diff --git a/crlcore/etc/node180/scn6m_deep_09/__init__.py b/crlcore/etc/node180/scn6m_deep_09/__init__.py
index 3e87f4a0..8f89f0ad 100644
--- a/crlcore/etc/node180/scn6m_deep_09/__init__.py
+++ b/crlcore/etc/node180/scn6m_deep_09/__init__.py
@@ -39,3 +39,5 @@ import node180.scn6m_deep_09.devices
 import node180.scn6m_deep_09.dtr_scn6m_deep_09
 
 Cfg.Configuration.popDefaultPriority()
+
+helpers.tagConfModules()
diff --git a/crlcore/etc/node45/freepdk45/__init__.py b/crlcore/etc/node45/freepdk45/__init__.py
index c245b98c..d02344fa 100644
--- a/crlcore/etc/node45/freepdk45/__init__.py
+++ b/crlcore/etc/node45/freepdk45/__init__.py
@@ -38,3 +38,5 @@ import node45.freepdk45.stratus1
 import node45.freepdk45.devices
 
 Cfg.Configuration.popDefaultPriority()
+
+helpers.tagConfModules()
diff --git a/crlcore/etc/node600/phenitec/__init__.py b/crlcore/etc/node600/phenitec/__init__.py
index 5ba0b2db..de569860 100644
--- a/crlcore/etc/node600/phenitec/__init__.py
+++ b/crlcore/etc/node600/phenitec/__init__.py
@@ -38,3 +38,5 @@ import node600.phenitec.stratus1
 import node600.phenitec.devices
 
 Cfg.Configuration.popDefaultPriority()
+
+helpers.tagConfModules()
diff --git a/crlcore/etc/symbolic/cmos/__init__.py b/crlcore/etc/symbolic/cmos/__init__.py
index 0a07e2a8..4cb5139a 100644
--- a/crlcore/etc/symbolic/cmos/__init__.py
+++ b/crlcore/etc/symbolic/cmos/__init__.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 
 import Cfg
+import helpers
 import helpers.io
 helpers.io.vprint( 1, '  o  Loading "symbolic.cmos" technology.' )
 helpers.io.vprint( 2, '     - "%s".' % helpers.truncPath(__file__) )
@@ -37,3 +38,5 @@ import symbolic.cmos.plugins
 import symbolic.cmos.stratus1
 
 Cfg.Configuration.popDefaultPriority()
+
+helpers.tagConfModules()
diff --git a/crlcore/etc/symbolic/cmos/plugins.py b/crlcore/etc/symbolic/cmos/plugins.py
index 7dc461b9..c0c8b359 100644
--- a/crlcore/etc/symbolic/cmos/plugins.py
+++ b/crlcore/etc/symbolic/cmos/plugins.py
@@ -27,3 +27,4 @@ Cfg.getParamInt   ( "chip.block.rails.vSpacing" ).setInt   ( l(  6) )
 Cfg.getParamInt   ( 'clockTree.minimumSide'     ).setInt   ( l(600) )
 Cfg.getParamString( 'clockTree.buffer'          ).setString( 'buf_x2')
 Cfg.getParamString( 'clockTree.placerEngine'    ).setString( 'Etesian')
+Cfg.getParamInt   ( 'block.spareSide'           ).setInt   ( 10 )
diff --git a/crlcore/etc/symbolic/cmos45/__init__.py b/crlcore/etc/symbolic/cmos45/__init__.py
index 111afeec..7d038c3d 100644
--- a/crlcore/etc/symbolic/cmos45/__init__.py
+++ b/crlcore/etc/symbolic/cmos45/__init__.py
@@ -37,3 +37,5 @@ import symbolic.cmos45.plugins
 import symbolic.cmos45.stratus1
 
 Cfg.Configuration.popDefaultPriority()
+
+helpers.tagConfModules()
diff --git a/crlcore/python/helpers/__init__.py b/crlcore/python/helpers/__init__.py
index 2f74af65..cdddc6b3 100644
--- a/crlcore/python/helpers/__init__.py
+++ b/crlcore/python/helpers/__init__.py
@@ -10,23 +10,20 @@
 # |  Author      :                    Jean-Paul Chaput              |
 # |  E-mail      :            Jean-Paul.Chaput@lip6.fr              |
 # | =============================================================== |
-# |  Python      :   "./crlcore/__init__.py"                        |
+# |  Python      :   "./crlcore/helpers/__init__.py"                |
 # +-----------------------------------------------------------------+
 #
 # This is file is mandatory to tell python that 'helpers' is a module
 # rather than an ordinary directory, thus enabling the uses of the
 # 'dot' notation in import.
 
+#print 'helpers.__init__()'
 
 import sys
 import os
 import os.path
 import re
 import traceback
-import Hurricane
-import Viewer
-import CRL
-import helpers.io
 
 quiet          = False
 sysConfDir     = None
@@ -35,7 +32,17 @@ ndaDir         = None
 techno         = 'symbolic/cmos'
 technoDir      = None
 moduleGlobals  = globals()
-confModules    = [ ]
+sysModules     = set()
+confModules    = set()
+
+if not sysModules:
+    for moduleName in sys.modules.keys():
+        sysModules.add( moduleName )
+
+import Hurricane
+import Viewer
+import CRL
+import helpers.io
 
 
 def stype ( o ): return str(type(o)).split("'")[1]
@@ -348,10 +355,10 @@ def setSysConfDir ( quiet=False ):
     if sysConfDir != None:
        #if not quiet: print '  o  helpers.staticInitialization() Already run, exit.'
         return
-  
+
     reSysConfDir = re.compile(r'.*etc\/coriolis2')
     if not quiet: print '  o  Locating configuration directory:'
-    
+
     for path in sys.path:
         if reSysConfDir.match(path):
             sysConfDir = path
@@ -397,9 +404,10 @@ setSysConfDir( False )
 
 
 def unloadUserSettings ():
+    global confModules
+
     print '  o  Unloading Python user\'s modules.'
 
-    global confModules
     for moduleName in confModules:
       refcount = sys.getrefcount( sys.modules[moduleName] )
       warning  = ''
@@ -411,16 +419,12 @@ def unloadUserSettings ():
        #                                 ] )
       print '     - %-34s %-35s' % ('"%s".'%moduleName, warning)
       del sys.modules[ moduleName ]
-    confModules = []
+    confModules = set()
     return
 
 
 def loadUserSettings ():
-    global confModules
-
     rvalue        = False
-    beforeModules = set()
-    for moduleName in sys.modules.keys(): beforeModules.add( moduleName )
 
     if os.path.isfile('./coriolis2/settings.py'):
         if os.path.isfile('./coriolis2/__init__.py'):
@@ -434,17 +438,24 @@ def loadUserSettings ():
     else:
       import symbolic.cmos
 
+    tagConfModules()
+
+    return rvalue
+
+
+def tagConfModules ():
+    global sysModules
+    global confModules
+
     confModules = set()
     for moduleName in sys.modules.keys():
-        if not (moduleName in beforeModules):
+        if not (moduleName in sysModules):
             confModules.add( moduleName )
 
    #print 'Configuration modules:'
    #for moduleName in confModules:
    #  print '-', moduleName
 
-    return rvalue
-
 
 def resetCoriolis ():
     print '  o  Full reset of Coriolis/Hurricane databases.'