diff --git a/ecbdriv.c b/ecbdriv.c
index 03713ed..78d5596 100644
--- a/ecbdriv.c
+++ b/ecbdriv.c
@@ -194,7 +194,11 @@ int ECBMOTGetPos(void *pData, float *fPos){
 
   if((int)ObVal(self->driverPar,ENCODER) > 0){
     status = readEncoder(self, &digits);
-    *fPos = digits/ObVal(self->driverPar,DEG2STEP) - 
+    step2degree = ObVal(self->driverPar,DEG2STEP);
+    if(step2degree == 0.0){
+      step2degree = 1;
+    }
+    *fPos = (digits/step2degree) - 
       ObVal(self->driverPar,OFFSET);
     return status;
   } else {
diff --git a/libpsi.a b/libpsi.a
index 4b014f3..476d569 100644
Binary files a/libpsi.a and b/libpsi.a differ
diff --git a/sinqhttp.c b/sinqhttp.c
index fe2e48e..dcfe91f 100644
--- a/sinqhttp.c
+++ b/sinqhttp.c
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ extern char *trim(char *);
 ====================================================================*/
 static char startdaq[] = {"/sinqhm/startdaq.egi"}; 
 static char stopdaq[] = {"/sinqhm/stopdaq.egi"}; 
-static char pausedaq[] = {"/sinqhm/pausedaq.egi"}; 
+static char pausedaq[] = {"/sinqhm/stopdaq.egi"}; 
 static char continuedaq[] = {"/sinqhm/continuedaq.egi"}; 
 static char statusdaq[] = {"/sinqhm/textstatus.egi"}; 
 static char gethm[] = {"/sinqhm/readhmdata.egi"}; 
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ static char configure[] = {"/sinqhm/configure.egi"};
 #define NOBODY -703
 #define BODYSHORT -704
 #define NOTIMPLEMENTED -705
+#define SERVERERROR  -706
+#define BADSTATUS    -707
 /*=====================================================================
      our driver private data structure 
 ======================================================================*/
@@ -50,6 +52,7 @@ typedef struct {
         int errorCode;
         pStringDict lastStatus;
         int pause;
+        int failCount;
 }sinqHttp, *pSinqHttp;
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 static int sinqHttpGet(pSinqHttp self, char *request){
@@ -59,26 +62,34 @@ static int sinqHttpGet(pSinqHttp self, char *request){
     int len;
     
     self->errorCode = 0;
+    ghttp_clean(self->syncRequest);
     memset(self->hmError,0,512*sizeof(char));
     snprintf(url,511,"%s%s",self->hmAddress,request);
     ghttp_set_type(self->syncRequest,ghttp_type_get);
+    ghttp_set_header(self->syncRequest,"connection","keep-alive");
     if(ghttp_set_uri(self->syncRequest,url) < 0){
         self->errorCode = BADURL;
         return 0;
     }
     ghttp_prepare(self->syncRequest);
-    ghttp_clean(self->syncRequest);
     httpStatus = ghttp_process(self->syncRequest);
     if(httpStatus != ghttp_done){
+        strncpy(self->hmError,ghttp_get_error(self->syncRequest), 511);
+	self->errorCode = SERVERERROR;
+        return 0;
+    } else {
+        self->failCount = 0;
         pPtr = ghttp_get_body(self->syncRequest);
         len = ghttp_get_body_len(self->syncRequest);
         if(len > 511){
             len = 510;
         }
-        memset(self->hmError,0,512*sizeof(char));
-        strncpy(self->hmError,pPtr, len);
-        self->errorCode = HTTPERROR;
-        return 0;   
+        if(strstr(pPtr,"ERROR") != NULL){
+            memset(self->hmError,0,512*sizeof(char));
+            strncpy(self->hmError,pPtr, len);
+            self->errorCode = HTTPERROR;
+            return 0;
+        }   
     }
     return 1;
 }
@@ -139,25 +150,33 @@ static int SinqHttpConfigure(pHistDriver self, SConnection *pCon,
             /*
              uplod new configuration to HM
              */
+            ghttp_clean(pPriv->syncRequest);
             snprintf(url,511,"%s%s",pPriv->hmAddress,configure);
             status = ghttp_set_uri(pPriv->syncRequest,url);
             if(status < 0){
                 SCWrite(pCon,"ERROR: invalid URI for HM request",eError);
                 return 0;
             }
-            ghttp_set_type(pPriv->syncRequest,ghttp_type_post);
+            status = ghttp_set_type(pPriv->syncRequest,ghttp_type_post);
             confData = (char *)Tcl_GetStringResult(pSics->pTcl);
-            ghttp_set_body(pPriv->syncRequest,confData,strlen(confData));
-            ghttp_prepare(pPriv->syncRequest);
-            ghttp_clean(pPriv->syncRequest);
+            status = ghttp_set_body(pPriv->syncRequest,confData,
+				    strlen(confData));
+            status = ghttp_prepare(pPriv->syncRequest);
             httpStatus = ghttp_process(pPriv->syncRequest);
+            confData = (char *)ghttp_get_body(pPriv->syncRequest);
             if(httpStatus != ghttp_done){
-                confData = (char *)ghttp_get_body(pPriv->syncRequest);
+	        confData = ghttp_get_error(pPriv->syncRequest);
                 snprintf(confCommand,511,"ERROR: http error %s occurred",
                     confData);
                 SCWrite(pCon,confCommand,eError);
                 return 0;
-            }             
+            }  else {
+                if(strstr(confData,"ERROR") != NULL){
+                    snprintf(confCommand,511,"%s",confData);
+                    SCWrite(pCon,confCommand,eError);
+                    return 0;
+                }
+            }           
         }        
    }
    return 1;                                
@@ -202,7 +221,7 @@ static int SinqHttpPause(pHistDriver self,SConnection *pCon){
     if(status != 1){
         return HWFault;
     }
-    pPriv->pause == 1;
+    pPriv->pause = 1;
     return 1;
 }
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -213,11 +232,11 @@ static int SinqHttpContinue(pHistDriver self, SConnection *pCon){
     pPriv = (pSinqHttp)self->pPriv;
     assert(pPriv != NULL);
 
-    pPriv->pause == 0;
     status = sinqHttpGet(pPriv,continuedaq);
     if(status != 1){
         return HWFault;
     }
+    pPriv->pause = 0;
     return 1;
 }
 /*--------------------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -249,6 +268,7 @@ static int readStatus(pSinqHttp self){
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 static int SinqHttpStatus(pHistDriver self,SConnection *pCon){
     pSinqHttp pPriv = NULL;
+    char daqStatus[20];
     int status, len;
     char *pPtr = NULL;
 
@@ -268,11 +288,22 @@ static int SinqHttpStatus(pHistDriver self,SConnection *pCon){
     if(status != 1){
         return HWFault;
     }
-    
-    /*
-     * TODO: evaluate status fields
-     */
-    
+
+    if(StringDictGet(pPriv->lastStatus,"DAQ",daqStatus,20) != 1){
+        pPriv->errorCode = BADSTATUS;
+        strncpy(pPriv->hmError,"ERROR: status does not contain DAQ field",511);
+        return HWFault;
+    }   
+    if(strstr(daqStatus,"1") != NULL){
+        return HWBusy;
+    } else  if(strstr(daqStatus,"0") != NULL){
+        return HWIdle;
+    } else {
+        pPriv->errorCode = BADSTATUS;
+        snprintf(pPriv->hmError,511,"ERROR: invalid DAQ  sttaus %s",daqStatus);
+        return HWFault;
+    }
+
     return HWIdle;
 }
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -300,6 +331,14 @@ static int SinqHttpFixIt(pHistDriver self, int code){
      * connection problems... But abort any pending transactions...
      */
     ghttp_close(pPriv->syncRequest);
+    if(code == SERVERERROR){
+      pPriv->failCount++;
+      if(pPriv->failCount > 2){
+	return COTERM;
+      } else {
+	return COREDO;
+      }
+    }
     return COTERM;
 }
 /*--------------------------------------------------------------------*/
diff --git a/slsmagnet.c b/slsmagnet.c
index 210563b..f2c70d8 100644
--- a/slsmagnet.c
+++ b/slsmagnet.c
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ static double DSPfloat2double( ULONG input )
 static int communicateSLS(mkChannel *pSock, char msg[6], char reply[6])
 {
   long lVal = 0;
-  int iRet, i, address;
+  int iRet, i, address, status;
 
   if(!pSock)
     return NOTCONNECTED;
@@ -141,7 +141,15 @@ static int communicateSLS(mkChannel *pSock, char msg[6], char reply[6])
     }
     else if(iRet == 1)
     {
-      lVal += NETRead(pSock,reply+lVal,6-lVal,-10);
+      status =  NETRead(pSock,reply+lVal,6-lVal,-10);
+      if(status >= 0){
+        lVal += status;
+      } else {
+        /*
+         * network read error
+         */
+        return status;
+      }
       if(lVal >= 6)
       {
         return (int)lVal;