diff --git a/balls/packages/parameters/packages/commands/absent b/balls/packages/parameters/packages/commands/absent
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ffb895e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/balls/packages/parameters/packages/commands/absent
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+yum remove -y -d 0 -e 0
diff --git a/balls/packages/parameters/packages/commands/present b/balls/packages/parameters/packages/commands/present
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..791bdc2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/balls/packages/parameters/packages/commands/present
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+yum install -y -d 1 -e 0
diff --git a/balls/packages/scripts/00-installpkgs.sh b/balls/packages/scripts/00-installpkgs.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f77164b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/balls/packages/scripts/00-installpkgs.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+#########################
+#
+# 00-installpkgs.sh
+#
+# For each package listed under $(hostname)/packages/[present|absent], 
+# install/remove the package there using the package management 
+# commands under $(hostname)/packages/commands/[present|absent].
+#########################
+
+HOSTNAME=$(hostname)
+RETVAL=0
+
+for op in present absent
+do
+    PKGCMD=$(disco-param get ${HOSTNAME}/packages/commands/${op})
+    for pkgname in $(disco-param keys ${HOSTNAME}/packages/${op})
+    do
+	$PKGCMD $pkgname
+	RETVAL=$(expr $RETVAL + $?)
+    done
+done
+
+exit $RETVAL
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/client/bin/disco-fs-diff b/client/bin/disco-fs-diff
index 29177d1..9546f56 100755
--- a/client/bin/disco-fs-diff
+++ b/client/bin/disco-fs-diff
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ do
     MD5_NEW=$(md5sum ${DISCOROOT}/scratchfs${FNAME} 2>/dev/null| cut -d " " -f 1)
     STAT_NEW=$(chroot ${DISCOROOT}/chroot stat --format "owner='%G:%U', selinux='%C', md5='${MD5_NEW}'" /${FNAME} 2>/dev/null)
     if [ ! -d ${FNAME} ] && [ ! -d ${DISCOROOT}/scratchfs${FNAME} ]; then 
-	diff -N ${FNAME} ${DISCOROOT}/scratchfs${FNAME} 2>/dev/null > /tmp/$$.diff
+	diff -N ${FNAME} ${DISCOROOT}/scratchfs${FNAME} 2>/dev/null | grep -v "^Binary file" > /tmp/$$.diff
     fi
     echo "${LINE}, ${STAT_NEW}"
     if [ -f /tmp/$$.diff ]; then
diff --git a/universe/bin/disco-ball b/universe/bin/disco-ball
index 3f9aa90..e35024f 100755
--- a/universe/bin/disco-ball
+++ b/universe/bin/disco-ball
@@ -129,12 +129,14 @@ function spin() {
     /usr/bin/time -f "$TIME" -o /var/disco/reports/${module}/diff disco-fs-diff
     if [ "$NOOP" == "" ]; then
 	# Now for the real rsync back home
-	rsync -aWH /var/disco/testfs/real/scratchfs/. /
 	cd /var/disco/testfs/real/scratchfs/.unionfs
-	for file in $(find . -iname "_HIDDEN~" -type f); 
+	for file in $(find . -iname "*_HIDDEN~" | sed -e s/"^\."/""/g -e s/"_HIDDEN~$"/""/g); 
 	do 
 	    rm -rf /${file}
 	done
+	cd ..
+	rm -rf ./.unionfs
+	rsync -aWH /var/disco/testfs/real/scratchfs/. /
     fi
     rm -rf /var/disco/testfs/noop/scratchfs/*
     rm -rf /var/disco/testfs/real/scratchfs/*