Possible problem with dbexport/dbimport serials- SE v4.1 ?

We are using a laboratory information system based on an Informix database, Informix SE v4.1. For quite some time we have had complaints about strange things happening: losing a record or two (sometimes, not often). These things we could not reproduce. Now the software house came up with a possible explanation. In the database, the serial datatype is used. Once a month we do a dbexport/dbimport/update statistics, because of backup and performance reasons. Now we were told that with this action, Informix loses count of its serials and has to look up the last used number in the database. But, if the record with the last used serial has already been deleted, Informix uses this number again, causing corruption. If this is true, you cannot use dbexport/import on a database with serials in it. Now I wonder if this is a "known" bug (if yes, since when), and if this explanation holds for our corruption problems. Thanks in advance for every helpful reaction! Teun Boschloo Waterleiding Mij. Gelderland - Velp (Gld) The Netherlands EMail: tubateun@xs4all.nl