Index: http-transportmod.scm
==================================================================
--- http-transportmod.scm
+++ http-transportmod.scm
@@ -470,11 +470,11 @@
 	
 (define (server-ready? host port) ;; server-address is host:port
   ;; ping the server and ask it
   ;; if it ready
   (let* ((sdat (servdat-init #f host port #f)))
-    (http-transport:send-receive sdat 'ping '())))
+    (http-transport:send-receive sdat "abc" 'ping '())))
 
 ;; from the pkts return servers associated with dbpath
 ;; NOTE: Only one can be alive - have to check on each
 ;;       in the list of pkts returned
 ;;
@@ -489,16 +489,16 @@
 		    (cons spkt res)
 		    res))))))
 
 ;; from viable servers get one that is alive and ready
 ;;
-(define (get-the-server serv-pkts dbpath)
+(define (get-the-server serv-pkts)
   (let loop ((tail serv-pkts))
     (if (null? tail)
 	#f
 	(let* ((spkt (car tail))
-	       (host (alist-ref 'host spkt))
+	       (host (alist-ref 'ipaddr spkt))
 	       (port (alist-ref 'port spkt))
 	       (addr (server-address spkt)))
 	  (if (server-ready? host port)
 	      spkt
 	      (loop (cdr tail)))))))

Index: rmtmod.scm
==================================================================
--- rmtmod.scm
+++ rmtmod.scm
@@ -178,25 +178,27 @@
     (if (and conn
 	     (> (current-seconds) (rmt:conn-expires conn)))
 	conn
 	#f)))
 
-
-;; 	(rmt:general-open-connection remote apath dbname))))
+(define (rmt:find-main-server apath dbname)
+  (let* ((pktsdir     (get-pkts-dir apath))
+	 (all-srvpkts (get-all-server-pkts pktsdir *srvpktspec*))
+	 (dbpath      (conc apath "/" dbname))
+	 (viable-srvs (get-viable-servers all-srvpkts dbpath)))
+    (get-the-server viable-srvs)))
 
 ;; looks for a connection to main
 ;; connections for other servers happens by requesting from main
 ;;
 (define (rmt:open-main-connection remote apath)
-  (let* ((pktsdir     (get-pkts-dir apath))
-	 (all-srvpkts (get-all-server-pkts pktsdir *srvpktspec*))
-	 (viable-srvs (get-viable-servers all-srvpkts apath))
-	 (the-srv     (get-the-server viable-srvs apath))
-	 (dbname      (db:run-id->dbname #f))
+  (let* ((dbname         (db:run-id->dbname #f))
+	 (the-srv        (rmt:find-main-server apath dbname))
 	 (start-main-srv (lambda ()
 			   ;; srv not ready, delay a little and try again
-			   (system (conc "nbfake megatest -server - -area "apath" -db "dbname))
+			   (system (conc "nbfake megatest -server - -area "apath
+					 " -db "dbname))
 			   (thread-sleep! 1.5)
 			   (rmt:open-main-connection remote apath) ;; TODO: Add limit to number of tries
 			   )))
     (if the-srv ;; yes, we have a server, now try connecting to it
 	(let* ((srv-addr (server-address the-srv))