script stopped working- no output from unserialize()

So, When I echo out the results from the db I get the serialized data but when I try and pass the serialized data to the function to unserialize the output it doesn't work - no output what-so-ever. Also when the serialized data is sent to the function and then echoed out before it is unserialized() I get the expected result .- eg a:4:{i:0;s:4:"pass";i:1;s:4:"pass";i:2;s:4:"pass"; Which leads me to believe that the problem is with the php function unserialize(). The same function works fine locally. I am working with php version 5 locally and version 4.4.2 on the remote host Could that be the problem? R.