Hi Soronel, My reading thus far shows that the validationFlags should be set to none by default. However, I think a better approach for me would be to specify the validation I want. I am trying to use the XMLTextReaderSettings class. My XML string is in a memoryStream. In this situation, I cannot see how to initialize the XMLTextReader. Dim xmlrSettings As System.Xml.XmlReaderSettings xmlrSettings = New System.Xml.XmlReaderSettings xmlrSettings.XmlResolver = Nothing Dim xmlr As XmlTextReader xmlr = XmlTextReader.Create(ms, xmlrSettings) The problem is that xmlr is not being initialized here. I cannot find any suitable constructer. Pranav ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:program-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** program-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:program-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** program-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq