Index: db-inc.scm
==================================================================
--- db-inc.scm
+++ db-inc.scm
@@ -250,11 +250,13 @@
         
 	(condition-case
          (begin
            (debug:print 2 *default-log-port* "WARNING: opening db in non-writable dir " fname)
            (let ((db (sqlite3:open-database fname)))
-             ;; (mutex-unlock! *db-open-mutex*)
+             (sqlite3:set-busy-handler! db (sqlite3:make-busy-timeout 136000))
+             (sqlite3:execute db "PRAGMA synchronous = 0;")
+	     ;; (mutex-unlock! *db-open-mutex*)
              db))
          (exn (io-error)  (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: i/o error with " fname ". Check permissions, disk space etc. and try again."))
          (exn (corrupt)   (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: database " fname " is corrupt. Repair it to proceed."))
          (exn (busy)      (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: database " fname " is locked. Try copying to another location, remove original and copy back."))
          (exn (permission)(debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: database " fname " has some permissions problem."))
@@ -588,10 +590,12 @@
 		      "\"\n")
 	 (exit) ;; we can not safely continue when a db was corrupted - even if fixed.
 	 )
        ;; test read/write access to the database
        (let ((db (sqlite3:open-database dbpath)))
+	 (sqlite3:set-busy-handler! db (sqlite3:make-busy-timeout 136000))
+	 (sqlite3:execute db "PRAGMA synchronous = 0;")
 	 (cond
 	  ((equal? fname "megatest.db")
 	   (sqlite3:execute db "DELETE FROM tests WHERE state='DELETED';"))
 	  ((equal? fname "main.db")
 	   (sqlite3:execute db "DELETE FROM runs WHERE state='deleted';"))