Featured Module Problem

Hi,
I am having a problem with the featured module. New install, I have installed a few modules and copied over my inventory. Everything else appears to be working correctly. version 1.5.6.4.
The problem I am having: Sometimes when i add items to the featured module they don't show up. When I re-open to edit the featured module, some of the items show in the list and some do not. Some of the items that show in the list do not show on the front end though. If I add a new item, it still shows the other items on the list in the admin side, but on the front end it only shows the newly added items, and doesnt show the rest.

I ran a check about something called mbstring that I read in the forum. I performed the test and it seems to have failed and come back with "??????", however, I checked phpinfo and it seems to be installed and functioning. I am hosted with arvixe and have asked them for support but have not heard back yet.


Any ideas?

Anyone have any suggestions? hosted with arvixe and still no response back to emails or my ticket from them.

Hi anyone please any help is appreciated. I am have noticed another problem that I believe is linked. When I edit a item that is already assigned to a category and then re save that item it drops the category for some reason.