Index: dashboard-tests.scm
==================================================================
--- dashboard-tests.scm
+++ dashboard-tests.scm
@@ -268,11 +268,11 @@
 	       (logfile       "/this/dir/better/not/exist")
 	       (rundir        logfile)
 	       (testfullname  (if testdat (db:test-get-fullname testdat) "Gathering data ..."))
 	       (testname      (if testdat (db:test-get-testname testdat) "n/a"))
 	       (testmeta      (if testdat 
-				  (let ((tm (rdb:testmeta-get-record db testname)))
+				  (let ((tm (db:testmeta-get-record db testname)))
 				    (if tm tm (make-db:testmeta)))
 				  (make-db:testmeta)))
 
 	       (keystring  (string-intersperse 
 			    (map (lambda (keyval)

Index: db.scm
==================================================================
--- db.scm
+++ db.scm
@@ -436,12 +436,23 @@
      (if itempatt itempatt "%"))
     res))
 
 ;; this one is a bit broken BUG FIXME
 (define (db:delete-test-step-records db run-id test-name itemdat)
-  (sqlite3:execute db "DELETE FROM test_steps WHERE test_id in (SELECT id FROM tests WHERE run_id=? AND testname=? AND item_path=?);" 
-		   run-id test-name (item-list->path itemdat)))
+  ;; Breaking it into two queries for better file access interleaving
+  (let ((ids '()))
+    (sqlite3:for-each-row (lambda (id)
+			    (set! ids (cons id ids)))
+			  db
+			  "SELECT id FROM tests WHERE run_id=? AND testname=? AND item_path=?;"
+			  run-id test-name (item-list->path itemdat))
+    (for-each (lambda (id)
+		(sqlite3:execute db "DELETE FROM test_steps WHERE test_id=?;" id)
+		(thread-sleep! 0.1)) ;; give others access to the db
+	      ids)))
+;;"DELETE FROM test_steps WHERE test_id in (SELECT id FROM tests WHERE run_id=? AND testname=? AND item_path=?);" 
+		   
 ;; 
 (define (db:delete-test-records db test-id)
   (sqlite3:execute db "DELETE FROM test_steps WHERE test_id=?;" test-id)
   (sqlite3:execute db "DELETE FROM test_data  WHERE test_id=?;" test-id)
   (sqlite3:execute db "DELETE FROM tests WHERE id=?;" test-id))
@@ -627,11 +638,11 @@
 ;; QUEUE UP META, TEST STATUS AND STEPS
 ;;======================================================================
 
 (define (db:updater db)
   (let loop ((start-time (current-time)))
-    (thread-sleep! (+ 2 (random 10))) ;; move save time around to minimize regular collisions
+    (thread-sleep! 0.5) ;; move save time around to minimize regular collisions?
     (db:write-cached-data db)
     (loop start-time)))
     
 (define (db:test-update-meta-info db run-id test-name item-path minutes cpuload diskfree tmpfree)
   (if (not item-path)
@@ -982,10 +993,11 @@
 					      (current-seconds)
 					      ;; FIXME - this should not update the logfile unless it is specified.
 					      (list test-id teststep-name state-in status-in (current-seconds) (if comment comment "") (if logfile logfile "")))
 				      *incoming-data*))
 	  (mutex-unlock! *incoming-mutex*)
+	  (if (not *cache-on*)(db:write-cached-data db))
 	  #t)
 	(debug:print 0 "ERROR: Can't update " test-name " for run " run-id " -> no such test in db"))))
 
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; Extract ods file from the db

Index: launch.scm
==================================================================
--- launch.scm
+++ launch.scm
@@ -92,10 +92,11 @@
 		(exit 1)))
 	  ;; now can find our db
 	  (set! db (open-db))
 	  (if (not (args:get-arg "-server"))
 	      (server:client-setup db))
+	  (set! *cache-on* #t)
 	  (set-megatest-env-vars db run-id) ;; these may be needed by the launching process
 	  (change-directory work-area) 
 	  (set-run-config-vars db run-id)
 	  ;; environment overrides are done *before* the remaining critical envars.
 	  (alist->env-vars env-ovrd)

Index: runs.scm
==================================================================
--- runs.scm
+++ runs.scm
@@ -616,15 +616,15 @@
 ;; Rollup runs
 ;;======================================================================
 
 ;; Update the test_meta table for this test
 (define (runs:update-test_meta db test-name test-conf)
-  (let ((currrecord (rdb:testmeta-get-record db test-name)))
+  (let ((currrecord (db:testmeta-get-record db test-name)))
     (if (not currrecord)
 	(begin
 	  (set! currrecord (make-vector 10 #f))
-	  (rdb:testmeta-add-record db test-name)))
+	  (db:testmeta-add-record db test-name)))
     (for-each 
      (lambda (key)
        (let* ((idx (cadr key))
 	      (fld (car  key))
 	      (val (config-lookup test-conf "test_meta" fld)))