Sharon, I was previously using AOL v9 Optimized SE and the problem was not there. I cannot recall if the file AOLDial was in that version or not. Either the file was not present in that version or was and a change was made to the file. As for Generations, I purchased v8 when it was first released and then installed the patch to make v8.5.1. I don't know how large your uds file is, but you should seriously consider "biting the bullet" and switching to another program as Generations is a dead program. I'd suggest either Legacy or TMG. Legacy is easier to use as TMG has a very long learning curve, but that is your decision. The other option is to invest in an Apple computer and purchase Reunion, which is the Apple version of Generations. Your uds file should import into Reunion with little or no problems. Switching to either Legacy or TMG will involve a lot of work to correct import problems. As for your current situation, I'd make a suggestion. Deselecting the AOLDial file via msconfig>startup means you will be running in selective start-up mode, which is not a big deal. However, everytime you upgrade a program or install a new program you run the risk of encountering the same "disappearing data syndrome." Once you have stabilized your system, i.e., eliminated this problem, make a written copy of all the checked files in msconfig>startup. Then, if the problem reappears after an upgrade or new installation, you have a reference point to work from. Jon Raymond St Paul Park, MN Web site: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~raymond/