no. I'm suggesting that the problem is not in the code you posted but something else that calls that code. The code you posted (I assume) is standard vBulletin code and should work fine. It's some other hack/mod elsewhere that hasn't hasn't used the globally defined $vbulletin variable that is causing this code to fail as a side effect.

But since I don't have anymore info on your setup, this is just a best guess.

awwwwwwwa man
is there a way that I can scrap the board from the hacks and start fresh but keep all my posts?

Upload all the original files and disable the plugin system.

that will override the hacks correct? I am going to attempt to put some back in, so should I just remove most of the hack files but get the datebase updates in?
or what?

Can't help much more myself. I only run out-of-the-box vBulletin at the moment with one custom standalone script that I run from the inbuilt cron for backing up the database. (Which is now working fine when manually run, but seems to fail when launched by the cron automatically).