diff --git a/xli/root.c b/xli/root.c

index 17ed9bd..d187a2f 100644

--- a/xli/root.c

+++ b/xli/root.c

@@ -15,17 +15,6 @@

 #define RETAIN_PROP_NAME	"_XSETROOT_ID"

-static void updateProperty(Display * dpy, Window w, char *name, Atom type, int format, int data, int nelem)

-{

-	/* intern the property name */

-	Atom atom = XInternAtom(dpy, name, 0);

-

-	/* create or replace the property */

-	XChangeProperty(dpy, w, atom, type, format, PropModeReplace,

-			(unsigned char *) &data, nelem);

-}

-

-

 /* Sets the close-down mode of the client to 'RetainPermanent'

  * so all client resources will be preserved after the client

  * exits.  Puts a property on the default root window containing

@@ -36,9 +25,15 @@ static void preserveResource(Display * dpy, Window w)

 {

 	/* create dummy resource */

 	Pixmap pm = XCreatePixmap(dpy, w, 1, 1, 1);

+        unsigned char *data = (unsigned char *) ±

-	/* create/replace the property */

-	updateProperty(dpy, w, RETAIN_PROP_NAME, XA_PIXMAP, 32, (int) pm, 1);

+        /* intern the property name */

+        char *name = RETAIN_PROP_NAME;

+        Atom atom = XInternAtom(dpy, name, 0);

+

+        /* create or replace the property */

+        XChangeProperty(dpy, w, atom, XA_PIXMAP, 32, PropModeReplace,

+                        data, sizeof(Pixmap)/4);

 	/* retain all client resources until explicitly killed */

 	XSetCloseDownMode(dpy, RetainPermanent);

@@ -52,30 +47,57 @@ static void preserveResource(Display * dpy, Window w)

 static void freePrevious(Display * dpy, Window w)

 {

 	Pixmap *pm;

-	Atom actual_type;	/* NOTUSED */

+        unsigned char *charpm;

+        Atom actual_type;

 	int format;

-	int nitems;

-	int bytes_after;

+        unsigned long nitems;

+        unsigned long bytes_after;

+        int returncode;

 	/* intern the property name */

 	Atom atom = XInternAtom(dpy, RETAIN_PROP_NAME, 0);

-	/* look for existing resource allocation */

-	if ((XGetWindowProperty(dpy, w, atom, 0, 1, 1 /*delete */ ,

-				AnyPropertyType, &actual_type, &format,

-				(unsigned long *) &nitems,

-				(unsigned long *) &bytes_after,

-				(unsigned char **) &pm) == Success) &&

-	    nitems == 1)

-		if ((actual_type == XA_PIXMAP) && (format == 32) &&

-		    (nitems == 1) && (bytes_after == 0)) {

-			/* blast it away */

-			XKillClient(dpy, (XID) * pm);

-			XFree((caddr_t) pm);

-		} else if (actual_type != None) {

-			fprintf(stderr, "%s: warning: invalid format encountered for property %s\n",

-				"xli", RETAIN_PROP_NAME);

-		}

+        nitems = sizeof(Pixmap)/4;

+        returncode = XGetWindowProperty(dpy, w, atom,

+                                        0, nitems, 1/*delete*/,

+                                        XA_PIXMAP, &actual_type,

+                                        &format, &nitems,

+                                        &bytes_after, &charpm);

+        if (returncode != Success) {

+            if (globals.verbose)

+                fprintf(stderr, "failed to look for %s with return code %i.\n",

+                        RETAIN_PROP_NAME, returncode);

+            return;

+        }

+

+        /* Check if the property was found */

+        if (actual_type == None) {

+            if (globals.verbose)

+                fprintf(stderr, "didn't find evidence of prior run.\n");

+            return;

+        }

+

+        /* Make sure the dummy value is still present */

+        if (actual_type != XA_PIXMAP) {

+            if (globals.verbose)

+                fprintf(stderr, "found wrong data type - skipped.\n");

+            return;

+        }

+

+        /* Check size, in case we're a different architecture */

+        if ((nitems != sizeof(Pixmap)/4) ||

+            (format != 32) ||

+            (bytes_after != 0)) {

+            if (globals.verbose)

+                fprintf(stderr, "saw wrong %li / word size %i / architecture %li.\n",

+                        bytes_after, format, nitems);

+            return;

+        }

+

+        /* blast it away */

+        pm = (Pixmap*) charpm;

+        XKillClient(dpy, (XID) *pm);

+        XFree(charpm);

 }

 /* this returns the root window for DECWindows servers.  this is right

@@ -160,23 +182,22 @@ void imageOnRoot(DisplayInfo * dinfo, Image * image, ImageOptions * options)

 		for (i = 0; i < numChildren; i++) {

 			Atom actual_type;

 			int actual_format;

-			long nitems, bytesafter;

-			Window *newRoot = NULL;

-

-			if (XGetWindowProperty(disp, children[i], __SWM_VROOT,

-					0, 1, FALSE, XA_WINDOW, &actual_type,

-					&actual_format,

-					(unsigned long *) &nitems,

-					(unsigned long *) &bytesafter,

-					(unsigned char **) &newRoot)

-					== Success && newRoot) {

-				root = *newRoot;

-				break;

+                        unsigned long nitems, bytesafter;

+                        unsigned char *newRoot = 0;

+

+                        if ((XGetWindowProperty (disp, children[i], __SWM_VROOT,0,1,

+                                                 False, XA_WINDOW,

+                                                 &actual_type, &actual_format,

+                                                 &nitems, &bytesafter, &newRoot)

+                             == Success) &&

+                            newRoot) {

+                            root = *((Window*) newRoot);

+                            break;

 			}

 		}

 		XFree((caddr_t) children);

 	}

-	freePrevious(disp, root);

+        freePrevious(disp, root);

 	if (!(ximageinfo = imageToXImage(disp, scrn,

 			DefaultVisual(disp, scrn),