If nothing works then try out this

Dim ret as integer = 0
Dim myreader

cmdSelect = New SqlCommand("Select ....., con)
myreader = cmdSelect.ExecuteReader
While myreader.read()
     ret += 1
End While

myreader.close()
con.close()

If (ret = 0) Then
'some operation
else
'some...
end if


-.. -..