diff --git a/api/gutil.C b/api/gutil.C
index 2c54e11b1d..71f3a7038b 100755
--- a/api/gutil.C
+++ b/api/gutil.C
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+//#include <afx.h> // for ASSERT 
 // The contents of this file are subject to the BOINC Public License
 // Version 1.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in
 // compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
@@ -445,6 +446,7 @@ int init_texture(char* filename) {
     glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_2D,GL_TEXTURE_MAG_FILTER, GL_LINEAR);
     err = glGetError();
     if (err) return err;
+	//ASSERT(0);
     glTexImage2D(
         GL_TEXTURE_2D,
         0,
@@ -459,7 +461,10 @@ int init_texture(char* filename) {
         pixels    // dimension of PPM file MUST be power of 2
     );
     err = glGetError();
-    if (err) return err;
+    if (err) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "glTexImage2D returned error # %d: %s\n", err, gluErrorString(err)); 
+		return err;
+	}
     return 0;
 }
 struct Vertex
diff --git a/client/win/win_screensaver.cpp b/client/win/win_screensaver.cpp
index 60d5fecef9..cf6d5dafe9 100755
--- a/client/win/win_screensaver.cpp
+++ b/client/win/win_screensaver.cpp
@@ -93,8 +93,11 @@ void RunSaver( void ) {
 	if(boinc_mutex != NULL && GetLastError() != ERROR_ALREADY_EXISTS) {
 		CloseHandle(boinc_mutex);
 		// Get the path to the client
-		UtilGetRegStr( "ClientPath", client_path );
-		UtilGetRegStr( "ClientDir", client_dir );
+		if (!UtilGetRegStr( "ClientPath", client_path ) ||
+			 UtilGetRegStr( "ClientDir", client_dir )) 
+		{
+			return /* error */;
+		}
 
 		memset( &process_info, 0, sizeof( process_info ) );
 		memset( &startup_info, 0, sizeof( startup_info ) );
@@ -112,6 +115,8 @@ void RunSaver( void ) {
 					client_dir,					// start in the standard client directory
 					&startup_info,
 					&process_info );
+		// wait up to 3 seconds for BOINC to start
+		WaitForInputIdle(process_info.hProcess, 3000);
 	}
 
 	BOINC_SS_START_MSG = RegisterWindowMessage( START_SS_MSG );
diff --git a/client/win/win_util.cpp b/client/win/win_util.cpp
index a578aec82a..fc60914fb0 100755
--- a/client/win/win_util.cpp
+++ b/client/win/win_util.cpp
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@ int UtilGetRegStr(char *name, char *str)
 	DWORD size = 128;
 	HKEY boinc_key;
 
+	*str = 0;
+
 	if ( OSVersion == OS_WIN95 ) {
 		error = RegOpenKeyEx( HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "SOFTWARE\\BOINC",  
 			0, KEY_ALL_ACCESS, &boinc_key );