in reply to Perl and IIS 6.0's MetaBase.xml

Maybe the problem is to parse the file? Have you tried to make a copy (just to other location) of the XML file and work with it, just to see if work?

Since the problem, I think, is to parse, I can't say anything before see the file. Can you post the file, or some part? Or put it in some site?

Graciliano M. P.
"The creativity is the expression of the liberty".