mysql errors .... or php errors ????

i know this may not be stricktly php but ... soemtimes when i return queries from mysql to php i get errors like 'invalid index test assumed 'test' in test.php at line 13' .... can't remember the exact syntax but that's the general idea. if i quote the var when i reference it the error goes away. like $arow['test'] as opposed to $arow[test]. so in general i quote them always BUT i tried to set up a php members board on my server yesterday using someones elses code (blazeboard) and got hundreds of these errors whihc leads me to believe it's either my php or mysql setup ... any help would be greatly appreciated. cheers, Steve