Require Assistance Solving Problem - erroneous pg_hba.conf

After messing with this all week and getting nowhere, I'm ready to pay
someone to call me at 800-481-5022 ext 3005 to get this resolved ASAP. Our
online scheduling system has been down all week and the troops are ready to
revolt. Background:

A RedHat Upgrade  Saturday from 8.0 to 9.0 just did a 'minor' version
upgrade from 7.3.1 to 7.3.2. However, I have not been able to get a
connection since
the upgrade. Postmaster loads fine, but I get:

FATAL: Missing or erroneous pg_hba.conf file, see postmaster log for details

Here is my pg_hba.conf file (from /var/lib/pgsql/data) that has always
worked:

# TYPE  DATABASE    USER        IP-ADDRESS        IP-MASK           METHOD

local   all        all
trust
host    all        all                     127.0.0.1      255.255.255.255
trust
host    all        all                     192.168.1.0    255.255.255.0
trust
host    all        all                     24.128.216.179    255.255.255.255
md5
host    all        all                     217.33.107.74    255.255.255.248
md5

I even reloaded the entire data directory from tape backup. Postgresql.conf
file is the
default - all lines commented out. Postmaster starts with:

su -l postgres -s /bin/sh -c "/usr/bin/pg_ctl -D $PGDATA -p
/usr/bin/postmaster -o '-i -p ${PGPORT}' start  > /var/log/pgsql 2>&1" <
/dev/null

(where $PGDATA is /var/lib/pgsql/data and $PGPORT is 5432)

pgsql log shows:

FATAL:  Missing or erroneous pg_hba.conf file, see postmaster log for
details
"OG:  parse_hba: invalid syntax in pg_hba.conf file at line 31, token "

Even the log entry doesn't look right - double quotes - and the .conf file
certainly doesn't have 31 lines!

Please call if you have any ideas how to fix this. Thanks.

________________________
Greg Kelley, IT Director
Britannic Aviation, US and UK
US Office:
Pease Int'l Tradeport
68 New Hampshire Ave.
Portsmouth, NH  03801
603.766.3005
http://www.britannicaviation.com
AOPA, EAA, SSA
CFII SEL, MEL; Comm Glider