diff -Nur plague-0.4.4.1-orig/builder/builder.py plague-0.4.4.1/builder/builder.py
--- plague-0.4.4.1-orig/builder/builder.py	2006-03-13 16:09:23.000000000 +0100
+++ plague-0.4.4.1/builder/builder.py	2008-01-04 15:09:21.000000000 +0100
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@
                 sys.stdout.write(s + string)
                 sys.stdout.flush()
 
-    def dl_callback(self, dl_status, cb_data):
+    def dl_callback(self, dl_status, cb_data, err_msg):
         url = cb_data
         if dl_status == 'done':
             self._status = 'downloaded'
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@
             else:
                 # retry the download
                 self._status = 'init'
-                self._log("ERROR: Failed to retrieve %s on attempt %d.  Trying again...\n" % (url, self._srpm_tries))
+                self._log("ERROR: Failed to retrieve %s on attempt %d (%s).  Trying again...\n" % (url, self._srpm_tries, err_msg))
 
     def _copy_mock_output_to_log(self):
         if self._mock_log and os.path.exists(self._mock_log):
diff -Nur plague-0.4.4.1-orig/common/FileDownloader.py plague-0.4.4.1/common/FileDownloader.py
--- plague-0.4.4.1-orig/common/FileDownloader.py	2005-11-18 16:12:03.000000000 +0100
+++ plague-0.4.4.1/common/FileDownloader.py	2008-01-04 15:06:19.000000000 +0100
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@
 
     def run(self):
         result = None
+        err_msg = None
         if self._url and self._target_dir and self._filename:
             if not os.path.exists(self._target_dir):
                 os.makedirs(self._target_dir)
@@ -105,16 +106,21 @@
 #                if CommonErrors.canIgnoreSSLError(e):
 #                    pass
             except socket.error, e:
-                if CommonErrors.canIgnoreSocketError(e):
-                    pass
+                if not CommonErrors.canIgnoreSocketError(e):
+                    err_msg = "Socket Error: %s" % e
             except IOError, e:
-                if CommonErrors.canIgnoreSocketError(e):
-                    pass
+                if not CommonErrors.canIgnoreSocketError(e):
+                    err_msg = "IOError Error: %s" % e
 
+            if result:  # extra check to examine mysterious add_to_repo errors
+                if not os.path.exists(target_file) or not os.access(target_file, os.
+R_OK):
+                    err_msg = "Downloaded file is inaccessible!"
+                    result = False
         if result:
-            self._callback('done', self._cb_data)
+            self._callback('done', self._cb_data, err_msg)
         else:
-            self._callback('failed', self._cb_data)
+            self._callback('failed', self._cb_data, err_msg)
 
 
 
diff -Nur plague-0.4.4.1-orig/server/ArchJob.py plague-0.4.4.1/server/ArchJob.py
--- plague-0.4.4.1-orig/server/ArchJob.py	2006-02-23 20:10:30.000000000 +0100
+++ plague-0.4.4.1/server/ArchJob.py	2008-01-04 15:08:14.000000000 +0100
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@
                     dl_dict[DL_WAIT_TIME] = 0
                     self._downloads[uf] = dl_dict
 
-    def dl_callback(self, status, cb_data):
+    def dl_callback(self, status, cb_data, err_msg):
         url = cb_data
         self._download_lock.acquire()
         dl_dict = self._downloads[url]
@@ -207,8 +207,8 @@
             if dl_dict[DL_RETRIES] >= 10:
                 dl_dict[DL_STATUS] = STATUS_ERROR
             else:
-                print "%s (%s/%s): Failed to retrieve %s (attempt %d), trying again..." % (self.par_job.uid,
-                        self.par_job.package, self._target_dict['arch'], url, dl_dict[DL_RETRIES])
+                print "%s (%s/%s): Failed to retrieve %s (attempt %d) (Error %s), trying again..." % (self.par_job.uid,
+                        self.par_job.package, self._target_dict['arch'], url, dl_dict[DL_RETRIES], err_msg)
                 dl_dict[DL_STATUS] = STATUS_WAITING
                 dl_dict[DL_WAIT_TIME] = 5  # Wait a bit before trying again
                 dl_dict[DL_RETRIES] = dl_dict[DL_RETRIES] + 1