i got this too, you probably have a return as the first line (it says line 1 in the error) - and this will cause squid to terminate! if you add more text, it will actually run and you can customise your error too: put a # there and you will get # add some more text and you get #booo , it stops at the first space: #this 2010/03/28 12:03:06| parseConfigFile: squid.conf:1 unrecognized: '#thisisabugWELCOME' (saved in Notepad++ and it saved the strange characters as n++): 2010/03/28 10:52:38| Including Configuration File: c:/squid/etc/squid.conf (dept h 0) 2010/03/28 10:52:38| Processing: 'n++' 2010/03/28 10:52:38| parse_line: n++ 2010/03/28 10:52:38| parseConfigFile: squid.conf:1 unrecognized: 'n++' 2010/03/28 10:52:38| Processing: 'acl all src all' 2010/03/28 10:52:38| parse_line: acl all src all in the log it says: (with one strange char) 2010/03/28 10:52:50| parseConfigFile: squid.conf:1 unrecognized: '?' charlie. _________________________________________________________________ Browse profiles for FREE! Meet local singles online. http://clk.atdmt.com/NMN/go/150855801/direct/01/