diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixTransactionProperties.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixTransactionProperties.java
index 6fa5beb..5a40ece 100644
--- a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixTransactionProperties.java
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixTransactionProperties.java
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
     private static final int TXN_LOG_BUFFER_PAGESIZE_DEFAULT = (128 << 10); // 128KB
 
     private static final String TXN_LOG_PARTITIONSIZE_KEY = "txn.log.partitionsize";
-    private static final long TXN_LOG_PARTITIONSIZE_DEFAULT = (2 << 30); // 2GB
+    private static final long TXN_LOG_PARTITIONSIZE_DEFAULT = ((long)2 << 30); // 2GB
 
     private static final String TXN_LOG_DISKSECTORSIZE_KEY = "txn.log.disksectorsize";
     private static final int TXN_LOG_DISKSECTORSIZE_DEFAULT = 4096;
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/transactions/FileBasedBuffer.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/transactions/FileBasedBuffer.java
index 7ef378e..fbe9b4c 100644
--- a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/transactions/FileBasedBuffer.java
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/transactions/FileBasedBuffer.java
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
         buffer.position(pos);
         buffer.limit(limit);
         fileChannel.write(buffer);
-        fileChannel.force(true);
+        fileChannel.force(false);
 
         //update variables
         bufferLastFlushOffset = limit;
diff --git a/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/driver/InstallerUtil.java b/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/driver/InstallerUtil.java
index e62cc59..2e04bbf 100644
--- a/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/driver/InstallerUtil.java
+++ b/asterix-installer/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/installer/driver/InstallerUtil.java
@@ -247,7 +247,8 @@
         String txnLogDir = null;
         for (Node node : cluster.getNode()) {
             coredumpDir = node.getLogDir() == null ? cluster.getLogDir() : node.getLogDir();
-            coredump.add(new Coredump(asterixInstanceName + "_" + node.getId(), coredumpDir  + File.separator + asterixInstanceName +  "_"  + node.getId()));
+            coredump.add(new Coredump(asterixInstanceName + "_" + node.getId(), coredumpDir + File.separator
+                    + asterixInstanceName + "_" + node.getId()));
 
             txnLogDir = node.getTxnLogDir() == null ? cluster.getTxnLogDir() : node.getTxnLogDir();
             txnLogDirs.add(new TransactionLogDir(asterixInstanceName + "_" + node.getId(), txnLogDir));
@@ -455,17 +456,19 @@
         boolean conflictFound = false;
         AsterixInstance conflictingInstance = null;
         for (AsterixInstance existing : existingInstances) {
-            conflictFound = existing.getCluster().getMasterNode().getClusterIp().equals(masterIp);
-            if (conflictFound) {
-                conflictingInstance = existing;
-                break;
-            }
-            for (Node n : existing.getCluster().getNode()) {
-                if (usedIps.contains(n.getClusterIp())) {
-                    conflictFound = true;
+            if (!existing.getState().equals(State.INACTIVE)) {
+                conflictFound = existing.getCluster().getMasterNode().getClusterIp().equals(masterIp);
+                if (conflictFound) {
                     conflictingInstance = existing;
                     break;
                 }
+                for (Node n : existing.getCluster().getNode()) {
+                    if (usedIps.contains(n.getClusterIp())) {
+                        conflictFound = true;
+                        conflictingInstance = existing;
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
             }
         }
         if (conflictFound) {
diff --git a/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml b/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml
index e542efd..6b3133c 100644
--- a/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml
+++ b/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml
@@ -126,9 +126,9 @@
 
 	<property>
 		<name>txn.log.groupcommitinterval</name>
-		<value>1</value>
+		<value>40</value>
 		<description>The group commit wait time in milliseconds. (Default =
-			"10" // 0.1ms)
+			"40" // 40ms)
 		</description>
 	</property>
 
diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/locking/LockManager.java b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/locking/LockManager.java
index a18b3d3..b09cd52 100644
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/locking/LockManager.java
+++ b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/locking/LockManager.java
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ITransactionContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ITransactionManager.TransactionState;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.JobId;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogicalLogLocator;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.logging.LogType;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.logging.LogUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.transaction.TransactionManagementConstants.LockManagerConstants.LockMode;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.transaction.TransactionSubsystem;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.lifecycle.ILifeCycleComponent;
diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/IndexLogger.java b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/IndexLogger.java
index 9c9439c..755e85b 100644
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/IndexLogger.java
+++ b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/IndexLogger.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.IResourceManager.ResourceType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ITransactionContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ITransactionSubsystem;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogicalLogLocator;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ReusableLogContentObject;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogCursor.java b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogCursor.java
index 803a2a9..d3e1ad1 100644
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogCursor.java
+++ b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogCursor.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ILogCursor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ILogFilter;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogManagerProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogicalLogLocator;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.PhysicalLogLocator;
 
diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogManager.java b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogManager.java
index 07f89cb..5b10144 100644
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogManager.java
+++ b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogManager.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.IOException;
-import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.io.OutputStream;
 import java.io.RandomAccessFile;
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
@@ -25,7 +24,6 @@
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.Properties;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.LinkedBlockingQueue;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
@@ -45,10 +43,10 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ILogger;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ITransactionContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogManagerProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogicalLogLocator;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.PhysicalLogLocator;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ReusableLogContentObject;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.transaction.TransactionManagementConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.transaction.TransactionSubsystem;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.lifecycle.ILifeCycleComponent;
diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogUtil.java b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogUtil.java
deleted file mode 100644
index 035a319..0000000
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/logging/LogUtil.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,142 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright 2009-2013 by The Regents of the University of California
- * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
- * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
- * you may obtain a copy of the License from
- * 
- *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- * 
- * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
- * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
- * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
- * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
- * limitations under the License.
- */
-package edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.logging;
-
-import java.io.File;
-import java.io.FilenameFilter;
-import java.io.IOException;
-import java.util.ArrayList;
-import java.util.Collections;
-import java.util.Comparator;
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.logging.Level;
-import java.util.logging.Logger;
-
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.ACIDException;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.FileUtil;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ILogManager;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogManagerProperties;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogicalLogLocator;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.PhysicalLogLocator;
-
-
-/**
- * A utility class providing helper methods for the {@link ILogManager}
- */
-public class LogUtil {
-
-    private static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(LogUtil.class.getName());
-
-    // read the log directory and initialize log anchor to point to the
-    // current log partition file and the offset where the log manager shall
-    // continue to insert log records.
-
-    public static PhysicalLogLocator initializeLogAnchor(ILogManager logManager) throws ACIDException {
-        int fileId = 0;
-        long offset = 0;
-        LogManagerProperties logManagerProperties = logManager.getLogManagerProperties();
-        File logDir = new File(logManagerProperties.getLogDir());
-        try {
-            if (logDir.exists()) {
-                List<String> logFiles = getLogFiles(logManagerProperties);
-                if (logFiles == null || logFiles.size() == 0) {
-                    FileUtil.createFileIfNotExists(getLogFilePath(logManagerProperties, 0));
-                    if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
-                        LOGGER.info("created a log file: " + getLogFilePath(logManagerProperties, 0));
-                    }
-                } else {
-                    File logFile = new File(LogUtil.getLogFilePath(logManagerProperties,
-                            Long.parseLong(logFiles.get(logFiles.size() - 1))));
-                    fileId = logFiles.size() - 1;
-                    offset = logFile.length();
-                }
-            } else {
-                FileUtil.createNewDirectory(logManagerProperties.getLogDir());
-                if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
-                    LOGGER.info("created the log directory: " + logManagerProperties.getLogDir());
-                }
-                FileUtil.createFileIfNotExists(getLogFilePath(logManagerProperties, 0));
-                if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
-                    LOGGER.info("created a log file: " + getLogFilePath(logManagerProperties, 0));
-                }
-            }
-        } catch (IOException ioe) {
-            throw new ACIDException("Unable to initialize log anchor", ioe);
-        }
-        if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
-            LOGGER.info(" file id :" + fileId + " offset " + offset);
-        }
-        return new PhysicalLogLocator(fileId, offset, logManager);
-    }
-
-    public static List<String> getLogFiles(final LogManagerProperties logManagerProperties) {
-        File logDir = new File(logManagerProperties.getLogDir());
-        String[] logFiles = new String[0];
-        List<String> logFileCollection = new ArrayList<String>();
-        if (logDir.exists()) {
-            logFiles = logDir.list(new FilenameFilter() {
-                public boolean accept(File dir, String name) {
-                    if (name.startsWith(logManagerProperties.getLogFilePrefix())) {
-                        return true;
-                    }
-                    return false;
-                }
-            });
-        }
-        for (String logFile : logFiles) {
-            logFileCollection.add(logFile.substring(logManagerProperties.getLogFilePrefix().length() + 1));
-        }
-        Collections.sort(logFileCollection, new Comparator<String>() {
-            @Override
-            public int compare(String arg0, String arg1) {
-                return Integer.parseInt(arg0) - Integer.parseInt(arg1);
-            }
-        });
-        return logFileCollection;
-    }
-
-    public static long getFileId(String logFilePath, LogManagerProperties logManagerProperties) {
-        String logFileName = logFilePath;
-        if (logFilePath.contains(File.separator)) {
-            logFileName = logFilePath.substring(logFilePath.lastIndexOf(File.separator));
-        }
-        return Long.parseLong(logFileName.substring(logFileName.indexOf(logManagerProperties.getLogFilePrefix())));
-    }
-
-    public static String getLogFilePath(LogManagerProperties logManagerProperties, long fileId) {
-        return logManagerProperties.getLogDir() + File.separator + logManagerProperties.getLogFilePrefix() + "_"
-                + fileId;
-    }
-
-    public static LogicalLogLocator getDummyLogicalLogLocator(ILogManager logManager) {
-        LogicalLogLocator logicalLogLocator = new LogicalLogLocator(-1, null, -1, logManager);
-        return logicalLogLocator;
-    }
-
-    /*
-     * given a lsn, get the offset within the log file where the corresponding
-     * log record is (to be) placed.
-     */
-    public static long getFileOffset(ILogManager logManager, long lsn) {
-        return lsn % logManager.getLogManagerProperties().getLogPartitionSize();
-    }
-
-    /*
-     * given a lsn, get the file id that contains the log record.
-     */
-    public static long getFileId(ILogManager logManager, long lsn) {
-        return lsn / logManager.getLogManagerProperties().getLogPartitionSize();
-    }
-}
diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/recovery/RecoveryManager.java b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/recovery/RecoveryManager.java
index 5b946bc..ad1db1f 100644
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/recovery/RecoveryManager.java
+++ b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/recovery/RecoveryManager.java
@@ -49,12 +49,12 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.IResourceManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.IResourceManager.ResourceType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ITransactionContext;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogicalLogLocator;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.PhysicalLogLocator;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.logging.IndexResourceManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.logging.LogManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.logging.LogType;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.logging.LogUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.transaction.TransactionManagementConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.transaction.TransactionManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.transaction.TransactionSubsystem;
diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/transaction/TransactionContext.java b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/transaction/TransactionContext.java
index 06a5fbf..33522e3 100644
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/transaction/TransactionContext.java
+++ b/asterix-transactions/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/service/transaction/TransactionContext.java
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ITransactionContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ITransactionManager.TransactionState;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.JobId;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogicalLogLocator;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.logging.LogUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.common.api.IModificationOperationCallback;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.lsm.common.api.ILSMIndex;
diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/logging/test/TransactionWorkloadSimulator.java b/asterix-transactions/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/logging/test/TransactionWorkloadSimulator.java
index 1298791..a74b079 100644
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/logging/test/TransactionWorkloadSimulator.java
+++ b/asterix-transactions/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/logging/test/TransactionWorkloadSimulator.java
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ILogRecordHelper;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.IResourceManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.IResourceManager.ResourceType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogicalLogLocator;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.logging.BasicLogger;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.logging.LogActionType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.logging.LogType;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.logging.LogUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.transaction.JobIdFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.transaction.TransactionContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.transaction.TransactionSubsystem;
diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/test/LogRecordReader.java b/asterix-transactions/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/test/LogRecordReader.java
index 9aed571..8e13356 100644
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/test/LogRecordReader.java
+++ b/asterix-transactions/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/test/LogRecordReader.java
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ILogFilter;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ILogManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ILogRecordHelper;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogicalLogLocator;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.PhysicalLogLocator;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.logging.LogManager;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.logging.LogUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.transaction.TransactionSubsystem;
 
 public class LogRecordReader {
diff --git a/asterix-transactions/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/test/TransactionSimulator.java b/asterix-transactions/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/test/TransactionSimulator.java
index b683a93..4bebbc4 100644
--- a/asterix-transactions/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/test/TransactionSimulator.java
+++ b/asterix-transactions/src/test/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/transaction/management/test/TransactionSimulator.java
@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ITransactionContext;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.ITransactionManager;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.JobId;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.transactions.LogicalLogLocator;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.logging.IResource;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.logging.LogType;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.logging.LogUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.transaction.JobIdFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.transaction.management.service.transaction.TransactionSubsystem;