@@ -177,15 +177,18 @@
 				   run-id)))))
     (if conn
 	(begin 
           (debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "already connected to a server")
            conn) ;; we are already connected to the server
-	(let* ((sdats (tt:get-server-info-sorted ttdat dbfname))
+
+	;; no conn
+        (let* ((sdats (tt:get-server-info-sorted ttdat dbfname))
 	       (sdat  (if (null? sdats)
 			  #f
 			  (car sdats))))
-	  (match sdat
+	   (debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "found sdat " sdat)
+           (match sdat
 	    ((host port start-time server-id pid dbfname2 servinffile)
 	     (assert (equal? dbfname dbfname2) "FATAL: read server info from wrong file.")
              (debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "no conn - in match servinffile:" servinffile)
 	     (let* ((host-port (conc host":"port))
 		    (conn (make-tt-conn
@@ -211,37 +214,37 @@
 		    (thread-sleep! 0.5)
                     (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "server for " dbfname " is in starting state, retrying connect")
 		    (tt:client-connect-to-server ttdat dbfname run-id testsuite server-start-proc))
 		   (else
 		    (let* ((curr-secs (current-seconds)))
-		      (if (not ping-res) ;; the server is actually dead, remove the .servinfo file
+		      ;; rm the (last server) would go here
+		      (if (> (- curr-secs (tt-last-serv-start ttdat)) 10)
 			  (begin
 			    (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Unreachable server at "
 					      host":"port" with servinfo file "servinffile", removing it")
 			    (if (file-exists? servinffile)
 				(handle-exceptions
 				 exn
 				 #f
-				 (delete-file servinffile)))))
-		      ;; rm the (last server) would go here
-		      (if (> (- curr-secs (tt-last-serv-start ttdat)) 10)
-			  (begin
+				 (delete-file servinffile)))
 			    (tt-last-serv-start-set! ttdat curr-secs)
+                            (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Starting a new server on " (get-host-name))
 			    (server-start-proc))) ;; start server if 10 sec since last attempt
 		      (thread-sleep! 1)
-                      (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "server ping result was "ping-res" neither running nor starting. Retrying connect")
+                      (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Retrying connect")
 		      (tt:client-connect-to-server ttdat dbfname run-id testsuite server-start-proc)))))))
+
 	    (else ;; no good server found, if haven't started server in > 5 secs, start another
 	     (if (> (- (current-seconds) (tt-last-serv-start ttdat)) 3) ;; BUG - grow this number really do not want to swamp the machine with servers
 		 (begin
-		   (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Starting server for "dbfname)
+		   (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Starting server for "dbfname " on " (get-host-name))
 		   (server-start-proc)
 		   (tt-last-serv-start-set! ttdat (current-seconds))
-                   (thread-sleep! 3)
+                   (thread-sleep! 6)
                    ))
 	     (thread-sleep! 1)
-             (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Connect to server for " dbfname)
+             (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Connect to server from " (get-host-name) " for " dbfname)
 	     (tt:client-connect-to-server ttdat dbfname run-id testsuite server-start-proc)))))))
 
 ;; returns ( result . ping_time )
 (define (tt:timed-ping host port server-id)
   (let* ((start-time (current-milliseconds))
@@ -590,10 +593,11 @@
 		    (begin
 		      (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: (tt-port ttdat) no port set! Exiting.")
 		      (exit)))))
 	  
 	  ;; create a servinfo file start keep-running
+          (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "Creating servinfo file for " dbfname)
 	  (tt:create-server-registration-file ttdat dbfname)
 	  (procinf-status-set! *procinf* "running")
 	  (tt-state-set! ttdat 'running)
 	  (dbfile:with-no-sync-db
 	   nosyncdbpath
@@ -904,18 +908,23 @@
 ;;    (connect-listener uconn port)))
 
 (define (setup-listener-portlogger uconn)
   (let ((port (portlogger:open-run-close portlogger:find-port)))
     (assert (tt? uconn) "FATAL: setup-listener called with wrong struct "uconn)
+    (debug:print 2 *default-log-port* "setup-listener-portlogger got port " port)
     (handle-exceptions
 	exn
       (if (< port 65535)
 	  (begin
 	    (portlogger:open-run-close portlogger:set-failed port)
 	    (thread-sleep! 0.25)
 	    (setup-listener-portlogger uconn))
-	  #f)
+          (begin
+            (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "setup-listener-portlogger: could not get a port")
+	    #f
+          )
+      )
       (connect-listener uconn port))))
 
 (define (connect-listener uconn port)
   ;; (tcp-listener-socket LISTENER)(socket-name so)
   ;; sockaddr-address, sockaddr-port, sockaddr->string