diff --git a/src/rec/recCompress.c b/src/rec/recCompress.c
index 373492172..431c3c329 100644
--- a/src/rec/recCompress.c
+++ b/src/rec/recCompress.c
@@ -148,9 +148,9 @@ static long process(paddr)
 	if (pcompress->inp.type != DB_LINK) {
 		status=0;
 	}else if (pcompress->wptr == NULL) {
-		if(pcompress->nsev<MAJOR_ALARM) {
+		if(pcompress->nsev<VALID_ALARM) {
 			pcompress->nsta = READ_ALARM;
-			pcompress->nsev = MAJOR_ALARM;
+			pcompress->nsev = VALID_ALARM;
 		}
 		status=0;
 	} else {
diff --git a/src/rec/recFanout.c b/src/rec/recFanout.c
index beec25676..29a2eb27f 100644
--- a/src/rec/recFanout.c
+++ b/src/rec/recFanout.c
@@ -109,8 +109,8 @@ static long process(paddr)
         if (pfanout->lnk6.type==DB_LINK) dbScanPassive(pfanout->lnk6.value.db_link.pdbAddr);
     } else if(pfanout->selm==SELECTED) {
 	if(pfanout->seln<1 || pfanout->seln>6) {
-	    if(pfanout->nsev<MAJOR_ALARM) {
-		pfanout->nsev = MAJOR_ALARM;
+	    if(pfanout->nsev<VALID_ALARM) {
+		pfanout->nsev = VALID_ALARM;
 		pfanout->nsta = SOFT_ALARM;
 	    }
 	} else {
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ static long process(paddr)
 	    dbScanPassive(plink->value.db_link.pdbAddr);
 	}
     } else {
-	if(pfanout->nsev<MAJOR_ALARM) {
-	    pfanout->nsev = MAJOR_ALARM;
+	if(pfanout->nsev<VALID_ALARM) {
+	    pfanout->nsev = VALID_ALARM;
 	    pfanout->nsta = SOFT_ALARM;
 	}
     }
diff --git a/src/rec/recPid.c b/src/rec/recPid.c
index ef828cd36..e1bcb85ad 100644
--- a/src/rec/recPid.c
+++ b/src/rec/recPid.c
@@ -357,9 +357,9 @@ struct pidRecord     *ppid;
 
         /* fetch the controlled value */
         if (ppid->cvl.type != DB_LINK) { /* nothing to control*/
-                if (ppid->nsev<MAJOR_ALARM) {
+                if (ppid->nsev<VALID_ALARM) {
                         ppid->nsta = SOFT_ALARM;
-                        ppid->nsev = MAJOR_ALARM;
+                        ppid->nsev = VALID_ALARM;
                         return(0);
                 }
 	}
@@ -367,9 +367,9 @@ struct pidRecord     *ppid;
         nRequest=1;
         if(dbGetLink(&(ppid->cvl.value.db_link),ppid,DBR_FLOAT,
 	&cval,&options,&nRequest)!=NULL) {
-                if (ppid->nsev<MAJOR_ALARM) {
+                if (ppid->nsev<VALID_ALARM) {
                         ppid->nsta = READ_ALARM;
-                        ppid->nsev = MAJOR_ALARM;
+                        ppid->nsev = VALID_ALARM;
                         return(0);
                 }
         }
@@ -379,9 +379,9 @@ struct pidRecord     *ppid;
         	nRequest=1;
         	if(dbGetLink(&(ppid->stpl.value.db_link),ppid,DBR_FLOAT,
 		&(ppid->val),&options,&nRequest)!=NULL) {
-                	if (ppid->nsev<MAJOR_ALARM) {
+                	if (ppid->nsev<VALID_ALARM) {
                                 ppid->stat = READ_ALARM;
-                                ppid->sevr = MAJOR_ALARM;
+                                ppid->sevr = VALID_ALARM;
                                 return(0);
                         }
                 }
diff --git a/src/rec/recSel.c b/src/rec/recSel.c
index 817d1cf48..3bb8a26c9 100644
--- a/src/rec/recSel.c
+++ b/src/rec/recSel.c
@@ -121,9 +121,9 @@ static long process(paddr)
 	psel->pact = TRUE;
 	if(fetch_values(psel)==0) {
 		if(do_sel(psel)!=0) {
-			if(psel->nsev<MAJOR_ALARM) {
+			if(psel->nsev<VALID_ALARM) {
 				psel->nsta = CALC_ALARM;
-				psel->nsev = MAJOR_ALARM;
+				psel->nsev = VALID_ALARM;
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/rec/recSteppermotor.c b/src/rec/recSteppermotor.c
index 0968b82b8..a806f1073 100644
--- a/src/rec/recSteppermotor.c
+++ b/src/rec/recSteppermotor.c
@@ -489,9 +489,9 @@ struct steppermotorRecord      *psm;
 	/* initialize the motor */
 	/* set mode - first command checks card present */
 	if (sm_driver(psm->dtyp,card,channel,SM_MODE,psm->mode,0) < 0){
-		if(psm->nsev < MAJOR_ALARM) {
+		if(psm->nsev < VALID_ALARM) {
 			psm->nsta = WRITE_ALARM;
-			psm->nsev = MAJOR_ALARM;
+			psm->nsev = VALID_ALARM;
 		}
 		psm->init = 1;
 		return;
@@ -522,9 +522,9 @@ struct steppermotorRecord      *psm;
 			status = sm_driver(psm->dtyp,card,channel,SM_READ,0,0);
 		}
 		if (status < 0){
-			if (psm->nsev < MAJOR_ALARM) {
+			if (psm->nsev < VALID_ALARM) {
 				psm->nsta = WRITE_ALARM;
-				psm->nsev = MAJOR_ALARM;
+				psm->nsev = VALID_ALARM;
 			}
 			return;
 		}
@@ -613,9 +613,9 @@ struct steppermotorRecord	*psm;
 		long nRequest=1;
 
 		if(dbGetLink(&(psm->dol.value.db_link),psm,DBR_FLOAT,&(psm->val),&options,&nRequest)){
-			if (psm->nsev < MAJOR_ALARM) {
+			if (psm->nsev < VALID_ALARM) {
 				psm->nsta = READ_ALARM;
-				psm->nsev = MAJOR_ALARM;
+				psm->nsev = VALID_ALARM;
 			}
 			return;
 		}
@@ -648,9 +648,9 @@ struct steppermotorRecord	*psm;
 
 			/* move motor */
 			if (sm_driver(psm->dtyp,card,channel,SM_MOVE,psm->rval-psm->rrbv,0) < 0){
-				if (psm->nsev < MAJOR_ALARM) {
+				if (psm->nsev < VALID_ALARM) {
 					psm->stat = WRITE_ALARM;
-					psm->sevr = MAJOR_ALARM;
+					psm->sevr = VALID_ALARM;
 				}
 				return;
 			}
@@ -689,9 +689,9 @@ struct steppermotorRecord	*psm;
 		long nRequest=1;
 
 		if(dbGetLink(&(psm->dol.value.db_link),psm,DBR_FLOAT,&(psm->val),&options,&nRequest)) {
-			if (psm->nsev < MAJOR_ALARM) {
+			if (psm->nsev < VALID_ALARM) {
 				psm->nsta = READ_ALARM;
-				psm->nsev = MAJOR_ALARM;
+				psm->nsev = VALID_ALARM;
 			}
 			return;
 		}
@@ -729,9 +729,9 @@ struct steppermotorRecord	*psm;
 	
 			/*the last arg of next call is check for direction */
 			if(sm_driver(psm->dtyp,card,channel,SM_MOTION,1,(psm->val < 0))){
-				if (psm->nsev < MAJOR_ALARM) {
+				if (psm->nsev < VALID_ALARM) {
 					psm->stat = WRITE_ALARM;
-					psm->sevr = MAJOR_ALARM;
+					psm->sevr = VALID_ALARM;
 				}
 				return;
 			}
@@ -776,9 +776,9 @@ struct steppermotorRecord	*psm;
 	reset = psm->init;
 	if (reset == 0)	psm->init = 1;
 	if(dbGetLink(&(psm->rdbl.value.db_link),psm,DBR_FLOAT,&new_pos,&options,&nRequest)){
-		if (psm->nsev < MAJOR_ALARM) {
+		if (psm->nsev < VALID_ALARM) {
 			psm->nsta = READ_ALARM;
-			psm->nsev = MAJOR_ALARM;
+			psm->nsev = VALID_ALARM;
 		}
 		psm->init = reset;
 		return;
diff --git a/src/rec/recTimer.c b/src/rec/recTimer.c
index 64fbab6b3..4a4dff53b 100644
--- a/src/rec/recTimer.c
+++ b/src/rec/recTimer.c
@@ -261,9 +261,9 @@ struct timerRecord	*ptimer;
 		if(status!=0) return;
 	}
 	if (ptimer->out.type != VME_IO) {
-		if(ptimer->nsev<MAJOR_ALARM) {
+		if(ptimer->nsev<VALID_ALARM) {
 			ptimer->nsta = WRITE_ALARM;
-			ptimer->nsev = MAJOR_ALARM;
+			ptimer->nsev = VALID_ALARM;
 		}
 		return;
 	}
@@ -283,9 +283,9 @@ struct timerRecord	*ptimer;
 	  ((ptimer->tevt == 0)?0:post_event),	/* addr of event post routine */
 	  (int)ptimer->tevt)		/* event to post on trigger */
 	    != 0){
-		if (ptimer->nsev<MAJOR_ALARM) {
+		if (ptimer->nsev<VALID_ALARM) {
 			ptimer->nsta = WRITE_ALARM;
-			ptimer->nsev = MAJOR_ALARM;
+			ptimer->nsev = VALID_ALARM;
 		}
 	}
 	return;