a dozen different suggestions from the obvious to the ridiculous.
Something deeper is happening that won't allow the form to resize to the actual screen dimensions and its related to making the database connection.
(just for ha ha's I created a click event sub that made the db connection AFTER the form loaded. The form loaded to the proper FULL SCREEN size but as soon as fired the click event the screen went to 3/4 size! MADDENING!)
Please help! (I am using VB.Net 2003 so please keep that in mind)
Thanks!

Answer 1

Try moving your connection to the database to the Shown
event instead.  When exceptions, or anything irregular happens in the Load
event, weirdness will almost always ensue and even the debugger will not always pick it up.  It has to do with the order and the manner in which
Load gets called.
It would be greatly appreciated if you would mark any helpful entries as helpful and if the entry answers your question, please mark it with the Answer link.
Be aware that is for C#, not for VB with Windows Forms, 
But because of the fact that this is a non program language related forum it is in my perception a helpful addition.
Success
Cor