diff --git a/configure/CONFIG b/configure/CONFIG
index a62550353..583b28cac 100644
--- a/configure/CONFIG
+++ b/configure/CONFIG
@@ -17,7 +17,13 @@
 #  Common build definitions
 #
 
-CONFIG ?= $(TOP)/configure
+ifndef EPICS_BASE
+EPICS_BASE = $(INSTALL_LOCATION)
+CONFIG = $(TOP)/configure
+BASE_TOP=YES
+else
+CONFIG = $(EPICS_BASE)/configure
+endif
 
 -include $(CONFIG)/os/CONFIG_COMPAT
 
diff --git a/configure/CONFIG_BASE b/configure/CONFIG_BASE
index c7b95ac09..db814a734 100644
--- a/configure/CONFIG_BASE
+++ b/configure/CONFIG_BASE
@@ -8,10 +8,6 @@
 # in file LICENSE that is included with this distribution. 
 #*************************************************************************
 
-ifndef EPICS_BASE
-EPICS_BASE = $(INSTALL_LOCATION)
-endif
-
 #---------------------------------------------------------------
 # Epics base directories
 
@@ -38,10 +34,10 @@ EPICS_BASE_HOST_LIBS += ca Com
 #---------------------------------------------------------------
 # Version number for base shared libraries (and win32 products)
 
-ifeq ($(EPICS_BASE),$(TOP))
+ifdef BASE_TOP
 SHRLIB_VERSION = $(EPICS_VERSION).$(EPICS_REVISION)
 PROD_VERSION = $(EPICS_VERSION).$(EPICS_REVISION)
-endif # EPICS_BASE
+endif # BASE_TOP
 
 #---------------------------------------------------------------
 # Base c preprocessor flags
diff --git a/configure/CONFIG_COMMON b/configure/CONFIG_COMMON
index 9a9096d64..c4bfb0480 100644
--- a/configure/CONFIG_COMMON
+++ b/configure/CONFIG_COMMON
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ BUILD_ARCHS = $(EPICS_HOST_ARCH) $(CROSS1) $(CROSS2)
 # otherwise override this in os/CONFIG_SITE.<host_arch>.Common
 PERL=perl
 
+#-------------------------------------------------------
+# dbst based database optimization default
+DB_OPT = NO
+
 #-------------------------------------------------------
 # Check configure/RELEASE file for consistency
 CHECK_RELEASE_YES = checkRelease
@@ -45,7 +49,7 @@ CHECK_RELEASE_NO =
 #-------------------------------------------------------
 # Directories
 
-INSTALL_LOCATION            ?= $(TOP)
+INSTALL_LOCATION            = $(TOP)
 TOOLS                       = $(CONFIG)/tools
 
 INSTALL_LOCATION_LIB        = $(INSTALL_LOCATION)/lib
diff --git a/configure/CONFIG_SITE b/configure/CONFIG_SITE
index fcadc292b..139f3155a 100644
--- a/configure/CONFIG_SITE
+++ b/configure/CONFIG_SITE
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ CROSS_WARN=YES
 #  NOTE: Set to YES only if you have existing R3.13 extensions to be
 #  built with this base
 #
-COMPAT_TOOLS_313=NO
+#COMPAT_TOOLS_313=YES
 
 #  Create and/or install files for R3.13 ioc application and extension builds?
 #  must be either YES or NO
@@ -169,7 +169,10 @@ COMPAT_TOOLS_313=NO
 COMPAT_313=NO
 
 #  Installation directory
-#Note: INSTALL_LOCATION definition moved to configure/RELEASE file
+# If you don't want to install into $(TOP) dir then
+# define INSTALL_LOCATION here
+#INSTALL_LOCATION=<fullpathname>
+INSTALL_LOCATION=/home/phoebus/JBA/install/base
 
 # Use POSIX thread priority scheduling (YES or NO)
 USE_POSIX_THREAD_PRIORITY_SCHEDULING = NO
diff --git a/configure/RELEASE b/configure/RELEASE
index 7665c3f78..fb642adcf 100644
--- a/configure/RELEASE
+++ b/configure/RELEASE
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 #*************************************************************************
 # RELEASE: Define location of external EPICS products
 
+# Define INSTALL_LOCATION in CONFIG_SITE
+
 # VX_DIR definition now in os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.vxWorksCommon
 # RTEMS_BASE (and RTEMS_VERSION) now in os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.RTEMS
 
@@ -18,8 +20,3 @@
 #   RELEASE.Common.$(T_A)
 #   RELEASE.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH).$(T_A)
 
-# If you don't want to install into $(TOP) dir then 
-# define INSTALL_LOCATION here
-#INSTALL_LOCATION=<fullpathname>
-#INSTALL_LOCATION=/home/phoebus/JBA/install
-