diff --git a/devexec.c b/devexec.c
index c6016277..9c7fd293 100644
--- a/devexec.c
+++ b/devexec.c
@@ -859,7 +859,8 @@
    int DevExecTask(void *pData)
    {
       pExeList self = NULL;
-      int iRet;
+      char pBueffel[132], pInterrupt[80];
+      int iRet, iInterrupt;
       
       self = (pExeList)pData;
       
@@ -875,11 +876,17 @@
       switch(iRet)
       {
         case -1: /* some problem */
-               if(SCGetInterrupt(self->pOwner) != eContinue)
+	       iInterrupt = SCGetInterrupt(self->pOwner);
+               if(iInterrupt != eContinue)
                {
-                   SCWrite(self->pOwner,"ERROR: aborting operation due to HW problem",
-                           eError);
+		 SCWrite(self->pOwner,pBueffel, eError);
+		 if(iInterrupt > 1)
+		 {
+		   Interrupt2Text(iInterrupt,pInterrupt,79);
+		   snprintf(pBueffel,131,"ERROR: interrupt %s triggered",
+			  pInterrupt);
                    StopExe(self,"all");
+                 }
 #ifdef DEBUG
                printf("DevExecTask found an error\n");
 #endif
diff --git a/motor.c b/motor.c
index 27f5838f..dd153064 100644
--- a/motor.c
+++ b/motor.c
@@ -200,8 +200,141 @@
         SCSetInterrupt(pCon,iVal);
       }
   }
-/*-----------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+static int statusRunTo(pMotor self, SConnection *pCon)
+{
+  char pBueffel[256];
+
+  if(self->retryCount >= ObVal(self->ParArray,POSCOUNT))
+  {
+    snprintf(pBueffel,255,"ERROR: aborting motor %s after %d retries",
+	     self->name, (int)ObVal(self->ParArray,POSCOUNT));
+    SCWrite(pCon,pBueffel,eError);
+    return HWFault;
+  }
+  self->retryCount++;
+  snprintf(pBueffel,255,"WARNING: restarting %s, %d time",
+	   self->name,self->retryCount);
+  SCWrite(pCon,pBueffel,eWarning);
+  self->pDriver->RunTo(self->pDriver,self->fTarget);
+  return HWBusy;
+}
+/*--------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+static int checkPosition(pMotor self, SConnection *pCon)
+{
+  float fHard;
+  char pBueffel[132];
+  int status;
+
+  MotorGetHardPosition(self,pCon,&fHard);
+  self->fPosition = fHard;
+  if(absf(fHard - self->fTarget) > ObVal(self->ParArray,PREC))
+  {
+     snprintf(pBueffel,131,"WARNING: %s off position by %f",
+                 self->name, absf(fHard - self->fTarget));
+     SCWrite(pCon,pBueffel, eWarning);                    
+     status = statusRunTo(self,pCon);
+     return status;
+  }
+  return HWIdle; 
+}
+/*--------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+static void finishDriving(pMotor self, SConnection *pCon)
+{
+  MotCallback sCall;
+  MotorGetSoftPosition(self,pCon,&sCall.fVal);
+  sCall.pName = self->name;
+  InvokeCallBack(self->pCall, MOTEND, &sCall);
+}
+/*--------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+static int reportAndFixError(pMotor self, SConnection *pCon)
+{
+  char pBueffel[256], pError[131];
+  int iCode, iRet, newStatus;
+
+  self->pDriver->GetError(self->pDriver,&iCode, pError,131);
+  iRet = self->pDriver->TryAndFixIt(self->pDriver,iCode, self->fTarget);
+  switch(iRet)
+  {
+  case MOTFAIL:
+    snprintf(pBueffel,255,"ERROR: %s on %s",pError,self->name);
+    SCWrite(pCon,pBueffel,eError);
+    newStatus = HWFault;
+    break;
+  case MOTREDO:
+    newStatus = statusRunTo(self,pCon);
+    break;
+  case MOTOK:
+    newStatus = HWIdle;
+    break;
+  default:
+    SCWrite(pCon,"WARNING: bad status code in motor.c:reportAndFixError",
+	    eWarning);
+    SCWrite(pCon,"You may continue, but show this to a SICS programmer",
+	    eWarning);
+    newStatus = HWIdle;
+    break;
+  }
+  return newStatus;
+}
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------
+  New version, refactored October 2003
+  -----------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 static int evaluateStatus(pMotor self, SConnection *pCon)
+{
+  int iRet, iCode, newStatus;
+  MotCallback sCall;
+  char pBueffel[256], pError[132];
+  float fHard;
+
+  iRet = self->pDriver->GetStatus(self->pDriver);
+  newStatus = iRet;
+  switch(iRet)
+  {
+  case OKOK:
+  case HWIdle:
+    newStatus = checkPosition(self,pCon);
+    if(newStatus != HWBusy)
+    {
+      finishDriving(self,pCon);
+    }
+    break;
+  case HWFault:
+    newStatus = reportAndFixError(self,pCon);
+    break;
+  case HWPosFault:
+    newStatus = reportAndFixError(self,pCon);
+    if(newStatus == HWFault && ObVal(self->ParArray,IGNOREFAULT) < 1)
+    {
+      newStatus = HWPosFault;
+    } 
+    break;
+  case HWBusy:
+    newStatus = HWBusy;
+    break;
+  case HWWarn:
+    self->pDriver->GetError(self->pDriver,&iCode, pError,131);
+    snprintf(pBueffel,255,"WARNING: motor reported: %s", pError);
+    SCWrite(pCon,pBueffel,eWarning);
+    newStatus = HWIdle;
+    break;
+  default:
+    SCWrite(pCon,"WARNING: Bad status in motor.c:evaluatStatus",eWarning);
+    SCWrite(pCon,"You may continue, but show this to a SICS programmer",
+	    eWarning);
+    break;
+  }
+  if(newStatus == HWFault)
+  {
+    MotorInterrupt(pCon,ObVal(self->ParArray,INT));
+    self->retryCount = 0;
+  }
+  return newStatus;
+}
+/*-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+  old version, kept for time being.
+  ----------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+static int eevaluateStatus(pMotor self, SConnection *pCon)
 {
   int iRet, iCode;
   MotCallback sCall;
@@ -269,7 +402,7 @@ static int evaluateStatus(pMotor self, SConnection *pCon)
          return HWBusy;
        }  
      } 
-   /* a positioning fault */  
+     /* a positioning fault */  
      else if(iRet == HWPosFault)
      {
        self->pDriver->GetError(self->pDriver,&iCode, pError,131);
@@ -388,7 +521,7 @@ static void handleMoveCallback(pMotor self, SConnection *pCon)
     ObParInit(pM->ParArray,SPEED,"speed",0.02,usInternal);
     ObParInit(pM->ParArray,SIGN,"sign",1.0,usMugger);
     ObParInit(pM->ParArray,ECOUNT,"failafter",3.0,usMugger);
-    ObParInit(pM->ParArray,POSCOUNT,"poscount",20.0,usMugger);
+    ObParInit(pM->ParArray,POSCOUNT,"maxretry",3.0,usMugger);
     ObParInit(pM->ParArray,IGNOREFAULT,"ignorefault",0.0,usMugger);
     pDriv->GetPosition(pDriv,&(pM->fPosition));
     pM->fTarget = pM->fPosition;
diff --git a/scan.c b/scan.c
index 6f88432e..b71fdbb1 100644
--- a/scan.c
+++ b/scan.c
@@ -1236,6 +1236,9 @@ int StoreScanCounts(pScanData self, char *data)
                          break;
            case eAbortOperation:
 	                 SCSetInterrupt(self->pCon,eContinue);
+			 SCWrite(self->pCon,
+			    "WARNING: skipped scan point due to motor failure",
+				 eWarning);
                          continue;
                          break;
            case eAbortScan: