diff -up mc-4.6.2/edit/editcmd.c.etcmc mc-4.6.2/edit/editcmd.c
--- mc-4.6.2/edit/editcmd.c.etcmc	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
+++ mc-4.6.2/edit/editcmd.c	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 #include "../src/tty.h"		/* LINES */
 #include "../src/widget.h"	/* listbox_new() */
 #include "../src/layout.h"	/* clr_scr() */
-#include "../src/main.h"	/* mc_home */
+#include "../src/main.h"	/* mc_home, mc_home_alt */
 #include "../src/help.h"	/* interactive_display() */
 #include "../src/key.h"		/* XCTRL */
 #include "../src/dialog.h"	/* do_refresh() */
@@ -2833,12 +2833,15 @@ edit_block_process_cmd (WEdit *edit, con
 	    return;
 	}
 	if (!(script_src = fopen (o, "r"))) {
-	    fclose (script_home);
-	    unlink (h);
-	    edit_error_dialog ("", get_sys_error (catstrs
-						  (_("Error reading script:"),
-						   o, (char *) NULL)));
-	    return;
+	    o = catstrs (mc_home_alt, shell_cmd, (char *) NULL);
+	    if (!(script_src = fopen (o, "r"))) {
+	        fclose (script_home);
+	        unlink (h);
+	        edit_error_dialog ("", get_sys_error (catstrs
+						      (_("Error reading script:"),
+						      o, (char *) NULL)));
+	        return;
+	    }
 	}
 	while (fgets (buf, sizeof (buf), script_src))
 	    fputs (buf, script_home);
diff -up mc-4.6.2/edit/syntax.c.etcmc mc-4.6.2/edit/syntax.c
--- mc-4.6.2/edit/syntax.c.etcmc	2009-02-01 20:30:21.000000000 +0100
+++ mc-4.6.2/edit/syntax.c	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 #include "edit.h"
 #include "edit-widget.h"
 #include "../src/color.h"	/* use_colors */
-#include "../src/main.h"	/* mc_home */
+#include "../src/main.h"	/* mc_home, mc_home_alt */
 #include "../src/wtools.h"	/* message() */
 
 /* bytes */
@@ -682,6 +682,12 @@ static FILE *open_include_file (const ch
     g_free (error_file_name);
     error_file_name = g_strconcat (mc_home, PATH_SEP_STR "syntax" PATH_SEP_STR,
 				   filename, (char *) NULL);
+    if (!(f = fopen (error_file_name, "r"))) {
+        g_free (error_file_name);
+        error_file_name = g_strconcat (mc_home_alt, PATH_SEP_STR "syntax" PATH_SEP_STR,
+				       filename, (char *) NULL);
+    } else return f;
+    
     return fopen (error_file_name, "r");
 }
 
diff -up mc-4.6.2/src/charsets.c.etcmc mc-4.6.2/src/charsets.c
--- mc-4.6.2/src/charsets.c.etcmc	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
+++ mc-4.6.2/src/charsets.c	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
@@ -47,12 +47,17 @@ load_codepages_list (void)
     char *fname;
     char buf[256];
     extern char *mc_home;
+    extern char *mc_home_alt;
     extern int display_codepage;
     char *default_codepage = NULL;
 
     fname = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home, CHARSETS_INDEX);
     if (!(f = fopen (fname, "r"))) {
-	fprintf (stderr, _("Warning: file %s not found\n"), fname);
+        g_free (fname);
+        fname = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home_alt, CHARSETS_INDEX);
+        if (!(f = fopen (fname, "r"))) {
+	    fprintf (stderr, _("Warning: file %s not found\n"), fname);
+        }
 	g_free (fname);
 	return -1;
     }
diff -up mc-4.6.2/src/cmd.c.etcmc mc-4.6.2/src/cmd.c
--- mc-4.6.2/src/cmd.c.etcmc	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
+++ mc-4.6.2/src/cmd.c	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
@@ -592,8 +592,13 @@ void ext_cmd (void)
 	check_for_default (extdir, buffer);
 	do_edit (buffer);
 	g_free (buffer);
-    } else if (dir == 1)
+    } else if (dir == 1) {
+    	if (!exist_file(extdir)) {
+	    g_free (extdir);
+	    extdir = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home_alt, MC_LIB_EXT);
+	}
 	do_edit (extdir);
+    }
 
    g_free (extdir);
    flush_extension_file ();
@@ -616,6 +621,11 @@ menu_edit_cmd (int where)
     );
 
     menufile = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home, where ? CEDIT_GLOBAL_MENU : MC_GLOBAL_MENU);
+    
+    if (!exist_file(menufile)) {
+    	g_free (menufile);
+    	menufile = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home_alt, where ? CEDIT_GLOBAL_MENU : MC_GLOBAL_MENU);
+    }
 
     switch (dir) {
 	case 0:
@@ -630,6 +640,10 @@ menu_edit_cmd (int where)
 	
 	case 2:
 	    buffer = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home, where ? CEDIT_GLOBAL_MENU : MC_GLOBAL_MENU);
+	    if (!exist_file(buffer)) {
+	        g_free (buffer);
+	        buffer = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home_alt, where ? CEDIT_GLOBAL_MENU : MC_GLOBAL_MENU);
+	    }
 	    break;
 
 	default:
@@ -688,7 +702,7 @@ edit_syntax_cmd (void)
 			  _(" Which syntax file you want to edit? "), 0, 2,
 			  _("&User"), _("&System Wide"));
     }
-    extdir = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home, "syntax" PATH_SEP_STR "Syntax");
+    extdir = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home_alt, "syntax" PATH_SEP_STR "Syntax");
 
     if (dir == 0) {
 	buffer = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (home_dir, SYNTAX_FILE);
diff -up mc-4.6.2/src/ext.c.etcmc mc-4.6.2/src/ext.c
--- mc-4.6.2/src/ext.c.etcmc	2009-02-01 20:30:21.000000000 +0100
+++ mc-4.6.2/src/ext.c	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
@@ -446,6 +446,10 @@ regex_command (const char *filename, con
 	    g_free (extension_file);
 	  check_stock_mc_ext:
 	    extension_file = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home, MC_LIB_EXT);
+	    if (!exist_file (extension_file)) {
+	    	g_free (extension_file);
+	    	extension_file = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home_alt, MC_LIB_EXT);
+	    }
 	    mc_user_ext = 0;
 	}
 	data = load_file (extension_file);
diff -up mc-4.6.2/src/main.c.etcmc mc-4.6.2/src/main.c
--- mc-4.6.2/src/main.c.etcmc	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
+++ mc-4.6.2/src/main.c	2009-05-26 18:07:07.000000000 +0200
@@ -291,9 +291,12 @@ char *xterm_title_str = NULL;
 /* Is the LANG UTF-8 ? */
 gboolean is_utf8 = FALSE;
 
-/* mc_home: The home of MC */
+/* mc_home: The home of MC - /etc/mc or defined by MC_DATADIR */
 char *mc_home = NULL;
 
+/* mc_home_alt: Alternative home of MC - deprecated /usr/share/mc */
+char *mc_home_alt = NULL;
+
 char cmd_buf[512];
 
 static void
@@ -1858,8 +1861,9 @@ OS_Setup (void)
     if ((mc_libdir = getenv ("MC_DATADIR")) != NULL) {
 	mc_home = g_strdup (mc_libdir);
     } else {
-	mc_home = g_strdup (DATADIR);
+	mc_home = g_strdup (SYSCONFDIR);
     }
+    mc_home_alt = mc_libdir != NULL ? g_strdup (SYSCONFDIR) : g_strdup (DATADIR);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1989,7 +1993,7 @@ process_args (poptContext ctx, int c, co
 	break;
 
     case 'f':
-	printf ("%s\n", mc_home);
+	printf ("%s (%s)\n", mc_home, mc_home_alt);
 	exit (0);
 	break;
 
@@ -2339,6 +2343,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
     }
     g_free (last_wd_string);
 
+    g_free (mc_home_alt);
     g_free (mc_home);
     done_key ();
 #ifdef HAVE_CHARSET
diff -up mc-4.6.2/src/main.h.etcmc mc-4.6.2/src/main.h
--- mc-4.6.2/src/main.h.etcmc	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
+++ mc-4.6.2/src/main.h	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ void print_vfs_message(const char *msg, 
 
 extern const char *prompt;
 extern const char *edit_one_file;
-extern char *mc_home;
+extern char *mc_home, *mc_home_alt;
 char *get_mc_lib_dir (void);
 
 int maybe_cd (int move_up_dir);
diff -up mc-4.6.2/src/Makefile.am.etcmc mc-4.6.2/src/Makefile.am
--- mc-4.6.2/src/Makefile.am.etcmc	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
+++ mc-4.6.2/src/Makefile.am	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
@@ -8,9 +8,11 @@ bin_PROGRAMS = mc mcmfmt
 if CONS_SAVER
 pkglibexec_PROGRAMS = cons.saver
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -DDATADIR=\""$(pkgdatadir)/"\" -DLOCALEDIR=\""$(localedir)"\" \
-	-DSAVERDIR=\""$(pkglibexecdir)"\"
+	-DSAVERDIR=\""$(pkglibexecdir)"\" \
+	-DSYSCONFDIR=\""$(sysconfdir)/@PACKAGE@/"\"
 else
-AM_CPPFLAGS = -DDATADIR=\""$(pkgdatadir)/"\" -DLOCALEDIR=\""$(localedir)"\"
+AM_CPPFLAGS = -DDATADIR=\""$(pkgdatadir)/"\" -DLOCALEDIR=\""$(localedir)"\" \
+	-DSYSCONFDIR=\""$(sysconfdir)/@PACKAGE@/"\"
 endif
 
 noinst_PROGRAMS = man2hlp
diff -up mc-4.6.2/src/Makefile.in.etcmc mc-4.6.2/src/Makefile.in
--- mc-4.6.2/src/Makefile.in.etcmc	2009-02-01 20:46:26.000000000 +0100
+++ mc-4.6.2/src/Makefile.in	2009-05-26 18:09:15.000000000 +0200
@@ -294,9 +294,8 @@ top_builddir = @top_builddir@
 top_srcdir = @top_srcdir@
 AM_CFLAGS = $(GLIB_CFLAGS) -I$(top_srcdir)
 pkglibexecdir = $(libexecdir)/@PACKAGE@
-@CONS_SAVER_FALSE@AM_CPPFLAGS = -DDATADIR=\""$(pkgdatadir)/"\" -DLOCALEDIR=\""$(localedir)"\"
-@CONS_SAVER_TRUE@AM_CPPFLAGS = -DDATADIR=\""$(pkgdatadir)/"\" -DLOCALEDIR=\""$(localedir)"\" \
-@CONS_SAVER_TRUE@	-DSAVERDIR=\""$(pkglibexecdir)"\"
+@CONS_SAVER_FALSE@AM_CPPFLAGS = -DDATADIR=\""$(pkgdatadir)/"\" -DLOCALEDIR=\""$(localedir)"\" -DSYSCONFDIR=\""$(sysconfdir)/@PACKAGE@/"\"
+@CONS_SAVER_TRUE@AM_CPPFLAGS = -DDATADIR=\""$(pkgdatadir)/"\" -DLOCALEDIR=\""$(localedir)"\" -DSAVERDIR=\""$(pkglibexecdir)"\" -DSYSCONFDIR=\""$(sysconfdir)/@PACKAGE@/"\"
 
 man2hlp_LDADD = $(GLIB_LIBS)
 mcmfmt_SOURCES = mfmt.c
diff -up mc-4.6.2/src/setup.c.etcmc mc-4.6.2/src/setup.c
--- mc-4.6.2/src/setup.c.etcmc	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
+++ mc-4.6.2/src/setup.c	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
@@ -522,8 +522,15 @@ setup_init (void)
 	if (exist_file (inifile)){
 	    g_free (profile);
 	    profile = inifile;
-	} else
+	} else {
 	    g_free (inifile);
+	    inifile = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home_alt, "mc.ini");
+	    if (exist_file (inifile)) {
+	        g_free (profile);
+	        profile = inifile;
+	    } else 
+	        g_free (inifile);
+	}
     }
 
     profile_name = profile;
@@ -542,6 +549,11 @@ load_setup (void)
     /* mc.lib is common for all users, but has priority lower than
        ~/.mc/ini.  FIXME: it's only used for keys and treestore now */
     global_profile_name = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home, "mc.lib");
+    
+    if (!exist_file(global_profile_name)) {
+    	g_free (global_profile_name);
+    	global_profile_name = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home_alt, "mc.lib");
+    }
 
     /* Load integer boolean options */
     for (i = 0; int_options[i].opt_name; i++)
diff -up mc-4.6.2/src/user.c.etcmc mc-4.6.2/src/user.c
--- mc-4.6.2/src/user.c.etcmc	2009-02-01 20:30:21.000000000 +0100
+++ mc-4.6.2/src/user.c	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
@@ -729,6 +729,11 @@ user_menu_cmd (struct WEdit *edit_widget
 	    g_free (menu);
 	    menu = mhl_str_dir_plus_file \
                         (mc_home, edit_widget ? CEDIT_GLOBAL_MENU : MC_GLOBAL_MENU);
+	    if (!exist_file (menu)) {
+	        g_free (menu);
+	        menu = mhl_str_dir_plus_file \
+                        (mc_home_alt, edit_widget ? CEDIT_GLOBAL_MENU : MC_GLOBAL_MENU);
+	    }
 	}
     }
 
diff -up mc-4.6.2/src/util.c.etcmc mc-4.6.2/src/util.c
--- mc-4.6.2/src/util.c.etcmc	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
+++ mc-4.6.2/src/util.c	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 #include "tty.h"
 #include "global.h"
 #include "profile.h"
-#include "main.h"		/* mc_home */
+#include "main.h"		/* mc_home, mc_home_alt */
 #include "cmd.h"		/* guess_message_value */
 #include "mountlist.h"
 #include "win.h"		/* xterm_flag */
@@ -978,16 +978,25 @@ load_mc_home_file (const char *filename,
 
     if (!data) {
 	g_free (hintfile);
-	/* Fall back to the two-letter language code */
-	if (lang[0] && lang[1])
-	    lang[2] = 0;
+	g_free (hintfile_base);
+
+	hintfile_base = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home_alt, filename);
+
 	hintfile = g_strconcat (hintfile_base, ".", lang, (char *) NULL);
 	data = load_file (hintfile);
-
+	
 	if (!data) {
-	    g_free (hintfile);
-	    hintfile = hintfile_base;
-	    data = load_file (hintfile_base);
+	    /* Fall back to the two-letter language code */
+	    if (lang[0] && lang[1])
+	        lang[2] = 0;
+	    hintfile = g_strconcat (hintfile_base, ".", lang, (char *) NULL);
+	    data = load_file (hintfile);
+
+	    if (!data) {
+	        g_free (hintfile);
+	        hintfile = hintfile_base;
+	        data = load_file (hintfile_base);
+	    }
 	}
     }
 
diff -up mc-4.6.2/vfs/extfs.c.etcmc mc-4.6.2/vfs/extfs.c
--- mc-4.6.2/vfs/extfs.c.etcmc	2009-02-01 20:30:21.000000000 +0100
+++ mc-4.6.2/vfs/extfs.c	2009-05-26 18:05:21.000000000 +0200
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ extfs_open_archive (int fstype, const ch
 	tmp = name_quote (name, 0);
     }
 
-    mc_extfsdir = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home, "extfs" PATH_SEP_STR);
+    mc_extfsdir = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home_alt, "extfs" PATH_SEP_STR);
     cmd =
 	g_strconcat (mc_extfsdir, extfs_prefixes[fstype], " list ",
 		     local_name ? local_name : tmp, (char *) NULL);
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ extfs_cmd (const char *extfs_cmd, struct
     archive_name = name_quote (extfs_get_archive_name (archive), 0);
     quoted_localname = name_quote (localname, 0);
 
-    mc_extfsdir = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home, "extfs" PATH_SEP_STR);
+    mc_extfsdir = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home_alt, "extfs" PATH_SEP_STR);
     cmd = g_strconcat (mc_extfsdir, extfs_prefixes[archive->fstype],
 		       extfs_cmd, archive_name, " ", quoted_file, " ",
 		       quoted_localname, (char *) NULL);
@@ -653,7 +653,7 @@ extfs_run (struct vfs_class *me, const c
     g_free (p);
 
     archive_name = name_quote (extfs_get_archive_name (archive), 0);
-    mc_extfsdir = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home, "extfs" PATH_SEP_STR);
+    mc_extfsdir = mhl_str_dir_plus_file (mc_home_alt, "extfs" PATH_SEP_STR);
     cmd = g_strconcat (mc_extfsdir, extfs_prefixes[archive->fstype],
 		       " run ", archive_name, " ", q, (char *) NULL);
     g_free (mc_extfsdir);