@@ -730,55 +730,10 @@
       (print-call-chain (current-error-port))
       #f)
     (read (open-input-string (base64:base64-decode instr))))
    (read (open-input-string (z3:decode-buffer (base64:base64-decode instr))))))
 
-;; dot-locking egg seems not to work, using this for now
-;; if lock is older than expire-time then remove it and try again
-;; to get the lock
-;;
-(define (common:simple-file-lock fname #!key (expire-time 300))
-  (let ((fmod-time (handle-exceptions
-		       ext
-		     (current-seconds)
-		     (file-modification-time fname))))
-    (if (common:file-exists? fname)
-	(if (> (- (current-seconds) fmod-time) expire-time)
-	    (begin
-	      (handle-exceptions exn #f (delete-file* fname))	
-	      (common:simple-file-lock fname expire-time: expire-time))
-	    #f)
-	(let ((key-string (conc (get-host-name) "-" (current-process-id))))
-	  (with-output-to-file fname
-	    (lambda ()
-	      (print key-string)))
-	  (thread-sleep! 0.25)
-	  (if (common:file-exists? fname)
-	      (handle-exceptions exn
-                #f 
-                (with-input-from-file fname
-	  	  (lambda ()
-		    (equal? key-string (read-line)))))
-	      #f)))))
-
-(define (common:simple-file-lock-and-wait fname #!key (expire-time 300))
-  (let ((end-time (+ expire-time (current-seconds))))
-    (let loop ((got-lock (common:simple-file-lock fname expire-time: expire-time)))
-      (if got-lock
-	  #t
-	  (if (> end-time (current-seconds))
-	      (begin
-		(thread-sleep! 3)
-		(loop (common:simple-file-lock fname expire-time: expire-time)))
-	      #f)))))
-
-(define (common:simple-file-release-lock fname)
-  (handle-exceptions
-      exn
-      #f ;; I don't really care why this failed (at least for now)
-    (delete-file* fname)))
-
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; S T A T E S   A N D   S T A T U S E S
 ;;======================================================================
 
 ;; BBnote: *common:std-states* - dashboard filter control and test control state buttons defined here; used in set-fields-panel and dboard:make-controls
@@ -1010,11 +965,12 @@
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; currently the primary job of the watchdog is to run the sync back to megatest.db from the db in /tmp
 ;; if we are on the homehost and we are a server (by definition we are on the homehost if we are a server)
 ;;
 (define (common:readonly-watchdog dbstruct)
-  (thread-sleep! 0.05) ;; delay for startup
+  (let ((just-testing 0.0501))
+    (thread-sleep! just-testing)) ;; (/ 1 20)) ;; 0.051) ;; delay for startup
   (debug:print-info 13 *default-log-port* "common:readonly-watchdog entered.")
   ;; sync megatest.db to /tmp/.../megatst.db
   (let* ((sync-cool-off-duration   3)
         (golden-mtdb     (dbr:dbstruct-mtdb dbstruct))
         (golden-mtpath   (db:dbdat-get-path golden-mtdb))