Use busybox error handling functions wherever possible.
diff --git a/archival/gzip.c b/archival/gzip.c
index ca0c177..0926092 100644
--- a/archival/gzip.c
+++ b/archival/gzip.c
@@ -1867,18 +1867,13 @@
 			usage(gzip_usage);
 		strncpy(ifname, *argv, MAX_PATH_LEN);
 
-		/* Open input fille */
+		/* Open input file */
 		inFileNum = open(ifname, O_RDONLY);
-		if (inFileNum < 0) {
-			perror(ifname);
-			exit(WARNING);
-		}
+		if (inFileNum < 0)
+			perror_msg_and_die("%s", ifname);
 		/* Get the time stamp on the input file. */
-		result = stat(ifname, &statBuf);
-		if (result < 0) {
-			perror(ifname);
-			exit(WARNING);
-		}
+		if (stat(ifname, &statBuf) < 0)
+			perror_msg_and_die("%s", ifname);
 		time_stamp = statBuf.st_ctime;
 		ifile_size = statBuf.st_size;
 	}
@@ -1909,10 +1904,8 @@
 #else
 		outFileNum = open(ofname, O_RDWR | O_CREAT | O_EXCL);
 #endif
-		if (outFileNum < 0) {
-			perror(ofname);
-			exit(WARNING);
-		}
+		if (outFileNum < 0)
+			perror_msg_and_die("%s", ofname);
 		SET_BINARY_MODE(outFileNum);
 		/* Set permissions on the file */
 		fchmod(outFileNum, statBuf.st_mode);
@@ -1930,10 +1923,8 @@
 		else
 			delFileName = ofname;
 
-		if (unlink(delFileName) < 0) {
-			perror(delFileName);
-			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-		}
+		if (unlink(delFileName) < 0)
+			perror_msg_and_die("%s", delFileName);
 	}
 
 	return(exit_code);
diff --git a/console-tools/deallocvt.c b/console-tools/deallocvt.c
index b128c3f..3dd90c0 100644
--- a/console-tools/deallocvt.c
+++ b/console-tools/deallocvt.c
@@ -25,10 +25,8 @@
 
 	if (argc == 1) {
 		/* deallocate all unused consoles */
-		if (ioctl(fd, VT_DISALLOCATE, 0)) {
-			perror("VT_DISALLOCATE");
-			return EXIT_FAILURE;
-		}
+		if (ioctl(fd, VT_DISALLOCATE, 0))
+			perror_msg_and_die("VT_DISALLOCATE");
 	} else {
 		for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
 			num = atoi(argv[i]);
@@ -36,10 +34,8 @@
 				error_msg("0: illegal VT number\n");
 			else if (num == 1)
 				error_msg("VT 1 cannot be deallocated\n");
-			else if (ioctl(fd, VT_DISALLOCATE, num)) {
-				perror("VT_DISALLOCATE");
-				error_msg_and_die("could not deallocate console %d\n", num);
-			}
+			else if (ioctl(fd, VT_DISALLOCATE, num))
+				perror_msg_and_die("VT_DISALLOCATE");
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/console-tools/loadacm.c b/console-tools/loadacm.c
index 52702bf..040062c 100644
--- a/console-tools/loadacm.c
+++ b/console-tools/loadacm.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 	int is_unicode;
 
 	if (fstat(fileno(fp), &stbuf))
-		perror("Cannot stat map file"), exit(1);
+		perror_msg_and_die("Cannot stat map file");
 
 	/* first try a UTF screen-map: either ASCII (no restriction) or binary (regular file) */
 	if (!
@@ -70,15 +70,13 @@
 		if (parse_failed) {
 			if (-1 == fseek(fp, 0, SEEK_SET)) {
 				if (errno == ESPIPE)
-					error_msg("16bit screen-map MUST be a regular file.\n"),
-						exit(1);
+					error_msg_and_die("16bit screen-map MUST be a regular file.\n");
 				else
-					perror("fseek failed reading binary 16bit screen-map"),
-						exit(1);
+					perror_msg_and_die("fseek failed reading binary 16bit screen-map");
 			}
 
 			if (fread(wbuf, sizeof(unicode) * E_TABSZ, 1, fp) != 1)
-				perror("Cannot read [new] map from file"), exit(1);
+				perror_msg_and_die("Cannot read [new] map from file");
 #if 0
 			else
 				error_msg("Input screen-map is binary.\n");
@@ -89,7 +87,7 @@
 		/* same if it was binary, ie. if parse_failed */
 		if (parse_failed || is_unicode) {
 			if (ioctl(fd, PIO_UNISCRNMAP, wbuf))
-				perror("PIO_UNISCRNMAP ioctl"), exit(1);
+				perror_msg_and_die("PIO_UNISCRNMAP ioctl");
 			else
 				return 0;
 		}
@@ -101,7 +99,7 @@
 			error_msg("Assuming 8bit screen-map - MUST be a regular file.\n"),
 				exit(1);
 		else
-			perror("fseek failed assuming 8bit screen-map"), exit(1);
+			perror_msg_and_die("fseek failed assuming 8bit screen-map");
 	}
 
 	/* ... and try an old 8-bit screen-map */
@@ -111,14 +109,13 @@
 			if (-1 == fseek(fp, 0, SEEK_SET)) {
 				if (errno == ESPIPE)
 					/* should not - it succedeed above */
-					error_msg("fseek() returned ESPIPE !\n"),
-						exit(1);
+					error_msg_and_die("fseek() returned ESPIPE !\n");
 				else
-					perror("fseek for binary 8bit screen-map"), exit(1);
+					perror_msg_and_die("fseek for binary 8bit screen-map");
 			}
 
 			if (fread(buf, E_TABSZ, 1, fp) != 1)
-				perror("Cannot read [old] map from file"), exit(1);
+				perror_msg_and_die("Cannot read [old] map from file");
 #if 0
 			else
 				error_msg("Input screen-map is binary.\n");
@@ -126,7 +123,7 @@
 		}
 
 		if (ioctl(fd, PIO_SCRNMAP, buf))
-			perror("PIO_SCRNMAP ioctl"), exit(1);
+			perror_msg_and_die("PIO_SCRNMAP ioctl");
 		else
 			return 0;
 	}
@@ -174,10 +171,8 @@
 		if (NULL == fgets(buffer, sizeof(buffer), fp)) {
 			if (feof(fp))
 				break;
-			else {
-				perror("uni_screen_map_read_ascii() can't read line");
-				exit(2);
-			}
+			else
+				perror_msg_and_die("uni_screen_map_read_ascii() can't read line");
 		}
 
 		/* get "charset-relative charcode", stripping leading spaces */
@@ -317,12 +312,11 @@
 	int is_old_map = 0;
 
 	if (ioctl(fd, GIO_UNISCRNMAP, xbuf)) {
-		perror("GIO_UNISCRNMAP ioctl error");
+		perror_msg("GIO_UNISCRNMAP ioctl error");
 #endif
-		if (ioctl(fd, GIO_SCRNMAP, buf)) {
-			perror("GIO_SCRNMAP ioctl error");
-			exit(1);
-		} else
+		if (ioctl(fd, GIO_SCRNMAP, buf))
+			perror_msg_and_die("GIO_SCRNMAP ioctl error");
+		else
 			is_old_map = 1;
 #ifdef GIO_UNISCRNMAP
 	}
@@ -332,14 +326,11 @@
 #ifdef GIO_UNISCRNMAP
 	if (is_old_map) {
 #endif
-		if (fwrite(buf, E_TABSZ, 1, fp) != 1) {
-			perror("Error writing map to file");
-			exit(1);
-		}
+		if (fwrite(buf, E_TABSZ, 1, fp) != 1)
+			perror_msg_and_die("Error writing map to file");
 #ifdef GIO_UNISCRNMAP
 	} else if (fwrite(xbuf, sizeof(unicode) * E_TABSZ, 1, fp) != 1) {
-		perror("Error writing map to file");
-		exit(1);
+		perror_msg_and_die("Error writing map to file");
 	}
 #endif
 
diff --git a/coreutils/mkfifo.c b/coreutils/mkfifo.c
index ef4a525..728e1ec 100644
--- a/coreutils/mkfifo.c
+++ b/coreutils/mkfifo.c
@@ -53,9 +53,7 @@
 	}
 	if (argc < 1 || *argv[0] == '-')
 		usage(mkfifo_usage);
-	if (mkfifo(*argv, mode) < 0) {
-		perror("mkfifo");
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
+	if (mkfifo(*argv, mode) < 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("mkfifo");
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/coreutils/mknod.c b/coreutils/mknod.c
index 022ab85..4d8c598 100644
--- a/coreutils/mknod.c
+++ b/coreutils/mknod.c
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
 	mode |= perm;
 
 	if (mknod(argv[0], mode, dev) != 0)
-		error_msg_and_die("%s: %s\n", argv[0], strerror(errno));
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", argv[0]);
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }
 
diff --git a/coreutils/sleep.c b/coreutils/sleep.c
index ad92b10..10eca59 100644
--- a/coreutils/sleep.c
+++ b/coreutils/sleep.c
@@ -30,9 +30,7 @@
 		usage(sleep_usage);
 	}
 
-	if (sleep(atoi(*(++argv))) != 0) {
-		perror("sleep");
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
+	if (sleep(atoi(*(++argv))) != 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("sleep");
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/coreutils/uname.c b/coreutils/uname.c
index 2781b80..e7e9ff3 100644
--- a/coreutils/uname.c
+++ b/coreutils/uname.c
@@ -114,11 +114,11 @@
 		toprint = PRINT_SYSNAME;
 
 	if (uname(&name) == -1)
-		perror("cannot get system name");
+		perror_msg("cannot get system name");
 
 #if defined (HAVE_SYSINFO) && defined (SI_ARCHITECTURE)
 	if (sysinfo(SI_ARCHITECTURE, processor, sizeof(processor)) == -1)
-		perror("cannot get processor type");
+		perror_msg("cannot get processor type");
 }
 
 #else
diff --git a/deallocvt.c b/deallocvt.c
index b128c3f..3dd90c0 100644
--- a/deallocvt.c
+++ b/deallocvt.c
@@ -25,10 +25,8 @@
 
 	if (argc == 1) {
 		/* deallocate all unused consoles */
-		if (ioctl(fd, VT_DISALLOCATE, 0)) {
-			perror("VT_DISALLOCATE");
-			return EXIT_FAILURE;
-		}
+		if (ioctl(fd, VT_DISALLOCATE, 0))
+			perror_msg_and_die("VT_DISALLOCATE");
 	} else {
 		for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
 			num = atoi(argv[i]);
@@ -36,10 +34,8 @@
 				error_msg("0: illegal VT number\n");
 			else if (num == 1)
 				error_msg("VT 1 cannot be deallocated\n");
-			else if (ioctl(fd, VT_DISALLOCATE, num)) {
-				perror("VT_DISALLOCATE");
-				error_msg_and_die("could not deallocate console %d\n", num);
-			}
+			else if (ioctl(fd, VT_DISALLOCATE, num))
+				perror_msg_and_die("VT_DISALLOCATE");
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/dmesg.c b/dmesg.c
index 1d33b76..c220d90 100644
--- a/dmesg.c
+++ b/dmesg.c
@@ -69,20 +69,16 @@
 	}
 
 	if (cmd == 8) {
-		n = klogctl(cmd, NULL, level);
-		if (n < 0) {
-			goto klogctl_error;
-		}
+		if (klogctl(cmd, NULL, level) < 0)
+			perror_msg_and_die("klogctl");
 		return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 	}
 
 	if (bufsize < 4096)
 		bufsize = 4096;
 	buf = (char *) xmalloc(bufsize);
-	n = klogctl(cmd, buf, bufsize);
-	if (n < 0) {
-		goto klogctl_error;
-	}
+	if ((n = klogctl(cmd, buf, bufsize)) < 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("klogctl");
 
 	lastc = '\n';
 	for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
@@ -102,7 +98,4 @@
   end:
 	usage(dmesg_usage);
 	return EXIT_FAILURE;
-  klogctl_error:
-	perror("klogctl");
-	return EXIT_FAILURE;
 }
diff --git a/editors/sed.c b/editors/sed.c
index a7152e5..341924d 100644
--- a/editors/sed.c
+++ b/editors/sed.c
@@ -709,10 +709,8 @@
 
 #ifdef BB_FEATURE_CLEAN_UP
 	/* destroy command strings on exit */
-	if (atexit(destroy_cmd_strs) == -1) {
-		perror("sed");
-		exit(1);
-	}
+	if (atexit(destroy_cmd_strs) == -1)
+		perror_msg_and_die("atexit");
 #endif
 
 	/* do normal option parsing */
diff --git a/fbset.c b/fbset.c
index 86f7733..40a907b 100644
--- a/fbset.c
+++ b/fbset.c
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include <sys/ioctl.h>
 
-#define PERROR(ctx)   do { perror(ctx); exit(1); } while(0)
-
 #define DEFAULTFBDEV  "/dev/fb0"
 #define DEFAULTFBMODE "/etc/fb.modes"
 
@@ -198,7 +196,7 @@
 	char *p = buf;
 
 	if ((f = fopen(fn, "r")) == NULL)
-		PERROR("readmode(fopen)");
+		perror_msg_and_die("readmode(fopen)");
 	while (!feof(f)) {
 		fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), f);
 		if ((p = strstr(buf, "mode ")) || (p = strstr(buf, "mode\t"))) {
@@ -428,9 +426,9 @@
 	}
 
 	if ((fh = open(fbdev, O_RDONLY)) < 0)
-		PERROR("fbset(open)");
+		perror_msg_and_die("fbset(open)");
 	if (ioctl(fh, FBIOGET_VSCREENINFO, &var))
-		PERROR("fbset(ioctl)");
+		perror_msg_and_die("fbset(ioctl)");
 	if (g_options & OPT_READMODE) {
 		if (!readmode(&var, modefile, mode)) {
 			error_msg("Unknown video mode `%s'\n", mode);
@@ -441,7 +439,7 @@
 	setmode(&var, &varset);
 	if (g_options & OPT_CHANGE)
 		if (ioctl(fh, FBIOPUT_VSCREENINFO, &var))
-			PERROR("fbset(ioctl)");
+			perror_msg_and_die("fbset(ioctl)");
 	showmode(&var);
 	/* Don't close the file, as exiting will take care of that */
 	/* close(fh); */
diff --git a/fdflush.c b/fdflush.c
index 380015d..5eb93dd 100644
--- a/fdflush.c
+++ b/fdflush.c
@@ -31,26 +31,16 @@
 
 extern int fdflush_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	int value;
 	int fd;
 
 	if (argc <= 1 || **(++argv) == '-')
 		usage(fdflush_usage);
 
-	fd = open(*argv, 0);
-	if (fd < 0) {
-		perror(*argv);
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
+	if ((fd = open(*argv, 0)) < 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", *argv);
 
-	value = ioctl(fd, FDFLUSH, 0);
-	/* Don't bother closing.  Exit does
-	 * that, so we can save a few bytes */
-	/* close(fd); */
+	if (ioctl(fd, FDFLUSH, 0))
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", *argv);
 
-	if (value) {
-		perror(*argv);
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/findutils/xargs.c b/findutils/xargs.c
index c5f7b20..ddfbe92 100644
--- a/findutils/xargs.c
+++ b/findutils/xargs.c
@@ -81,10 +81,8 @@
 		strcat(execstr, cmd_to_be_executed);
 		strcat(execstr, file_to_act_on);
 		cmd_output = popen(execstr, "r");
-		if (cmd_output == NULL) {
-			perror("popen");
-			exit(1);
-		}
+		if (cmd_output == NULL)
+			perror_msg_and_die("popen");
 
 		/* harvest the output */
 		while ((output_line = get_line_from_file(cmd_output)) != NULL) {
diff --git a/gzip.c b/gzip.c
index ca0c177..0926092 100644
--- a/gzip.c
+++ b/gzip.c
@@ -1867,18 +1867,13 @@
 			usage(gzip_usage);
 		strncpy(ifname, *argv, MAX_PATH_LEN);
 
-		/* Open input fille */
+		/* Open input file */
 		inFileNum = open(ifname, O_RDONLY);
-		if (inFileNum < 0) {
-			perror(ifname);
-			exit(WARNING);
-		}
+		if (inFileNum < 0)
+			perror_msg_and_die("%s", ifname);
 		/* Get the time stamp on the input file. */
-		result = stat(ifname, &statBuf);
-		if (result < 0) {
-			perror(ifname);
-			exit(WARNING);
-		}
+		if (stat(ifname, &statBuf) < 0)
+			perror_msg_and_die("%s", ifname);
 		time_stamp = statBuf.st_ctime;
 		ifile_size = statBuf.st_size;
 	}
@@ -1909,10 +1904,8 @@
 #else
 		outFileNum = open(ofname, O_RDWR | O_CREAT | O_EXCL);
 #endif
-		if (outFileNum < 0) {
-			perror(ofname);
-			exit(WARNING);
-		}
+		if (outFileNum < 0)
+			perror_msg_and_die("%s", ofname);
 		SET_BINARY_MODE(outFileNum);
 		/* Set permissions on the file */
 		fchmod(outFileNum, statBuf.st_mode);
@@ -1930,10 +1923,8 @@
 		else
 			delFileName = ofname;
 
-		if (unlink(delFileName) < 0) {
-			perror(delFileName);
-			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-		}
+		if (unlink(delFileName) < 0)
+			perror_msg_and_die("%s", delFileName);
 	}
 
 	return(exit_code);
diff --git a/hostname.c b/hostname.c
index 13e52c4..c64d160 100644
--- a/hostname.c
+++ b/hostname.c
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* vi: set sw=4 ts=4: */
 /*
- * $Id: hostname.c,v 1.16 2000/12/07 19:56:48 markw Exp $
+ * $Id: hostname.c,v 1.17 2000/12/22 01:48:07 kraai Exp $
  * Mini hostname implementation for busybox
  *
  * Copyright (C) 1999 by Randolph Chung <tausq@debian.org>
@@ -40,10 +40,9 @@
 	if (!isfile) {
 		if (sethostname(s, strlen(s)) < 0) {
 			if (errno == EPERM)
-				error_msg("you must be root to change the hostname\n");
+				error_msg_and_die("you must be root to change the hostname\n");
 			else
-				perror("sethostname");
-			exit(1);
+				perror_msg_and_die("sethostname");
 		}
 	} else {
 		f = xfopen(s, "r");
@@ -51,10 +50,8 @@
 		fclose(f);
 		if (buf[strlen(buf) - 1] == '\n')
 			buf[strlen(buf) - 1] = 0;
-		if (sethostname(buf, strlen(buf)) < 0) {
-			perror("sethostname");
-			exit(1);
-		}
+		if (sethostname(buf, strlen(buf)) < 0)
+			perror_msg_and_die("sethostname");
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/insmod.c b/insmod.c
index cbe00c2..7391b4f 100644
--- a/insmod.c
+++ b/insmod.c
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@
 #ifndef MODUTILS_MODULE_H
 #define MODUTILS_MODULE_H 1
 
-#ident "$Id: insmod.c,v 1.33 2000/12/18 03:57:16 kraai Exp $"
+#ident "$Id: insmod.c,v 1.34 2000/12/22 01:48:07 kraai Exp $"
 
 /* This file contains the structures used by the 2.0 and 2.1 kernels.
    We do not use the kernel headers directly because we do not wish
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@
 #ifndef MODUTILS_OBJ_H
 #define MODUTILS_OBJ_H 1
 
-#ident "$Id: insmod.c,v 1.33 2000/12/18 03:57:16 kraai Exp $"
+#ident "$Id: insmod.c,v 1.34 2000/12/22 01:48:07 kraai Exp $"
 
 /* The relocatable object is manipulated using elfin types.  */
 
@@ -2952,10 +2952,8 @@
 		memcpy(m_filename, *argv, strlen(*argv));
 
 
-	if ((f = obj_load(fp)) == NULL) {
-		perror("Could not load the module\n");
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
+	if ((f = obj_load(fp)) == NULL)
+		perror_msg_and_die("Could not load the module");
 
 	if (get_modinfo_value(f, "kernel_version") == NULL)
 		m_has_modinfo = 0;
diff --git a/lash.c b/lash.c
index 22a6967..a47ff5c 100644
--- a/lash.c
+++ b/lash.c
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@
 		/* Make this job the foreground job */
 		/* suppress messages when run from /linuxrc mag@sysgo.de */
 		if (tcsetpgrp(0, job->pgrp) && errno != ENOTTY)
-			perror("tcsetpgrp"); 
+			perror_msg("tcsetpgrp"); 
 		child->family->job_list->fg = job;
 	}
 
@@ -683,7 +683,7 @@
 	}
 
 	if (childpid == -1 && errno != ECHILD)
-		perror("waitpid");
+		perror_msg("waitpid");
 }
 
 /* squirrel != NULL means we squirrel away copies of stdin, stdout,
@@ -1422,7 +1422,7 @@
 		/* move the new process group into the foreground */
 		/* suppress messages when run from /linuxrc mag@sysgo.de */
 		if (tcsetpgrp(0, newjob->pgrp) && errno != ENOTTY)
-			perror("tcsetpgrp");
+			perror_msg("tcsetpgrp");
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1612,7 +1612,7 @@
 				/* move the shell to the foreground */
 				/* suppress messages when run from /linuxrc mag@sysgo.de */
 				if (tcsetpgrp(0, getpid()) && errno != ENOTTY)
-					perror("tcsetpgrp"); 
+					perror_msg("tcsetpgrp"); 
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -1620,7 +1620,7 @@
 
 	/* return controlling TTY back to parent process group before exiting */
 	if (tcsetpgrp(0, parent_pgrp))
-		perror("tcsetpgrp");
+		perror_msg("tcsetpgrp");
 
 	/* return exit status if called with "-c" */
 	if (input == NULL && WIFEXITED(status))
diff --git a/loadacm.c b/loadacm.c
index 52702bf..040062c 100644
--- a/loadacm.c
+++ b/loadacm.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 	int is_unicode;
 
 	if (fstat(fileno(fp), &stbuf))
-		perror("Cannot stat map file"), exit(1);
+		perror_msg_and_die("Cannot stat map file");
 
 	/* first try a UTF screen-map: either ASCII (no restriction) or binary (regular file) */
 	if (!
@@ -70,15 +70,13 @@
 		if (parse_failed) {
 			if (-1 == fseek(fp, 0, SEEK_SET)) {
 				if (errno == ESPIPE)
-					error_msg("16bit screen-map MUST be a regular file.\n"),
-						exit(1);
+					error_msg_and_die("16bit screen-map MUST be a regular file.\n");
 				else
-					perror("fseek failed reading binary 16bit screen-map"),
-						exit(1);
+					perror_msg_and_die("fseek failed reading binary 16bit screen-map");
 			}
 
 			if (fread(wbuf, sizeof(unicode) * E_TABSZ, 1, fp) != 1)
-				perror("Cannot read [new] map from file"), exit(1);
+				perror_msg_and_die("Cannot read [new] map from file");
 #if 0
 			else
 				error_msg("Input screen-map is binary.\n");
@@ -89,7 +87,7 @@
 		/* same if it was binary, ie. if parse_failed */
 		if (parse_failed || is_unicode) {
 			if (ioctl(fd, PIO_UNISCRNMAP, wbuf))
-				perror("PIO_UNISCRNMAP ioctl"), exit(1);
+				perror_msg_and_die("PIO_UNISCRNMAP ioctl");
 			else
 				return 0;
 		}
@@ -101,7 +99,7 @@
 			error_msg("Assuming 8bit screen-map - MUST be a regular file.\n"),
 				exit(1);
 		else
-			perror("fseek failed assuming 8bit screen-map"), exit(1);
+			perror_msg_and_die("fseek failed assuming 8bit screen-map");
 	}
 
 	/* ... and try an old 8-bit screen-map */
@@ -111,14 +109,13 @@
 			if (-1 == fseek(fp, 0, SEEK_SET)) {
 				if (errno == ESPIPE)
 					/* should not - it succedeed above */
-					error_msg("fseek() returned ESPIPE !\n"),
-						exit(1);
+					error_msg_and_die("fseek() returned ESPIPE !\n");
 				else
-					perror("fseek for binary 8bit screen-map"), exit(1);
+					perror_msg_and_die("fseek for binary 8bit screen-map");
 			}
 
 			if (fread(buf, E_TABSZ, 1, fp) != 1)
-				perror("Cannot read [old] map from file"), exit(1);
+				perror_msg_and_die("Cannot read [old] map from file");
 #if 0
 			else
 				error_msg("Input screen-map is binary.\n");
@@ -126,7 +123,7 @@
 		}
 
 		if (ioctl(fd, PIO_SCRNMAP, buf))
-			perror("PIO_SCRNMAP ioctl"), exit(1);
+			perror_msg_and_die("PIO_SCRNMAP ioctl");
 		else
 			return 0;
 	}
@@ -174,10 +171,8 @@
 		if (NULL == fgets(buffer, sizeof(buffer), fp)) {
 			if (feof(fp))
 				break;
-			else {
-				perror("uni_screen_map_read_ascii() can't read line");
-				exit(2);
-			}
+			else
+				perror_msg_and_die("uni_screen_map_read_ascii() can't read line");
 		}
 
 		/* get "charset-relative charcode", stripping leading spaces */
@@ -317,12 +312,11 @@
 	int is_old_map = 0;
 
 	if (ioctl(fd, GIO_UNISCRNMAP, xbuf)) {
-		perror("GIO_UNISCRNMAP ioctl error");
+		perror_msg("GIO_UNISCRNMAP ioctl error");
 #endif
-		if (ioctl(fd, GIO_SCRNMAP, buf)) {
-			perror("GIO_SCRNMAP ioctl error");
-			exit(1);
-		} else
+		if (ioctl(fd, GIO_SCRNMAP, buf))
+			perror_msg_and_die("GIO_SCRNMAP ioctl error");
+		else
 			is_old_map = 1;
 #ifdef GIO_UNISCRNMAP
 	}
@@ -332,14 +326,11 @@
 #ifdef GIO_UNISCRNMAP
 	if (is_old_map) {
 #endif
-		if (fwrite(buf, E_TABSZ, 1, fp) != 1) {
-			perror("Error writing map to file");
-			exit(1);
-		}
+		if (fwrite(buf, E_TABSZ, 1, fp) != 1)
+			perror_msg_and_die("Error writing map to file");
 #ifdef GIO_UNISCRNMAP
 	} else if (fwrite(xbuf, sizeof(unicode) * E_TABSZ, 1, fp) != 1) {
-		perror("Error writing map to file");
-		exit(1);
+		perror_msg_and_die("Error writing map to file");
 	}
 #endif
 
diff --git a/miscutils/mt.c b/miscutils/mt.c
index 2d35c7c..70d03cc 100644
--- a/miscutils/mt.c
+++ b/miscutils/mt.c
@@ -85,15 +85,11 @@
 	else
 		op.mt_count = 1;		/* One, not zero, right? */
 
-	if ((fd = open(file, O_RDONLY, 0)) < 0) {
-		perror(file);
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
+	if ((fd = open(file, O_RDONLY, 0)) < 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", file);
 
-	if (ioctl(fd, MTIOCTOP, &op) != 0) {
-		perror(file);
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
+	if (ioctl(fd, MTIOCTOP, &op) != 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", file);
 
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/mkfifo.c b/mkfifo.c
index ef4a525..728e1ec 100644
--- a/mkfifo.c
+++ b/mkfifo.c
@@ -53,9 +53,7 @@
 	}
 	if (argc < 1 || *argv[0] == '-')
 		usage(mkfifo_usage);
-	if (mkfifo(*argv, mode) < 0) {
-		perror("mkfifo");
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
+	if (mkfifo(*argv, mode) < 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("mkfifo");
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/mkfs_minix.c b/mkfs_minix.c
index 95815fd..e1ede6c 100644
--- a/mkfs_minix.c
+++ b/mkfs_minix.c
@@ -329,11 +329,8 @@
 	int fd;
 	long size;
 
-	fd = open(file, O_RDWR);
-	if (fd < 0) {
-		perror(file);
-		exit(1);
-	}
+	if ((fd = open(file, O_RDWR)) < 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", file);
 	if (ioctl(fd, BLKGETSIZE, &size) >= 0) {
 		close(fd);
 		return (size * 512);
diff --git a/mknod.c b/mknod.c
index 022ab85..4d8c598 100644
--- a/mknod.c
+++ b/mknod.c
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
 	mode |= perm;
 
 	if (mknod(argv[0], mode, dev) != 0)
-		error_msg_and_die("%s: %s\n", argv[0], strerror(errno));
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", argv[0]);
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }
 
diff --git a/mkswap.c b/mkswap.c
index 60ae286..e7fab4e 100644
--- a/mkswap.c
+++ b/mkswap.c
@@ -260,11 +260,8 @@
 	int fd;
 	long size;
 
-	fd = open(file, O_RDONLY);
-	if (fd < 0) {
-		perror(file);
-		exit(1);
-	}
+	if ((fd = open(file, O_RDONLY)) < 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", file);
 	if (ioctl(fd, BLKGETSIZE, &size) >= 0) {
 		int sectors_per_page = pagesize / 512;
 
@@ -367,10 +364,8 @@
 	}
 
 	DEV = open(device_name, O_RDWR);
-	if (DEV < 0 || fstat(DEV, &statbuf) < 0) {
-		perror(device_name);
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
+	if (DEV < 0 || fstat(DEV, &statbuf) < 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", device_name);
 	if (!S_ISBLK(statbuf.st_mode))
 		check = 0;
 	else if (statbuf.st_rdev == 0x0300 || statbuf.st_rdev == 0x0340)
diff --git a/modutils/insmod.c b/modutils/insmod.c
index cbe00c2..7391b4f 100644
--- a/modutils/insmod.c
+++ b/modutils/insmod.c
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@
 #ifndef MODUTILS_MODULE_H
 #define MODUTILS_MODULE_H 1
 
-#ident "$Id: insmod.c,v 1.33 2000/12/18 03:57:16 kraai Exp $"
+#ident "$Id: insmod.c,v 1.34 2000/12/22 01:48:07 kraai Exp $"
 
 /* This file contains the structures used by the 2.0 and 2.1 kernels.
    We do not use the kernel headers directly because we do not wish
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@
 #ifndef MODUTILS_OBJ_H
 #define MODUTILS_OBJ_H 1
 
-#ident "$Id: insmod.c,v 1.33 2000/12/18 03:57:16 kraai Exp $"
+#ident "$Id: insmod.c,v 1.34 2000/12/22 01:48:07 kraai Exp $"
 
 /* The relocatable object is manipulated using elfin types.  */
 
@@ -2952,10 +2952,8 @@
 		memcpy(m_filename, *argv, strlen(*argv));
 
 
-	if ((f = obj_load(fp)) == NULL) {
-		perror("Could not load the module\n");
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
+	if ((f = obj_load(fp)) == NULL)
+		perror_msg_and_die("Could not load the module");
 
 	if (get_modinfo_value(f, "kernel_version") == NULL)
 		m_has_modinfo = 0;
diff --git a/modutils/rmmod.c b/modutils/rmmod.c
index f5d7d35..52adc7b 100644
--- a/modutils/rmmod.c
+++ b/modutils/rmmod.c
@@ -45,10 +45,8 @@
 			switch (**argv) {
 			case 'a':
 				/* Unload _all_ unused modules via NULL delete_module() call */
-				if (delete_module(NULL)) {
-					perror("rmmod");
-					return EXIT_FAILURE;
-				}
+				if (delete_module(NULL))
+					perror_msg_and_die("rmmod");
 				return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 			default:
 				usage(rmmod_usage);
@@ -58,7 +56,7 @@
 
 	while (argc-- > 0) {
 		if (delete_module(*argv) < 0) {
-			perror(*argv);
+			perror_msg("%s", *argv);
 			ret = EXIT_FAILURE;
 		}
 		argv++;
diff --git a/mount.c b/mount.c
index 8240b99..97b60ab 100644
--- a/mount.c
+++ b/mount.c
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@
 			}
 			endmntent(mountTable);
 		} else {
-			perror(mtab_file);
+			perror_msg_and_die("%s", mtab_file);
 		}
 		return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 	}
diff --git a/mt.c b/mt.c
index 2d35c7c..70d03cc 100644
--- a/mt.c
+++ b/mt.c
@@ -85,15 +85,11 @@
 	else
 		op.mt_count = 1;		/* One, not zero, right? */
 
-	if ((fd = open(file, O_RDONLY, 0)) < 0) {
-		perror(file);
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
+	if ((fd = open(file, O_RDONLY, 0)) < 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", file);
 
-	if (ioctl(fd, MTIOCTOP, &op) != 0) {
-		perror(file);
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
+	if (ioctl(fd, MTIOCTOP, &op) != 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", file);
 
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/mtab.c b/mtab.c
index 1f20837..ab805e9 100644
--- a/mtab.c
+++ b/mtab.c
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 		/* Bummer.  fall back on trying the /proc filesystem */
 		&& (mountTable = setmntent("/proc/mounts", "r")) == 0) {
 #endif
-		perror(mtab_file);
+		perror_msg("%s", mtab_file);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
 		}
 		endmntent(mountTable);
 	} else if (errno != EROFS)
-		perror(mtab_file);
+		perror_msg("%s", mtab_file);
 }
 
 void write_mtab(char *blockDevice, char *directory,
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
 	struct mntent m;
 
 	if (mountTable == 0) {
-		perror(mtab_file);
+		perror_msg("%s", mtab_file);
 		return;
 	}
 	if (mountTable) {
diff --git a/networking/hostname.c b/networking/hostname.c
index 13e52c4..c64d160 100644
--- a/networking/hostname.c
+++ b/networking/hostname.c
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* vi: set sw=4 ts=4: */
 /*
- * $Id: hostname.c,v 1.16 2000/12/07 19:56:48 markw Exp $
+ * $Id: hostname.c,v 1.17 2000/12/22 01:48:07 kraai Exp $
  * Mini hostname implementation for busybox
  *
  * Copyright (C) 1999 by Randolph Chung <tausq@debian.org>
@@ -40,10 +40,9 @@
 	if (!isfile) {
 		if (sethostname(s, strlen(s)) < 0) {
 			if (errno == EPERM)
-				error_msg("you must be root to change the hostname\n");
+				error_msg_and_die("you must be root to change the hostname\n");
 			else
-				perror("sethostname");
-			exit(1);
+				perror_msg_and_die("sethostname");
 		}
 	} else {
 		f = xfopen(s, "r");
@@ -51,10 +50,8 @@
 		fclose(f);
 		if (buf[strlen(buf) - 1] == '\n')
 			buf[strlen(buf) - 1] = 0;
-		if (sethostname(buf, strlen(buf)) < 0) {
-			perror("sethostname");
-			exit(1);
-		}
+		if (sethostname(buf, strlen(buf)) < 0)
+			perror_msg_and_die("sethostname");
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/networking/ping.c b/networking/ping.c
index 4be2120..e9242e9 100644
--- a/networking/ping.c
+++ b/networking/ping.c
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* vi: set sw=4 ts=4: */
 /*
- * $Id: ping.c,v 1.29 2000/12/18 03:57:16 kraai Exp $
+ * $Id: ping.c,v 1.30 2000/12/22 01:48:07 kraai Exp $
  * Mini ping implementation for busybox
  *
  * Copyright (C) 1999 by Randolph Chung <tausq@debian.org>
@@ -190,10 +190,8 @@
 	int pingsock, c;
 	char packet[DEFDATALEN + MAXIPLEN + MAXICMPLEN];
 
-	if ((pingsock = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_RAW, 1)) < 0) {	/* 1 == ICMP */
-		perror("ping: creating a raw socket");
-		exit(1);
-	}
+	if ((pingsock = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_RAW, 1)) < 0)	/* 1 == ICMP */
+		perror_msg_and_die("creating a raw socket");
 
 	/* drop root privs if running setuid */
 	setuid(getuid());
@@ -216,12 +214,8 @@
 	c = sendto(pingsock, packet, sizeof(packet), 0,
 			   (struct sockaddr *) &pingaddr, sizeof(struct sockaddr_in));
 
-	if (c < 0 || c != sizeof(packet)) {
-		if (c < 0)
-			perror("ping: sendto");
-		error_msg("write incomplete\n");
-		exit(1);
-	}
+	if (c < 0 || c != sizeof(packet))
+		perror_msg_and_die("sendto");
 
 	signal(SIGALRM, noresp);
 	alarm(5);					/* give the host 5000ms to respond */
@@ -234,7 +228,7 @@
 						  (struct sockaddr *) &from, &fromlen)) < 0) {
 			if (errno == EINTR)
 				continue;
-			perror("ping: recvfrom");
+			perror_msg("recvfrom");
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (c >= 76) {			/* ip + icmp */
@@ -439,12 +433,10 @@
 	 * proto->p_proto to have the correct value for "icmp" */
 	if ((pingsock = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_RAW,
 						   (proto ? proto->p_proto : 1))) < 0) {	/* 1 == ICMP */
-		if (errno == EPERM) {
-			error_msg("permission denied. (are you root?)\n");
-		} else {
-			perror("ping: creating a raw socket");
-		}
-		exit(1);
+		if (errno == EPERM)
+			error_msg_and_die("permission denied. (are you root?)\n");
+		else
+			perror_msg_and_die("creating a raw socket");
 	}
 
 	/* drop root privs if running setuid */
@@ -498,7 +490,7 @@
 						  (struct sockaddr *) &from, &fromlen)) < 0) {
 			if (errno == EINTR)
 				continue;
-			perror("ping: recvfrom");
+			perror_msg("recvfrom");
 			continue;
 		}
 		unpack(packet, c, &from);
diff --git a/ping.c b/ping.c
index 4be2120..e9242e9 100644
--- a/ping.c
+++ b/ping.c
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* vi: set sw=4 ts=4: */
 /*
- * $Id: ping.c,v 1.29 2000/12/18 03:57:16 kraai Exp $
+ * $Id: ping.c,v 1.30 2000/12/22 01:48:07 kraai Exp $
  * Mini ping implementation for busybox
  *
  * Copyright (C) 1999 by Randolph Chung <tausq@debian.org>
@@ -190,10 +190,8 @@
 	int pingsock, c;
 	char packet[DEFDATALEN + MAXIPLEN + MAXICMPLEN];
 
-	if ((pingsock = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_RAW, 1)) < 0) {	/* 1 == ICMP */
-		perror("ping: creating a raw socket");
-		exit(1);
-	}
+	if ((pingsock = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_RAW, 1)) < 0)	/* 1 == ICMP */
+		perror_msg_and_die("creating a raw socket");
 
 	/* drop root privs if running setuid */
 	setuid(getuid());
@@ -216,12 +214,8 @@
 	c = sendto(pingsock, packet, sizeof(packet), 0,
 			   (struct sockaddr *) &pingaddr, sizeof(struct sockaddr_in));
 
-	if (c < 0 || c != sizeof(packet)) {
-		if (c < 0)
-			perror("ping: sendto");
-		error_msg("write incomplete\n");
-		exit(1);
-	}
+	if (c < 0 || c != sizeof(packet))
+		perror_msg_and_die("sendto");
 
 	signal(SIGALRM, noresp);
 	alarm(5);					/* give the host 5000ms to respond */
@@ -234,7 +228,7 @@
 						  (struct sockaddr *) &from, &fromlen)) < 0) {
 			if (errno == EINTR)
 				continue;
-			perror("ping: recvfrom");
+			perror_msg("recvfrom");
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (c >= 76) {			/* ip + icmp */
@@ -439,12 +433,10 @@
 	 * proto->p_proto to have the correct value for "icmp" */
 	if ((pingsock = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_RAW,
 						   (proto ? proto->p_proto : 1))) < 0) {	/* 1 == ICMP */
-		if (errno == EPERM) {
-			error_msg("permission denied. (are you root?)\n");
-		} else {
-			perror("ping: creating a raw socket");
-		}
-		exit(1);
+		if (errno == EPERM)
+			error_msg_and_die("permission denied. (are you root?)\n");
+		else
+			perror_msg_and_die("creating a raw socket");
 	}
 
 	/* drop root privs if running setuid */
@@ -498,7 +490,7 @@
 						  (struct sockaddr *) &from, &fromlen)) < 0) {
 			if (errno == EINTR)
 				continue;
-			perror("ping: recvfrom");
+			perror_msg("recvfrom");
 			continue;
 		}
 		unpack(packet, c, &from);
diff --git a/rmmod.c b/rmmod.c
index f5d7d35..52adc7b 100644
--- a/rmmod.c
+++ b/rmmod.c
@@ -45,10 +45,8 @@
 			switch (**argv) {
 			case 'a':
 				/* Unload _all_ unused modules via NULL delete_module() call */
-				if (delete_module(NULL)) {
-					perror("rmmod");
-					return EXIT_FAILURE;
-				}
+				if (delete_module(NULL))
+					perror_msg_and_die("rmmod");
 				return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 			default:
 				usage(rmmod_usage);
@@ -58,7 +56,7 @@
 
 	while (argc-- > 0) {
 		if (delete_module(*argv) < 0) {
-			perror(*argv);
+			perror_msg("%s", *argv);
 			ret = EXIT_FAILURE;
 		}
 		argv++;
diff --git a/rpmunpack.c b/rpmunpack.c
index 2178a24..249d223 100644
--- a/rpmunpack.c
+++ b/rpmunpack.c
@@ -40,10 +40,9 @@
 
   if ((err = read(infile, buffer, num)) != num) {
 	if (err < 0)
-		perror(progname);
+		perror_msg_and_die(progname);
 	else
-		fprintf(stderr, "Unexpected end of input file!\n");
-	exit(1);
+		error_msg_and_die("Unexpected end of input file!\n");
   }
 }
 
@@ -68,10 +67,8 @@
   /* Open input file */
   if (argc == 1)
 	infile = STDIN_FILENO;
-  else if ((infile = open(argv[1], O_RDONLY)) < 0) {
-	perror(progname);
-	exit(1);
-  }
+  else if ((infile = open(argv[1], O_RDONLY)) < 0)
+	perror_msg_and_die("%s", argv[1]);
 
   /* Read magic ID and output filename */
   myread(4);
@@ -87,10 +84,8 @@
   strcat(buffer, ".cpio.gz");
   if (infile == STDIN_FILENO)
 	outfile = STDOUT_FILENO;
-  else if ((outfile = open(buffer, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT | O_TRUNC, 0644)) < 0) {
-	perror(progname);
-	exit(1);
-  }
+  else if ((outfile = open(buffer, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT | O_TRUNC, 0644)) < 0)
+	  perror_msg_and_die("%s", buffer);
 
   /*
    * Now search for the GZIP signature. This is rather awkward, but I don't
@@ -114,23 +109,15 @@
   }
   buffer[0] = GZ_MAGIC_1;
   buffer[1] = GZ_MAGIC_2;
-  if (write(outfile, buffer, 2) < 0) {
-	perror(progname);
-	exit(1);
-  }
+  if (write(outfile, buffer, 2) < 0)
+	perror_msg_and_die("write");
 
   /* Now simply copy the GZIP archive into the output file */
   while ((len = read(infile, buffer, BUFSIZE)) > 0) {
-	if (write(outfile, buffer, len) < 0) {
-		perror(progname);
-		exit(1);
-	}
+	if (write(outfile, buffer, len) < 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("write");
   }
-  if (len < 0) {
-	perror(progname);
-	exit(1);
-  }
-  close(outfile);
-  close(infile);
-  exit(0);
+  if (len < 0)
+    perror_msg_and_die("read");
+  return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/sed.c b/sed.c
index a7152e5..341924d 100644
--- a/sed.c
+++ b/sed.c
@@ -709,10 +709,8 @@
 
 #ifdef BB_FEATURE_CLEAN_UP
 	/* destroy command strings on exit */
-	if (atexit(destroy_cmd_strs) == -1) {
-		perror("sed");
-		exit(1);
-	}
+	if (atexit(destroy_cmd_strs) == -1)
+		perror_msg_and_die("atexit");
 #endif
 
 	/* do normal option parsing */
diff --git a/sh.c b/sh.c
index 22a6967..a47ff5c 100644
--- a/sh.c
+++ b/sh.c
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@
 		/* Make this job the foreground job */
 		/* suppress messages when run from /linuxrc mag@sysgo.de */
 		if (tcsetpgrp(0, job->pgrp) && errno != ENOTTY)
-			perror("tcsetpgrp"); 
+			perror_msg("tcsetpgrp"); 
 		child->family->job_list->fg = job;
 	}
 
@@ -683,7 +683,7 @@
 	}
 
 	if (childpid == -1 && errno != ECHILD)
-		perror("waitpid");
+		perror_msg("waitpid");
 }
 
 /* squirrel != NULL means we squirrel away copies of stdin, stdout,
@@ -1422,7 +1422,7 @@
 		/* move the new process group into the foreground */
 		/* suppress messages when run from /linuxrc mag@sysgo.de */
 		if (tcsetpgrp(0, newjob->pgrp) && errno != ENOTTY)
-			perror("tcsetpgrp");
+			perror_msg("tcsetpgrp");
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1612,7 +1612,7 @@
 				/* move the shell to the foreground */
 				/* suppress messages when run from /linuxrc mag@sysgo.de */
 				if (tcsetpgrp(0, getpid()) && errno != ENOTTY)
-					perror("tcsetpgrp"); 
+					perror_msg("tcsetpgrp"); 
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -1620,7 +1620,7 @@
 
 	/* return controlling TTY back to parent process group before exiting */
 	if (tcsetpgrp(0, parent_pgrp))
-		perror("tcsetpgrp");
+		perror_msg("tcsetpgrp");
 
 	/* return exit status if called with "-c" */
 	if (input == NULL && WIFEXITED(status))
diff --git a/shell/lash.c b/shell/lash.c
index 22a6967..a47ff5c 100644
--- a/shell/lash.c
+++ b/shell/lash.c
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@
 		/* Make this job the foreground job */
 		/* suppress messages when run from /linuxrc mag@sysgo.de */
 		if (tcsetpgrp(0, job->pgrp) && errno != ENOTTY)
-			perror("tcsetpgrp"); 
+			perror_msg("tcsetpgrp"); 
 		child->family->job_list->fg = job;
 	}
 
@@ -683,7 +683,7 @@
 	}
 
 	if (childpid == -1 && errno != ECHILD)
-		perror("waitpid");
+		perror_msg("waitpid");
 }
 
 /* squirrel != NULL means we squirrel away copies of stdin, stdout,
@@ -1422,7 +1422,7 @@
 		/* move the new process group into the foreground */
 		/* suppress messages when run from /linuxrc mag@sysgo.de */
 		if (tcsetpgrp(0, newjob->pgrp) && errno != ENOTTY)
-			perror("tcsetpgrp");
+			perror_msg("tcsetpgrp");
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1612,7 +1612,7 @@
 				/* move the shell to the foreground */
 				/* suppress messages when run from /linuxrc mag@sysgo.de */
 				if (tcsetpgrp(0, getpid()) && errno != ENOTTY)
-					perror("tcsetpgrp"); 
+					perror_msg("tcsetpgrp"); 
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -1620,7 +1620,7 @@
 
 	/* return controlling TTY back to parent process group before exiting */
 	if (tcsetpgrp(0, parent_pgrp))
-		perror("tcsetpgrp");
+		perror_msg("tcsetpgrp");
 
 	/* return exit status if called with "-c" */
 	if (input == NULL && WIFEXITED(status))
diff --git a/sleep.c b/sleep.c
index ad92b10..10eca59 100644
--- a/sleep.c
+++ b/sleep.c
@@ -30,9 +30,7 @@
 		usage(sleep_usage);
 	}
 
-	if (sleep(atoi(*(++argv))) != 0) {
-		perror("sleep");
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
+	if (sleep(atoi(*(++argv))) != 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("sleep");
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/swaponoff.c b/swaponoff.c
index e40d169..85f3389 100644
--- a/swaponoff.c
+++ b/swaponoff.c
@@ -48,10 +48,8 @@
 	else
 		status = swapoff(device);
 
-	if (status != 0) {
-		perror(applet_name);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-	}
+	if (status != 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die(applet_name);
 }
 
 static void do_em_all()
@@ -59,10 +57,8 @@
 	struct mntent *m;
 	FILE *f = setmntent("/etc/fstab", "r");
 
-	if (f == NULL) {
-		perror("/etc/fstab");
-		exit(FALSE);
-	}
+	if (f == NULL)
+		perror_msg_and_die("/etc/fstab");
 	while ((m = getmntent(f)) != NULL) {
 		if (strcmp(m->mnt_type, MNTTYPE_SWAP)==0) {
 			swap_enable_disable(m->mnt_fsname);
diff --git a/umount.c b/umount.c
index e76e052..0867118 100644
--- a/umount.c
+++ b/umount.c
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@
 		if (status != 0) {
 			/* Don't bother retrying the umount on busy devices */
 			if (errno == EBUSY) {
-				perror(mountpt);
+				perror_msg("%s", mountpt);
 				continue;
 			}
 			status = do_umount(mountpt, useMtab);
@@ -280,7 +280,6 @@
 	}
 	if (do_umount(*argv, useMtab) == TRUE)
 		return EXIT_SUCCESS;
-	perror("umount");
-	return EXIT_FAILURE;
+	perror_msg_and_die("%s", *argv);
 }
 
diff --git a/uname.c b/uname.c
index 2781b80..e7e9ff3 100644
--- a/uname.c
+++ b/uname.c
@@ -114,11 +114,11 @@
 		toprint = PRINT_SYSNAME;
 
 	if (uname(&name) == -1)
-		perror("cannot get system name");
+		perror_msg("cannot get system name");
 
 #if defined (HAVE_SYSINFO) && defined (SI_ARCHITECTURE)
 	if (sysinfo(SI_ARCHITECTURE, processor, sizeof(processor)) == -1)
-		perror("cannot get processor type");
+		perror_msg("cannot get processor type");
 }
 
 #else
diff --git a/util-linux/dmesg.c b/util-linux/dmesg.c
index 1d33b76..c220d90 100644
--- a/util-linux/dmesg.c
+++ b/util-linux/dmesg.c
@@ -69,20 +69,16 @@
 	}
 
 	if (cmd == 8) {
-		n = klogctl(cmd, NULL, level);
-		if (n < 0) {
-			goto klogctl_error;
-		}
+		if (klogctl(cmd, NULL, level) < 0)
+			perror_msg_and_die("klogctl");
 		return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 	}
 
 	if (bufsize < 4096)
 		bufsize = 4096;
 	buf = (char *) xmalloc(bufsize);
-	n = klogctl(cmd, buf, bufsize);
-	if (n < 0) {
-		goto klogctl_error;
-	}
+	if ((n = klogctl(cmd, buf, bufsize)) < 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("klogctl");
 
 	lastc = '\n';
 	for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
@@ -102,7 +98,4 @@
   end:
 	usage(dmesg_usage);
 	return EXIT_FAILURE;
-  klogctl_error:
-	perror("klogctl");
-	return EXIT_FAILURE;
 }
diff --git a/util-linux/fbset.c b/util-linux/fbset.c
index 86f7733..40a907b 100644
--- a/util-linux/fbset.c
+++ b/util-linux/fbset.c
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include <sys/ioctl.h>
 
-#define PERROR(ctx)   do { perror(ctx); exit(1); } while(0)
-
 #define DEFAULTFBDEV  "/dev/fb0"
 #define DEFAULTFBMODE "/etc/fb.modes"
 
@@ -198,7 +196,7 @@
 	char *p = buf;
 
 	if ((f = fopen(fn, "r")) == NULL)
-		PERROR("readmode(fopen)");
+		perror_msg_and_die("readmode(fopen)");
 	while (!feof(f)) {
 		fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), f);
 		if ((p = strstr(buf, "mode ")) || (p = strstr(buf, "mode\t"))) {
@@ -428,9 +426,9 @@
 	}
 
 	if ((fh = open(fbdev, O_RDONLY)) < 0)
-		PERROR("fbset(open)");
+		perror_msg_and_die("fbset(open)");
 	if (ioctl(fh, FBIOGET_VSCREENINFO, &var))
-		PERROR("fbset(ioctl)");
+		perror_msg_and_die("fbset(ioctl)");
 	if (g_options & OPT_READMODE) {
 		if (!readmode(&var, modefile, mode)) {
 			error_msg("Unknown video mode `%s'\n", mode);
@@ -441,7 +439,7 @@
 	setmode(&var, &varset);
 	if (g_options & OPT_CHANGE)
 		if (ioctl(fh, FBIOPUT_VSCREENINFO, &var))
-			PERROR("fbset(ioctl)");
+			perror_msg_and_die("fbset(ioctl)");
 	showmode(&var);
 	/* Don't close the file, as exiting will take care of that */
 	/* close(fh); */
diff --git a/util-linux/fdflush.c b/util-linux/fdflush.c
index 380015d..5eb93dd 100644
--- a/util-linux/fdflush.c
+++ b/util-linux/fdflush.c
@@ -31,26 +31,16 @@
 
 extern int fdflush_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	int value;
 	int fd;
 
 	if (argc <= 1 || **(++argv) == '-')
 		usage(fdflush_usage);
 
-	fd = open(*argv, 0);
-	if (fd < 0) {
-		perror(*argv);
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
+	if ((fd = open(*argv, 0)) < 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", *argv);
 
-	value = ioctl(fd, FDFLUSH, 0);
-	/* Don't bother closing.  Exit does
-	 * that, so we can save a few bytes */
-	/* close(fd); */
+	if (ioctl(fd, FDFLUSH, 0))
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", *argv);
 
-	if (value) {
-		perror(*argv);
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/util-linux/mkfs_minix.c b/util-linux/mkfs_minix.c
index 95815fd..e1ede6c 100644
--- a/util-linux/mkfs_minix.c
+++ b/util-linux/mkfs_minix.c
@@ -329,11 +329,8 @@
 	int fd;
 	long size;
 
-	fd = open(file, O_RDWR);
-	if (fd < 0) {
-		perror(file);
-		exit(1);
-	}
+	if ((fd = open(file, O_RDWR)) < 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", file);
 	if (ioctl(fd, BLKGETSIZE, &size) >= 0) {
 		close(fd);
 		return (size * 512);
diff --git a/util-linux/mkswap.c b/util-linux/mkswap.c
index 60ae286..e7fab4e 100644
--- a/util-linux/mkswap.c
+++ b/util-linux/mkswap.c
@@ -260,11 +260,8 @@
 	int fd;
 	long size;
 
-	fd = open(file, O_RDONLY);
-	if (fd < 0) {
-		perror(file);
-		exit(1);
-	}
+	if ((fd = open(file, O_RDONLY)) < 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", file);
 	if (ioctl(fd, BLKGETSIZE, &size) >= 0) {
 		int sectors_per_page = pagesize / 512;
 
@@ -367,10 +364,8 @@
 	}
 
 	DEV = open(device_name, O_RDWR);
-	if (DEV < 0 || fstat(DEV, &statbuf) < 0) {
-		perror(device_name);
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
-	}
+	if (DEV < 0 || fstat(DEV, &statbuf) < 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die("%s", device_name);
 	if (!S_ISBLK(statbuf.st_mode))
 		check = 0;
 	else if (statbuf.st_rdev == 0x0300 || statbuf.st_rdev == 0x0340)
diff --git a/util-linux/mount.c b/util-linux/mount.c
index 8240b99..97b60ab 100644
--- a/util-linux/mount.c
+++ b/util-linux/mount.c
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@
 			}
 			endmntent(mountTable);
 		} else {
-			perror(mtab_file);
+			perror_msg_and_die("%s", mtab_file);
 		}
 		return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 	}
diff --git a/util-linux/swaponoff.c b/util-linux/swaponoff.c
index e40d169..85f3389 100644
--- a/util-linux/swaponoff.c
+++ b/util-linux/swaponoff.c
@@ -48,10 +48,8 @@
 	else
 		status = swapoff(device);
 
-	if (status != 0) {
-		perror(applet_name);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-	}
+	if (status != 0)
+		perror_msg_and_die(applet_name);
 }
 
 static void do_em_all()
@@ -59,10 +57,8 @@
 	struct mntent *m;
 	FILE *f = setmntent("/etc/fstab", "r");
 
-	if (f == NULL) {
-		perror("/etc/fstab");
-		exit(FALSE);
-	}
+	if (f == NULL)
+		perror_msg_and_die("/etc/fstab");
 	while ((m = getmntent(f)) != NULL) {
 		if (strcmp(m->mnt_type, MNTTYPE_SWAP)==0) {
 			swap_enable_disable(m->mnt_fsname);
diff --git a/util-linux/umount.c b/util-linux/umount.c
index e76e052..0867118 100644
--- a/util-linux/umount.c
+++ b/util-linux/umount.c
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@
 		if (status != 0) {
 			/* Don't bother retrying the umount on busy devices */
 			if (errno == EBUSY) {
-				perror(mountpt);
+				perror_msg("%s", mountpt);
 				continue;
 			}
 			status = do_umount(mountpt, useMtab);
@@ -280,7 +280,6 @@
 	}
 	if (do_umount(*argv, useMtab) == TRUE)
 		return EXIT_SUCCESS;
-	perror("umount");
-	return EXIT_FAILURE;
+	perror_msg_and_die("%s", *argv);
 }
 
diff --git a/utility.c b/utility.c
index b06abf4..f222518 100644
--- a/utility.c
+++ b/utility.c
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@
 	int major = 0, minor = 0, patch = 0;
 
 	if (uname(&name) == -1) {
-		perror("cannot get system information");
+		perror_msg("cannot get system information");
 		return (0);
 	}
 	major = atoi(strtok(name.release, "."));
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@
 		status = lstat(srcName, &srcStatBuf);
 
 	if (status < 0) {
-		perror(srcName);
+		perror_msg("%s", srcName);
 		return FALSE;
 	}
 
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@
 		/* Make sure the directory is writable */
 		status = mkdir(destName, 0777777 ^ umask(0));
 		if (status < 0 && errno != EEXIST) {
-			perror(destName);
+			perror_msg("%s", destName);
 			return FALSE;
 		}
 	} else if (S_ISLNK(srcStatBuf.st_mode)) {
@@ -378,13 +378,13 @@
 		/* Warning: This could possibly truncate silently, to BUFSIZ chars */
 		link_size = readlink(srcName, &link_val[0], BUFSIZ);
 		if (link_size < 0) {
-			perror(srcName);
+			perror_msg("%s", srcName);
 			return FALSE;
 		}
 		link_val[link_size] = '\0';
 		status = symlink(link_val, destName);
 		if (status < 0) {
-			perror(destName);
+			perror_msg("%s", destName);
 			return FALSE;
 		}
 #if (__GLIBC__ >= 2) && (__GLIBC_MINOR__ >= 1)
@@ -397,28 +397,28 @@
 	} else if (S_ISFIFO(srcStatBuf.st_mode)) {
 		//fprintf(stderr, "copying fifo %s to %s\n", srcName, destName);
 		if (mkfifo(destName, 0644) < 0) {
-			perror(destName);
+			perror_msg("%s", destName);
 			return FALSE;
 		}
 	} else if (S_ISBLK(srcStatBuf.st_mode) || S_ISCHR(srcStatBuf.st_mode)
 			   || S_ISSOCK(srcStatBuf.st_mode)) {
 		//fprintf(stderr, "copying soc, blk, or chr %s to %s\n", srcName, destName);
 		if (mknod(destName, srcStatBuf.st_mode, srcStatBuf.st_rdev) < 0) {
-			perror(destName);
+			perror_msg("%s", destName);
 			return FALSE;
 		}
 	} else if (S_ISREG(srcStatBuf.st_mode)) {
 		//fprintf(stderr, "copying regular file %s to %s\n", srcName, destName);
 		rfd = open(srcName, O_RDONLY);
 		if (rfd < 0) {
-			perror(srcName);
+			perror_msg("%s", srcName);
 			return FALSE;
 		}
 
 	 	wfd = open(destName, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT | O_TRUNC,
 				 srcStatBuf.st_mode);
 		if (wfd < 0) {
-			perror(destName);
+			perror_msg("%s", destName);
 			close(rfd);
 			return FALSE;
 		}
@@ -434,26 +434,20 @@
 
 	if (setModes == TRUE) {
 		/* This is fine, since symlinks never get here */
-		if (chown(destName, srcStatBuf.st_uid, srcStatBuf.st_gid) < 0) {
-			perror(destName);
-			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-		}
-		if (chmod(destName, srcStatBuf.st_mode) < 0) {
-			perror(destName);
-			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-		}
+		if (chown(destName, srcStatBuf.st_uid, srcStatBuf.st_gid) < 0)
+			perror_msg_and_die("%s", destName);
+		if (chmod(destName, srcStatBuf.st_mode) < 0)
+			perror_msg_and_die("%s", destName);
 		times.actime = srcStatBuf.st_atime;
 		times.modtime = srcStatBuf.st_mtime;
-		if (utime(destName, &times) < 0) {
-			perror(destName);
-			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-		}
+		if (utime(destName, &times) < 0)
+			perror_msg_and_die("%s", destName);
 	}
 
 	return TRUE;
 
   error_exit:
-	perror(destName);
+	perror_msg("%s", destName);
 	close(rfd);
 	close(wfd);
 
@@ -745,7 +739,7 @@
 		*cpOld = '\0';
 		retVal = mkdir(buf, cp ? 0777 : mode);
 		if (retVal != 0 && errno != EEXIST) {
-			perror(buf);
+			perror_msg("%s", buf);
 			return FALSE;
 		}
 		*cpOld = '/';
@@ -1450,11 +1444,11 @@
 	int fd;
 
 	if ((fd = open(device, O_RDONLY)) < 0) {
-		perror(device);
+		perror_msg("%s", device);
 		return (FALSE);
 	}
 	if (ioctl(fd, LOOP_CLR_FD, 0) < 0) {
-		perror("ioctl: LOOP_CLR_FD");
+		perror_msg("ioctl: LOOP_CLR_FD");
 		return (FALSE);
 	}
 	close(fd);
@@ -1470,12 +1464,12 @@
 	mode = *loopro ? O_RDONLY : O_RDWR;
 	if ((ffd = open(file, mode)) < 0 && !*loopro
 		&& (errno != EROFS || (ffd = open(file, mode = O_RDONLY)) < 0)) {
-		perror(file);
+		perror_msg("%s", file);
 		return 1;
 	}
 	if ((fd = open(device, mode)) < 0) {
 		close(ffd);
-		perror(device);
+		perror_msg("%s", device);
 		return 1;
 	}
 	*loopro = (mode == O_RDONLY);
@@ -1488,14 +1482,14 @@
 
 	loopinfo.lo_encrypt_key_size = 0;
 	if (ioctl(fd, LOOP_SET_FD, ffd) < 0) {
-		perror("ioctl: LOOP_SET_FD");
+		perror_msg("ioctl: LOOP_SET_FD");
 		close(fd);
 		close(ffd);
 		return 1;
 	}
 	if (ioctl(fd, LOOP_SET_STATUS, &loopinfo) < 0) {
 		(void) ioctl(fd, LOOP_CLR_FD, 0);
-		perror("ioctl: LOOP_SET_STATUS");
+		perror_msg("ioctl: LOOP_SET_STATUS");
 		close(fd);
 		close(ffd);
 		return 1;
diff --git a/xargs.c b/xargs.c
index c5f7b20..ddfbe92 100644
--- a/xargs.c
+++ b/xargs.c
@@ -81,10 +81,8 @@
 		strcat(execstr, cmd_to_be_executed);
 		strcat(execstr, file_to_act_on);
 		cmd_output = popen(execstr, "r");
-		if (cmd_output == NULL) {
-			perror("popen");
-			exit(1);
-		}
+		if (cmd_output == NULL)
+			perror_msg_and_die("popen");
 
 		/* harvest the output */
 		while ((output_line = get_line_from_file(cmd_output)) != NULL) {