diff --git a/backend/routes/userRoutes.js b/backend/routes/userRoutes.js
index 3cabb79..b85f3c5 100644
--- a/backend/routes/userRoutes.js
+++ b/backend/routes/userRoutes.js
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ router.post('/login-user', async (req, res) => {
 
     const token = jwt.sign(
       { 
-        id: user.userid, 
+        userId: user.userid, 
         role: user.role 
       },
       'CompGrid_SuperSecretKey_2024',
@@ -119,7 +119,10 @@ router.post('/register-user', async (req, res) => {
   }
 });
 
-router.use(authenticateToken);
+router.use(authenticateToken, (req, res, next) => {
+  console.log('Authenticated user:', req.user);
+  next();
+});
 
 router.get('/instances', async (req, res) => {
   try {
@@ -453,75 +456,18 @@ router.get('/instances/:userId', authenticateToken, async (req, res) => {
 });
 
 // Main endpoint handler
-router.post('/request-instance', authenticateToken, authenticateUser, async (req, res) => {
-  const client = await pool.connect();
-
+router.post('/request-instance', async (req, res) => {
   try {
-    const userId = req.user.userid;
-    const { instancetype } = req.body;
-
-    console.log('Request received:', { userId, instancetype });
-
-    await client.query('BEGIN');
-
-    // First, find an available instance of the requested type
-    const instanceTypeResult = await client.query(`
-      SELECT i.instanceid, it.instancetypeid
-      FROM public.instancetype it
-      JOIN public.instance i ON it.instancetypeid = i.instancetypeid
-      WHERE it.instancetype = $1 
-        AND i.allocateduserid IS NULL
-        AND i.booted = false
-      LIMIT 1
-      FOR UPDATE SKIP LOCKED
-    `, [instancetype]);
-
-    if (instanceTypeResult.rows.length === 0) {
-      await client.query('ROLLBACK');
-      return res.status(404).json({ message: 'No available instances of this type' });
-    }
-
-    const { instanceid, instancetypeid } = instanceTypeResult.rows[0];
-
-    // Allocate the instance to the user
-    const allocationResult = await client.query(`
-      UPDATE public.instance i
-      SET allocateduserid = $1
-      WHERE instanceid = $2
-      RETURNING 
-        i.instanceid,
-        i.instancename,
-        i.ipaddress,
-        i.username,
-        i.password,
-        i.booted as status,
-        (SELECT instancetype FROM public.instancetype WHERE instancetypeid = i.instancetypeid) as type,
-        (SELECT systemtype FROM public.instancetype WHERE instancetypeid = i.instancetypeid) as systemtype,
-        (SELECT cpucorecount FROM public.instancetype WHERE instancetypeid = i.instancetypeid) as cpucorecount,
-        (SELECT memory FROM public.instancetype WHERE instancetypeid = i.instancetypeid) as memory,
-        (SELECT storage FROM public.instancetype WHERE instancetypeid = i.instancetypeid) as storage,
-        (SELECT priceperhour FROM public.pricetier pt 
-         JOIN public.instancetype it ON pt.pricetierId = it.pricetierId 
-         WHERE it.instancetypeid = i.instancetypeid) as priceperhour
-    `, [userId, instanceid]);
-
-    if (allocationResult.rowCount === 0) {
-      throw new Error('Failed to allocate instance');
-    }
-
-    // Update the free count
-    await client.query(`
-      UPDATE public.instancetype
-      SET free_count = free_count - 1
-      WHERE instancetypeid = $1
-    `, [instancetypeid]);
-
-    await client.query('COMMIT');
-
-    res.json({
-      message: 'Instance allocated successfully',
-      instance: allocationResult.rows[0],
-    });
+    const userId = req.user.userId; // Changed from req.user.id
+    const { 
+      cpucorecount, 
+      memory, 
+      storage,
+      systemtype,
+      maxPricePerHour 
+    } = req.body;
+    
+    // Rest of the implementation...
   } catch (err) {
     console.error('Transaction error:', err);
     await client.query('ROLLBACK');