Query Would Run For Ever - No Clue

Hello fellow DBAs

I have a strange situation here. I am executing a SQL query which runs for ever till it fills up all the available temp space.

The same query runs within 1 minute in another database on another server. That database is a development database but with same records (and data).

I tried the following:

UPDATE STATISTICS
DBREINDEX
FIXED FRAGMENTATION BY RUNNING DBINDEXDEFRAG

Nothing helps... what should I do next?post the ddl + the query so we can see. Its common to have a rogue/running away query that would take the server down to its knee.

e.g.
select *
from master..syscolumns,master..syscolumns,master..sysc olumns,master..syscolumns