diff --git a/src/server/distrend.c b/src/server/distrend.c
--- a/src/server/distrend.c
+++ b/src/server/distrend.c
@@ -484,6 +484,33 @@ int distrend_config_free(struct distrend
 }
 /* ************************** XML Functions ************************* */
 
+// writes the general_info.xml file which is a copy of the general_info structure
+// except that it doesn't hold free_clients and rendering_clients
+void updateGeneralInfo()
+{
+  xmlTextWriterPtr writer;
+  char *tmp;
+
+  writer = xmlNewTextWriterFilename("general_info.xml", 0);
+  xmlTextWriterStartDocument(writer, NULL, "utf-8", NULL);
+
+  xmlTextWriterStartElement(writer, (xmlChar*)"general_info");
+
+  _distren_asprintf(&tmp, "%d", general_info.jobs_in_queue);
+  xmlTextWriterWriteElement(writer, (xmlChar*)"jobs_in_queue", (xmlChar*)tmp);
+  _distren_asprintf(&tmp, "%d", general_info.total_finished_jobs);
+  xmlTextWriterWriteElement(writer, (xmlChar*)"total_finished_jobs", (xmlChar*)tmp);
+  _distren_asprintf(&tmp, "%d", general_info.total_frames_rendered);
+  xmlTextWriterWriteElement(writer, (xmlChar*)"total_frames_rendered", (xmlChar*)tmp);
+  _distren_asprintf(&tmp, "%d", general_info.highest_jobnum);
+  xmlTextWriterWriteElement(writer, (xmlChar*)"highest_jobnum", (xmlChar*)tmp);
+  general_info.free_clients = 0;
+  general_info.rendering_clients = 0;
+
+  xmlTextWriterEndDocument(writer);
+  xmlFreeTextWriter(writer);
+}
+
 // returns 1 on successful completion of xml file
 // creates the xml file that slaves read from, and is used to restart distren
 int makeJobDataXML(struct distrenjob *job)
@@ -495,7 +522,7 @@ int makeJobDataXML(struct distrenjob *jo
 
   // create xml document at the location tmp with no compression
   writer = xmlNewTextWriterFilename(tmp, 0);
-  xmlTextWriterStartDocument(writer, NULL, "UTF-8", NULL);
+  xmlTextWriterStartDocument(writer, NULL, "utf-8", NULL);
 
   // write resolution element and add its attributes
   xmlTextWriterStartElement(writer, (xmlChar*)"distrenjob");