What OS are you on? Did you change the BTREE sort order?

I suggest you acquire berkeley db (sleepycat.com), or at least the following utilities that come with it

 db_archive.exe
 db_checkpoint.exe
 db_deadlock.exe
 db_dump.exe
 db_load.exe
 db_printlog.exe
 db_recover.exe
 db_stat.exe
 db_upgrade.exe
 db_verify.exe

and try them out. Like I quote in Re: Re: DBM Portability?:

Note: The database file format has changed multiple times in Berkeley DB version 2, 3 and 4. If you cannot recreate your databases, you must dump any existing databases with either the db_dump or the db_dump185 utility that comes with Berkeley DB. Once you have rebuilt DB_File to use Berkeley DB version 2 or greater, your databases can be recreated using db_load. Refer to the Berkeley DB documentation for further details.

MJD says "you can't just make shit up and expect the computer to know what you mean, retardo!"

I run a Win32 PPM repository for perl 5.6.x and 5.8.x -- I take requests (README).

** The third rule of perl club is a statement of fact: pod is sexy.