Index: db.scm
==================================================================
--- db.scm
+++ db.scm
@@ -195,11 +195,11 @@
 	rdb
 	(let* ((dbpath       (db:dbfile-path run-id)) ;; (conc toppath "/db/" run-id ".db"))
 	       (dbexists     (file-exists? dbpath))
 	       (inmem        (if local #f (db:open-inmem-db)))
 	       (refdb        (if local #f (db:open-inmem-db)))
-	       (db           (db:lock-create-open dbpath 
+	       (db           (db:lock-create-open dbpath ;; this is the database physically on disk
 						  (lambda (db)
 						    (handle-exceptions
 						     exn
 						     (begin
 						       (release-dot-lock dbpath)
@@ -234,14 +234,18 @@
 	      (begin
 		(dbr:dbstruct-set-localdb! dbstruct run-id db) ;; (dbr:dbstruct-set-inmem! dbstruct db) ;; direct access ...
 		db)
 	      (begin
 		(dbr:dbstruct-set-inmem!  dbstruct inmem)
+		(sqlite3:execute db "DELETE FROM tests WHERE state='DELETED';") ;; they just slow us down in this context
 		(db:sync-tables db:sync-tests-only db inmem)
-		(db:delay-if-busy dbpath: (db:dbdat-get-path refdb))
+		(db:delay-if-busy refdb) ;; dbpath: (db:dbdat-get-path refdb))
 		(dbr:dbstruct-set-refdb!  dbstruct refdb)
 		(db:sync-tables db:sync-tests-only db refdb)
+		;; sync once more to deal with delays
+		(db:sync-tables db:sync-tests-only db inmem)
+		(db:sync-tables db:sync-tests-only db refdb)
 		inmem))))))
 
 ;; This routine creates the db. It is only called if the db is not already ls opened
 ;;
 (define (db:open-main dbstruct) ;;  (conc *toppath* "/megatest.db") (car *configinfo*)))
@@ -292,10 +296,11 @@
 	(refdb  (dbr:dbstruct-get-refdb dbstruct))
 	(olddb  (dbr:dbstruct-get-olddb dbstruct))
 	;; (runid  (dbr:dbstruct-get-run-id dbstruct))
 	)
     (debug:print-info 4 "Syncing for run-id: " run-id)
+    (mutex-lock! *http-mutex*)
     (if (eq? run-id 0)
 	;; runid equal to 0 is main.db
 	(if maindb
 	    (if (or (not (number? mtime))
 		    (not (number? stime))
@@ -322,12 +327,15 @@
 	    (begin
 	      (db:delay-if-busy rundb)
 	      (db:delay-if-busy olddb)
 	      (let ((num-synced (db:sync-tables db:sync-tests-only inmem refdb rundb olddb)))
 		(dbr:dbstruct-set-stime! dbstruct (current-milliseconds))
+		(mutex-unlock! *http-mutex*)
 		num-synced)
-	      0)))))
+	      (begin
+		(mutex-unlock! *http-mutex*)
+		0))))))
 
 (define (db:close-main dbstruct)
   (let ((maindb (dbr:dbstruct-get-main dbstruct)))
     (if maindb
 	(begin

Index: http-transport.scm
==================================================================
--- http-transport.scm
+++ http-transport.scm
@@ -493,11 +493,11 @@
 			  "n/a (no queries)"
 			  (/ *total-non-write-delay* 
 			     *number-non-write-queries*))
 		      " ms")
     (debug:print-info 0 "Server shutdown complete. Exiting")
-    (tasks:server-delete-record (db:delay-if-busy tdbdat) server-id " http-transport:keep-running")
+    (tasks:server-delete-record (db:delay-if-busy tdbdat) server-id " http-transport:keep-running complete")
     (exit)))
 
 ;; all routes though here end in exit ...
 ;;
 ;; start_server? 
@@ -539,19 +539,12 @@
 				      server-id)) "Server run"))
 		 (th3 (make-thread (lambda ()
 				     (debug:print-info 0 "Server monitor thread started")
 				     (http-transport:keep-running server-id run-id))
 				   "Keep running")))
-	    ;; Database connection
-
-
-	    ;; don't start the db here
-
-	    ;; (set! *inmemdb*  (db:setup run-id))
-
-
 	    (thread-start! th2)
+	    (thread-sleep! 0.25) ;; give the server time to settle before starting the keep-running monitor.
 	    (thread-start! th3)
 	    (set! *didsomething* #t)
 	    (thread-join! th2)
 	    (exit))))))
 

Index: launch.scm
==================================================================
--- launch.scm
+++ launch.scm
@@ -99,11 +99,13 @@
 	  ;; Mark the test as REMOTEHOSTSTART *IMMEDIATELY*
 	  ;;
 	  (let ((test-info (rmt:get-testinfo-state-status run-id test-id)))
 	    (if (not (member (db:test-get-state test-info) '("REMOVING" "REMOTEHOSTSTART" "RUNNING" "KILLREQ")))
 		(tests:test-force-state-status! run-id test-id "REMOTEHOSTSTART" "n/a")
-		(debug:print 0 "ERROR: test state is " (db:test-get-state test-info) ", cannot proceed")))
+		(begin
+		  (debug:print 0 "ERROR: test state is " (db:test-get-state test-info) ", cannot proceed")
+		  (exit))))
 	  
 	  (debug:print 2 "Exectuing " test-name " (id: " test-id ") on " (get-host-name))
 	  (set! keys       (rmt:get-keys))
 	  ;; (runs:set-megatest-env-vars run-id inkeys: keys inkeyvals: keyvals) ;; these may be needed by the launching process
 	  ;; one of these is defunct/redundant ...

Index: rmt.scm
==================================================================
--- rmt.scm
+++ rmt.scm
@@ -86,12 +86,12 @@
 	 (connection-info (rmt:get-connection-info run-id))
 	 (jparams         (db:obj->string params)))
     (if connection-info
 	;; use the server if have connection info
 	(let* ((dat     (http-transport:client-api-send-receive run-id connection-info cmd jparams))
-	       (res     (if (vector? dat) (vector-ref dat 1) #f))
-	       (success (if (vector? dat) (vector-ref dat 0) #f)))
+	       (res     (if (and dat (vector? dat)) (vector-ref dat 1) #f))
+	       (success (if (and dat (vector? dat)) (vector-ref dat 0) #f)))
 	  (http-transport:server-dat-update-last-access connection-info)
 	  (if success
 	      (db:string->obj res)
 	      ;; (if (< attemptnum 100)
 	      ;;     (begin
@@ -108,11 +108,11 @@
 
 		;; no longer killing the server in http-transport:client-api-send-receive
 		;; may kill it here but what are the criteria?
 		;; start with three calls then kill server
 		(if (eq? attemptnum 3)(tasks:kill-server-run-id run-id))
-
+		(thread-sleep! 2)
 		(rmt:send-receive cmd run-id params attemptnum: (+ attemptnum 1)))))
 	(if (and (< attemptnum 10)
 		 (tasks:need-server run-id))
 	    (begin
 	      (tasks:start-and-wait-for-server (db:delay-if-busy (tasks:open-db)) run-id 10)

Index: runs.scm
==================================================================
--- runs.scm
+++ runs.scm
@@ -554,11 +554,11 @@
 	      (list (car newtal)(append (cdr newtal) reg) '() reruns))))
 
      ((and (null? fails)
 	   (null? prereq-fails)
 	   (null? non-completed))
-      (if  (runs:can-keep-running? hed 5)
+      (if  (runs:can-keep-running? hed 20)
 	  (begin
 	    (runs:inc-cant-run-tests hed)
 	    (debug:print-info 1 "no fails in prerequisites for " hed " but also none running, keeping " hed " for now. Try count: " (hash-table-ref/default *seen-cant-run-tests* hed 0))
 	    ;; num-retries code was here
 	    ;; we use this opportunity to move contents of reg to tal
@@ -673,13 +673,18 @@
      ;; Register tests 
      ;;
      ((not (hash-table-ref/default test-registry (runs:make-full-test-name test-name item-path) #f))
       (debug:print-info 4 "Pre-registering test " test-name "/" item-path " to create placeholder" )
       ;; always do firm registration now in v1.60 and greater ;; (eq? *transport-type* 'fs) ;; no point in parallel registration if use fs
-      (rmt:general-call 'register-test run-id run-id test-name item-path)
-      (if (rmt:get-test-id run-id test-name item-path)
-	  (hash-table-set! test-registry (runs:make-full-test-name test-name item-path) 'done))
+      (let register-loop ((numtries 15))
+	(rmt:general-call 'register-test run-id run-id test-name item-path)
+	(thread-sleep! 0.5)
+	(if (rmt:get-test-id run-id test-name item-path)
+	    (hash-table-set! test-registry (runs:make-full-test-name test-name item-path) 'done)
+	    (if (> numtries 0)
+		(register-loop (- numtries 1))
+		(debug:print 0 "ERROR: failed to register test " (runs:make-full-test-name test-name item-path)))))
       (if (not (eq? (hash-table-ref/default test-registry (runs:make-full-test-name test-name "") #f) 'done))
 	  (begin
 	    (rmt:general-call 'register-test run-id run-id test-name "")
 	    (if (rmt:get-test-id run-id test-name "")
 		(hash-table-set! test-registry (runs:make-full-test-name test-name "") 'done))))

Index: tasks.scm
==================================================================
--- tasks.scm
+++ tasks.scm
@@ -167,11 +167,11 @@
 (define (tasks:server-lock-slot mdb run-id)
   (tasks:server-clean-out-old-records-for-run-id mdb run-id " tasks:server-lock-slot")
   (if (< (tasks:num-in-available-state mdb run-id) 4)
       (begin 
 	(tasks:server-set-available mdb run-id)
-	(thread-sleep! 2) ;; Try removing this. It may not be needed.
+	;; (thread-sleep! 2) ;; Try removing this. It may not be needed.
 	(tasks:server-am-i-the-server? mdb run-id))
       #f))
 	
 ;; register that this server may come online (first to register goes though with the process)
 (define (tasks:server-set-available mdb run-id)
@@ -344,10 +344,19 @@
      (lambda (id)
        (set! res id))
      mdb ;; NEEDS dbprep ADDED
      "SELECT id FROM servers WHERE run_id=? AND (state = 'running' OR (state = 'dbprep' AND  (strftime('%s','now') - start_time) < 60));" run-id)
     res))
+
+(define (tasks:server-running? mdb run-id)
+  (let ((res #f))
+    (sqlite3:for-each-row
+     (lambda (id)
+       (set! res id))
+     mdb ;; NEEDS dbprep ADDED
+     "SELECT id FROM servers WHERE run_id=? AND state = 'running';" run-id)
+    res))
 
 (define (tasks:need-server run-id)
   (let ((forced (configf:lookup *configdat* "server" "required"))
 	(maxqry (cdr (rmt:get-max-query-average run-id)))
 	(threshold   (string->number (or (configf:lookup *configdat* "server" "server-query-threshold") "10"))))
@@ -405,10 +414,11 @@
 	 (sdat    (tasks:get-server (db:delay-if-busy tdbdat) run-id)))
     (if sdat
 	(let ((hostname (vector-ref sdat 6))
 	      (pid      (vector-ref sdat 5))
 	      (server-id (vector-ref sdat 0)))
+	  (tasks:server-set-state! (db:delay-if-busy tdbdat) server-id "killed")
 	  (debug:print-info 0 "Killing server " server-id " for run-id " run-id " on host " hostname " with pid " pid)
 	  (tasks:kill-server hostname pid)
 	  (tasks:server-delete-record (db:delay-if-busy tdbdat) server-id tag) )
 	(debug:print-info 0 "No server found for run-id " run-id ", nothing to kill"))
     ;; (sqlite3:finalize! tdb)

Index: tests/fullrun/megatest.config
==================================================================
--- tests/fullrun/megatest.config
+++ tests/fullrun/megatest.config
@@ -133,17 +133,18 @@
 port 8080
 
 # This server will keep running this number of hours after last access. 
 # Three minutes is 0.05 hours
 # timeout 0.025
-timeout 0.01
+timeout 0.1
 
 # Server is required - slower but more resistant to Sqlite issues.
 # required yes
 
 # Start server when average query takes longer than this
-server-query-threshold 55500
+server-query-threshold 100
+# 55500
 
 # daemonize yes
 # hostname #{scheme (get-host-name)}
 
 ## disks are: