diff --git a/src/backend/commands/user.c b/src/backend/commands/user.c
index 2164c516f9..25150818a7 100644
--- a/src/backend/commands/user.c
+++ b/src/backend/commands/user.c
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  * Portions Copyright (c) 1996-2000, PostgreSQL, Inc
  * Portions Copyright (c) 1994, Regents of the University of California
  *
- * $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/backend/commands/user.c,v 1.66 2000/08/03 16:34:01 tgl Exp $
+ * $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/backend/commands/user.c,v 1.67 2000/08/27 21:50:17 tgl Exp $
  *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ write_password_file(Relation rel)
 	fp = AllocateFile(tempname, "w");
 	umask(oumask);
 	if (fp == NULL)
-		elog(ERROR, "%s: %m", tempname);
+		elog(ERROR, "write_password_file: unable to write %s: %m", tempname);
 
 	/* read table */
 	scan = heap_beginscan(rel, false, SnapshotSelf, 0, NULL);
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ write_password_file(Relation rel)
 	filename = crypt_getpwdreloadfilename();
 	flagfd = BasicOpenFile(filename, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT, 0600);
 	if (flagfd < 0)
-		elog(NOTICE, "%s: %m", filename);
+		elog(NOTICE, "write_password_file: unable to write %s: %m", filename);
 	else
 		close(flagfd);
 	pfree((void *) filename);
diff --git a/src/backend/libpq/crypt.c b/src/backend/libpq/crypt.c
index 6cc9abb90e..0145951418 100644
--- a/src/backend/libpq/crypt.c
+++ b/src/backend/libpq/crypt.c
@@ -9,11 +9,12 @@
  * Dec 17, 1997 - Todd A. Brandys
  *	Orignal Version Completed.
  *
- * $Id: crypt.c,v 1.28 2000/07/12 22:58:59 petere Exp $
+ * $Id: crypt.c,v 1.29 2000/08/27 21:50:18 tgl Exp $
  *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 
+#include <errno.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "postgres.h"
@@ -32,11 +33,10 @@ int			pwd_cache_count = 0;
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 char *
-crypt_getpwdfilename()
+crypt_getpwdfilename(void)
 {
-
-	static char *pfnam = NULL;
 	int			bufsize;
+	char	   *pfnam;
 
 	bufsize = strlen(DataDir) + 8 + strlen(CRYPT_PWD_FILE) + 1;
 	pfnam = (char *) palloc(bufsize);
@@ -48,12 +48,11 @@ crypt_getpwdfilename()
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 char *
-crypt_getpwdreloadfilename()
+crypt_getpwdreloadfilename(void)
 {
-
-	static char *rpfnam = NULL;
 	char	   *pwdfilename;
 	int			bufsize;
+	char	   *rpfnam;
 
 	pwdfilename = crypt_getpwdfilename();
 	bufsize = strlen(pwdfilename) + strlen(CRYPT_PWD_RELOAD_SUFX) + 1;
@@ -65,9 +64,8 @@ crypt_getpwdreloadfilename()
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-static
-FILE *
-crypt_openpwdfile()
+static FILE *
+crypt_openpwdfile(void)
 {
 	char	   *filename;
 	FILE	   *pwdfile;
@@ -75,13 +73,16 @@ crypt_openpwdfile()
 	filename = crypt_getpwdfilename();
 	pwdfile = AllocateFile(filename, PG_BINARY_R);
 
+	if (pwdfile == NULL)
+		fprintf(stderr, "Couldn't read %s: %s\n",
+				filename, strerror(errno));
+
 	return pwdfile;
 }
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-static
-int
+static int
 compar_user(const void *user_a, const void *user_b)
 {
 
@@ -115,9 +116,8 @@ compar_user(const void *user_a, const void *user_b)
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-static
-void
-crypt_loadpwdfile()
+static void
+crypt_loadpwdfile(void)
 {
 
 	char	   *filename;
@@ -176,8 +176,7 @@ crypt_loadpwdfile()
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-static
-void
+static void
 crypt_parsepwdentry(char *buffer, char **pwd, char **valdate)
 {
 
@@ -212,11 +211,9 @@ crypt_parsepwdentry(char *buffer, char **pwd, char **valdate)
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-static
-int
+static int
 crypt_getloginfo(const char *user, char **passwd, char **valuntil)
 {
-
 	char	   *pwd,
 			   *valdate;
 	void	   *fakeout;
diff --git a/src/backend/libpq/hba.c b/src/backend/libpq/hba.c
index dca3cf4fc3..5dbf7d61db 100644
--- a/src/backend/libpq/hba.c
+++ b/src/backend/libpq/hba.c
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
  *	  wherein you authenticate a user by seeing what IP address the system
  *	  says he comes from and possibly using ident).
  *
- *	$Id: hba.c,v 1.53 2000/07/08 03:04:39 tgl Exp $
+ *	$Id: hba.c,v 1.54 2000/08/27 21:50:18 tgl Exp $
  *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
@@ -427,10 +427,8 @@ find_hba_entry(hbaPort *port, bool *hba_ok_p)
 			/* The open of the config file failed.	*/
 
 			snprintf(PQerrormsg, PQERRORMSG_LENGTH,
-				 "find_hba_entry: Host-based authentication config file "
-				"does not exist or permissions are not setup correctly! "
-					 "Unable to open file \"%s\".\n",
-					 conf_file);
+					 "find_hba_entry: Unable to open authentication config file \"%s\": %s\n",
+					 conf_file, strerror(errno));
 			fputs(PQerrormsg, stderr);
 			pqdebug("%s", PQerrormsg);
 		}
@@ -812,16 +810,13 @@ verify_against_usermap(const char *pguser,
 		{
 			/* The open of the map file failed.  */
 
-			*checks_out_p = false;
-
 			snprintf(PQerrormsg, PQERRORMSG_LENGTH,
-				  "verify_against_usermap: usermap file for Ident-based "
-					 "authentication "
-				"does not exist or permissions are not setup correctly! "
-					 "Unable to open file \"%s\".\n",
-					 map_file);
+					 "verify_against_usermap: Unable to open usermap file \"%s\": %s\n",
+					 map_file, strerror(errno));
 			fputs(PQerrormsg, stderr);
 			pqdebug("%s", PQerrormsg);
+
+			*checks_out_p = false;
 		}
 		else
 		{
@@ -981,7 +976,10 @@ GetCharSetByHost(char *TableName, int host, const char *DataDir)
 	snprintf(map_file, bufsize, "%s/%s", DataDir, CHARSET_FILE);
 	file = AllocateFile(map_file, PG_BINARY_R);
 	if (file == NULL)
+	{
+		/* XXX should we log a complaint? */
 		return;
+	}
 	while (!eof)
 	{
 		c = getc(file);
diff --git a/src/backend/libpq/password.c b/src/backend/libpq/password.c
index d34ca4cdf4..1eede3799a 100644
--- a/src/backend/libpq/password.c
+++ b/src/backend/libpq/password.c
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@
  * Portions Copyright (c) 1996-2000, PostgreSQL, Inc
  * Portions Copyright (c) 1994, Regents of the University of California
  *
- * $Id: password.c,v 1.31 2000/07/08 03:04:40 tgl Exp $
+ * $Id: password.c,v 1.32 2000/08/27 21:50:18 tgl Exp $
  *
  */
 
+#include <errno.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "postgres.h"
@@ -36,8 +37,8 @@ verify_password(const Port *port, const char *user, const char *password)
 	if (!pw_file)
 	{
 		snprintf(PQerrormsg, PQERRORMSG_LENGTH,
-				 "verify_password: couldn't open password file '%s'\n",
-				 pw_file_fullname);
+				 "verify_password: Unable to open password file \"%s\": %s\n",
+				 pw_file_fullname, strerror(errno));
 		fputs(PQerrormsg, stderr);
 		pqdebug("%s", PQerrormsg);