diff --git a/defaults/yacy.init b/defaults/yacy.init
index 65be3fbda..c8cb23058 100644
--- a/defaults/yacy.init
+++ b/defaults/yacy.init
@@ -626,9 +626,7 @@ javastart_priority=10
 # ram cache during indexing. When YaCy is shut down, this cache must be
 # flushed to disc; this may last some minutes.
 wordCacheMaxCount = 30000
-wordCacheInitCount = 30000
 wordCacheMaxCount__pro = 100000
-wordCacheInitCount__pro = 100000
 
 # Specifies if yacy can be used as transparent http proxy.
 # 
diff --git a/htroot/PerformanceQueues_p.html b/htroot/PerformanceQueues_p.html
index 1f2cfcd57..057c91b3c 100644
--- a/htroot/PerformanceQueues_p.html
+++ b/htroot/PerformanceQueues_p.html
@@ -122,15 +122,6 @@
 	          flushed to disc; this may last some minutes.
 	        </td>
 	      </tr>
-	      <tr valign="top" class="TableCellDark">
-	        <td>Initial space of words in cache:</td>
-	        <td>
-	          <input name="wordCacheInitCount" type="text" size="10" maxlength="100" value="#[wordCacheInitCount]#" />
-	        </td>
-	        <td>
-	          This is is the init size of space for words in cache.
-	        </td>
-	      </tr>
 	      <tr valign="top" class="TableCellLight">
 	        <td colspan="4">
 	        <input type="submit" name="cacheSizeSubmit" value="Enter New Cache Size" />
diff --git a/htroot/PerformanceQueues_p.java b/htroot/PerformanceQueues_p.java
index 5332a7aa1..7601a5829 100644
--- a/htroot/PerformanceQueues_p.java
+++ b/htroot/PerformanceQueues_p.java
@@ -230,9 +230,6 @@ public class PerformanceQueues_p {
             final int wordCacheMaxCount = post.getInt("wordCacheMaxCount", 20000);
             switchboard.setConfig(plasmaSwitchboardConstants.WORDCACHE_MAX_COUNT, Integer.toString(wordCacheMaxCount));
             switchboard.webIndex.index().setBufferMaxWordCount(wordCacheMaxCount);
-            
-            final int wordCacheInitCount = post.getInt(plasmaSwitchboardConstants.WORDCACHE_INIT_COUNT, 30000);
-            switchboard.setConfig(plasmaSwitchboardConstants.WORDCACHE_INIT_COUNT, Integer.toString(wordCacheInitCount));
         }
         
         if ((post != null) && (post.containsKey("poolConfig"))) {
@@ -295,7 +292,6 @@ public class PerformanceQueues_p {
         prop.putNum("minAgeOfCache", switchboard.webIndex.index().getBufferMinAge() / 1000 / 60); // minutes
         prop.putNum("maxWaitingWordFlush", switchboard.getConfigLong("maxWaitingWordFlush", 180));
         prop.put("wordCacheMaxCount", switchboard.getConfigLong(plasmaSwitchboardConstants.WORDCACHE_MAX_COUNT, 20000));
-        prop.put("wordCacheInitCount", switchboard.getConfigLong(plasmaSwitchboardConstants.WORDCACHE_INIT_COUNT, 30000));
         prop.put("crawlPauseProxy", switchboard.getConfigLong(plasmaSwitchboardConstants.PROXY_ONLINE_CAUTION_DELAY, 30000));
         prop.put("crawlPauseLocalsearch", switchboard.getConfigLong(plasmaSwitchboardConstants.LOCALSEACH_ONLINE_CAUTION_DELAY, 30000));
         prop.put("crawlPauseRemotesearch", switchboard.getConfigLong(plasmaSwitchboardConstants.REMOTESEARCH_ONLINE_CAUTION_DELAY, 30000));
diff --git a/htroot/PerformanceQueues_p.xml b/htroot/PerformanceQueues_p.xml
index a1f95c117..8535e76a9 100644
--- a/htroot/PerformanceQueues_p.xml
+++ b/htroot/PerformanceQueues_p.xml
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
 		<maxAgeOfCache>#[maxAgeOfCache]#</maxAgeOfCache>
 		<minAgeOfCache>#[minAgeOfCache]#</minAgeOfCache>
 		<wordCacheMaxCount>#[wordOutCacheMaxCount]#</wordCacheMaxCount>
-		<wordCacheInitCount>#[wordCacheInitCount]#</wordCacheInitCount>
 		<wordFlushSize>#[wordFlushSize]#</wordFlushSize>
 	</Cache>
 	<ThreadPools>
diff --git a/source/de/anomic/crawler/Balancer.java b/source/de/anomic/crawler/Balancer.java
index 800b4977f..fbab98ae9 100644
--- a/source/de/anomic/crawler/Balancer.java
+++ b/source/de/anomic/crawler/Balancer.java
@@ -53,13 +53,14 @@ public class Balancer {
     private final ConcurrentHashMap<String, LinkedList<String>>
                                      domainStacks;    // a map from domain name part to Lists with url hashs
     private final ArrayList<String>  urlRAMStack;     // a list that is flushed first
-    private Stack            urlFileStack;    // a file with url hashes
-    private ObjectIndex            urlFileIndex;
+    private Stack                    urlFileStack;    // a file with url hashes
+    private ObjectIndex              urlFileIndex;
     private final File               cacheStacksPath;
     private final String             stackname;
     private boolean                  top;             // to alternate between top and bottom of the file stack
     private long                     minimumLocalDelta;
     private long                     minimumGlobalDelta;
+    private long                     lastPrepare;
     
     public Balancer(final File cachePath, final String stackname, final boolean fullram,
                     final long minimumLocalDelta, final long minimumGlobalDelta) {
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ public class Balancer {
         this.top            = true;
         this.minimumLocalDelta = minimumLocalDelta;
         this.minimumGlobalDelta = minimumGlobalDelta;
+        this.lastPrepare = System.currentTimeMillis();
         
         // create a stack for newly entered entries
         if (!(cachePath.exists())) cachePath.mkdir(); // make the path
@@ -577,6 +579,10 @@ public class Balancer {
             // this is only to protection against the worst case, where the crawler could
             // behave in a DoS-manner
             Log.logInfo("BALANCER", "forcing crawl-delay of " + sleeptime + " milliseconds for " + crawlEntry.url().getHost() + ((sleeptime > Math.max(minimumLocalDelta, minimumGlobalDelta)) ? " (caused by robots.txt)" : ""));
+            if (System.currentTimeMillis() - this.lastPrepare > 10000) {
+                prepare(100);
+                this.lastPrepare = System.currentTimeMillis();
+            }
             try {synchronized(this) { this.wait(sleeptime); }} catch (final InterruptedException e) {}
         }
         
@@ -595,9 +601,22 @@ public class Balancer {
      * @throws IOException
      */
     public synchronized ArrayList<CrawlEntry> top(int count) throws IOException {
+        // construct a list using the urlRAMStack which was filled with this procedure
+        count = prepare(count);
+        final ArrayList<CrawlEntry> list = new ArrayList<CrawlEntry>();
+        for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+            final String urlhash = urlRAMStack.get(i);
+            final Row.Entry entry = urlFileIndex.get(urlhash.getBytes());
+            if (entry == null) break;
+            list.add(new CrawlEntry(entry));
+        }
+        return list;
+    }
+    
+    private int prepare(int count) throws IOException {
         // if we need to flush anything, then flush the domain stack first,
         // to avoid that new urls get hidden by old entries from the file stack
-        if (urlRAMStack == null) return null;
+        if (urlRAMStack == null) return 0;
 
         // ensure that the domain stacks are filled enough
         shiftFileToDomStacks(count);
@@ -614,16 +633,7 @@ public class Balancer {
         // if the ram is still not full enough, use the file stack
         shiftFileToRAM(count);
         
-        // finally, construct a list using the urlRAMStack which was filled with this procedure
-        count = Math.min(count, urlRAMStack.size());
-        final ArrayList<CrawlEntry> list = new ArrayList<CrawlEntry>();
-        for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
-            final String urlhash = urlRAMStack.get(i);
-            final Row.Entry entry = urlFileIndex.get(urlhash.getBytes());
-            if (entry == null) break;
-            list.add(new CrawlEntry(entry));
-        }
-        return list;
+        return Math.min(count, urlRAMStack.size());
     }
     
     public synchronized Iterator<CrawlEntry> iterator() throws IOException {
diff --git a/source/de/anomic/kelondro/blob/BLOBArray.java b/source/de/anomic/kelondro/blob/BLOBArray.java
index e03af11aa..bac514baa 100755
--- a/source/de/anomic/kelondro/blob/BLOBArray.java
+++ b/source/de/anomic/kelondro/blob/BLOBArray.java
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
      * @param location
      * @throws IOException
      */
-    public void mountBLOB(File location) throws IOException {
+    public synchronized void mountBLOB(File location) throws IOException {
         Date d;
         try {
             d = DateFormatter.parseShortSecond(location.getName().substring(0, 14));
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
         blobs.add(new blobItem(d, location, oneBlob));
     }
     
-    public void unmountBLOB(File location, boolean writeIDX) {
+    public synchronized void unmountBLOB(File location, boolean writeIDX) {
         Iterator<blobItem> i = this.blobs.iterator();
         blobItem b;
         while (i.hasNext()) {
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
         }
     }
     
-    public File unmountOldestBLOB() {
+    public synchronized File unmountOldestBLOB() {
         if (this.blobs.size() == 0) return null;
         blobItem b = this.blobs.remove(0);
         b.blob.close(false);
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
      * return the number of BLOB files in this array
      * @return
      */
-    public int entries() {
+    public synchronized int entries() {
         return this.blobs.size();
     }
     
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
      * @param creation
      * @return
      */
-    public File newBLOB(Date creation) {
+    public synchronized File newBLOB(Date creation) {
         return new File(heapLocation, DateFormatter.formatShortSecond(creation) + "." + blobSalt + ".blob");
     }
     
@@ -221,9 +221,9 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
     }
     
     /*
-     * return the size of the repository
+     * return the size of the repository (in bytes)
      */
-    public long length() {
+    public synchronized long length() {
         long s = 0;
         for (int i = 0; i < blobs.size(); i++) s += blobs.get(i).location.length();
         return s;
@@ -262,16 +262,16 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
      * clears the content of the database
      * @throws IOException
      */
-    public void clear() throws IOException {
+    public synchronized void clear() throws IOException {
         for (blobItem bi: blobs) bi.blob.clear();
         blobs.clear();
     }
     
     /**
-     * ask for the number of entries
+     * ask for the number of blob entries
      * @return the number of entries in the table
      */
-    public int size() {
+    public synchronized int size() {
         int s = 0;
         for (blobItem bi: blobs) s += bi.blob.size();
         return s;
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
      * @return
      * @throws IOException
      */
-    public CloneableIterator<byte[]> keys(boolean up, boolean rotating) throws IOException {
+    public synchronized CloneableIterator<byte[]> keys(boolean up, boolean rotating) throws IOException {
         assert rotating = false;
         final List<CloneableIterator<byte[]>> c = new ArrayList<CloneableIterator<byte[]>>(blobs.size());
         final Iterator<blobItem> i = blobs.iterator();
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
      * @return
      * @throws IOException
      */
-    public CloneableIterator<byte[]> keys(boolean up, byte[] firstKey) throws IOException {
+    public synchronized CloneableIterator<byte[]> keys(boolean up, byte[] firstKey) throws IOException {
         final List<CloneableIterator<byte[]>> c = new ArrayList<CloneableIterator<byte[]>>(blobs.size());
         final Iterator<blobItem> i = blobs.iterator();
         while (i.hasNext()) {
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
      * @return
      * @throws IOException
      */
-    public boolean has(byte[] key) {
+    public synchronized boolean has(byte[] key) {
         for (blobItem bi: blobs) if (bi.blob.has(key)) return true;
         return false;
     }
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
      * @return
      * @throws IOException
      */
-    public byte[] get(byte[] key) throws IOException {
+    public synchronized byte[] get(byte[] key) throws IOException {
         byte[] b;
         for (blobItem bi: blobs) {
             b = bi.blob.get(key);
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
      * @return
      * @throws IOException
      */
-    public List<byte[]> getAll(byte[] key) throws IOException {
+    public synchronized List<byte[]> getAll(byte[] key) throws IOException {
         byte[] b;
         ArrayList<byte[]> l = new ArrayList<byte[]>(blobs.size());
         for (blobItem bi: blobs) {
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
      * @return the size of the BLOB or -1 if the BLOB does not exist
      * @throws IOException
      */
-    public long length(byte[] key) throws IOException {
+    public synchronized long length(byte[] key) throws IOException {
         long l;
         for (blobItem bi: blobs) {
             l = bi.blob.length(key);
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
      * @param b
      * @throws IOException
      */
-    public void put(byte[] key, byte[] b) throws IOException {
+    public synchronized void put(byte[] key, byte[] b) throws IOException {
         blobItem bi = (blobs.size() == 0) ? null : blobs.get(blobs.size() - 1);
         if (bi == null)
             System.out.println("bi == null");
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
      * @param key  the primary key
      * @throws IOException
      */
-    public int replace(byte[] key, Rewriter rewriter) throws IOException {
+    public synchronized int replace(byte[] key, Rewriter rewriter) throws IOException {
         int d = 0;
         for (blobItem bi: blobs) {
             d += bi.blob.replace(key, rewriter);
@@ -410,14 +410,14 @@ public class BLOBArray implements BLOB {
      * @param key  the primary key
      * @throws IOException
      */
-    public void remove(byte[] key) throws IOException {
+    public synchronized void remove(byte[] key) throws IOException {
         for (blobItem bi: blobs) bi.blob.remove(key);
     }
     
     /**
      * close the BLOB
      */
-    public void close(boolean writeIDX) {
+    public synchronized void close(boolean writeIDX) {
         for (blobItem bi: blobs) bi.blob.close(writeIDX);
         blobs.clear();
         blobs = null;
diff --git a/source/de/anomic/kelondro/text/ReferenceContainerArray.java b/source/de/anomic/kelondro/text/ReferenceContainerArray.java
index 05601d0df..3cb01717e 100644
--- a/source/de/anomic/kelondro/text/ReferenceContainerArray.java
+++ b/source/de/anomic/kelondro/text/ReferenceContainerArray.java
@@ -248,6 +248,9 @@ public final class ReferenceContainerArray {
         if (this.array.entries() < 2) return false;
         File f1 = this.array.unmountOldestBLOB();
         File f2 = this.array.unmountOldestBLOB();
+        System.out.println("*** DEBUG mergeOldest: vvvvvvvvv array has " + this.array.entries() + " entries vvvvvvvvv");
+        System.out.println("*** DEBUG mergeOldest: unmounted " + f1.getName());
+        System.out.println("*** DEBUG mergeOldest: unmounted " + f2.getName());
         // iterate both files and write a new one
         
         CloneableIterator<ReferenceContainer> i1 = new blobFileEntries(f1, this.payloadrow);
@@ -340,6 +343,8 @@ public final class ReferenceContainerArray {
         if (!f1.delete()) f1.deleteOnExit();
         if (!f2.delete()) f2.deleteOnExit();
         this.array.mountBLOB(newFile);
+        System.out.println("*** DEBUG mergeOldest:   mounted " + newFile.getName());
+        System.out.println("*** DEBUG mergeOldest: ^^^^^^^^^^^ array has " + this.array.entries() + " entries ^^^^^^^^^^^");
         return true;
     }
 
diff --git a/source/de/anomic/plasma/plasmaSwitchboard.java b/source/de/anomic/plasma/plasmaSwitchboard.java
index 3ad99c491..fadbd6ad5 100644
--- a/source/de/anomic/plasma/plasmaSwitchboard.java
+++ b/source/de/anomic/plasma/plasmaSwitchboard.java
@@ -288,8 +288,7 @@ public final class plasmaSwitchboard extends serverAbstractSwitch<IndexingStack.
         this.log.logConfig("Work Path:    " + this.workPath.toString());
         
         // set a high maximum cache size to current size; this is adopted later automatically
-        final int wordCacheMaxCount = Math.max((int) getConfigLong(plasmaSwitchboardConstants.WORDCACHE_INIT_COUNT, 30000),
-                                         (int) getConfigLong(plasmaSwitchboardConstants.WORDCACHE_MAX_COUNT, 20000));
+        final int wordCacheMaxCount = (int) getConfigLong(plasmaSwitchboardConstants.WORDCACHE_MAX_COUNT, 20000);
         setConfig(plasmaSwitchboardConstants.WORDCACHE_MAX_COUNT, Integer.toString(wordCacheMaxCount));
         
         // set network-specific performance attributes
diff --git a/source/de/anomic/plasma/plasmaSwitchboardConstants.java b/source/de/anomic/plasma/plasmaSwitchboardConstants.java
index e84210aee..2b85230ec 100644
--- a/source/de/anomic/plasma/plasmaSwitchboardConstants.java
+++ b/source/de/anomic/plasma/plasmaSwitchboardConstants.java
@@ -317,7 +317,6 @@ public final class plasmaSwitchboardConstants {
      */
     public static final String CRAWLER_THREADS_ACTIVE_MAX       = "crawler.MaxActiveThreads";
     public static final String YACY_MODE_DEBUG                  = "yacyDebugMode";
-    public static final String WORDCACHE_INIT_COUNT             = "wordCacheInitCount";
     /**
      * <p><code>public static final String <strong>WORDCACHE_MAX_COUNT</strong> = "wordCacheMaxCount"</code></p>
      * <p>Name of the setting how many words the word-cache (or DHT-Out cache) shall contain maximal. Indexing pages if the