diff --git a/aclocal/bsdsignals.m4 b/aclocal/bsdsignals.m4
index 24572aa721d6..362ddb5bd3bf 100644
--- a/aclocal/bsdsignals.m4
+++ b/aclocal/bsdsignals.m4
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@ dnl *********** BSD vs. POSIX signal handling **************
 AC_DEFUN([AC_BSD_SIGNALS], [
   AC_MSG_CHECKING(for BSD signal semantics)
   AC_CACHE_VAL(knfsd_cv_bsd_signals,
-    [AC_TRY_RUN([
+    [AC_RUN_IFELSE([AC_LANG_SOURCE([[
 	#include <signal.h>
 	#include <unistd.h>
 	#include <sys/wait.h>
 
 	static int counter = 0;
-	static RETSIGTYPE handler(int num) { counter++; }
+	static void handler(int num) { counter++; }
 
 	int main()
 	{
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([AC_BSD_SIGNALS], [
 		kill(getpid(), SIGHUP); kill(getpid(), SIGHUP);
 		return (counter == 2)? 0 : 1;
 	}
-    ], knfsd_cv_bsd_signals=yes, knfsd_cv_bsd_signals=no,
-    [
+    ]])],[knfsd_cv_bsd_signals=yes],[knfsd_cv_bsd_signals=no],[
       case "$host_os" in
         *linux*) knfsd_cv_bsd_signals=no;;
         *bsd*)   knfsd_cv_bsd_signals=yes;;
diff --git a/aclocal/kerberos5.m4 b/aclocal/kerberos5.m4
index bf0e88bc57f4..f96f0fd44e6b 100644
--- a/aclocal/kerberos5.m4
+++ b/aclocal/kerberos5.m4
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ dnl The Kerberos gssapi library will be dynamically loaded?
 AC_DEFUN([AC_KERBEROS_V5],[
   AC_MSG_CHECKING(for Kerberos v5)
   AC_ARG_WITH(krb5,
-  [AC_HELP_STRING([--with-krb5=DIR], [use Kerberos v5 installation in DIR])],
+  [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-krb5=DIR],[use Kerberos v5 installation in DIR])],
   [ case "$withval" in
     yes|no)
        krb5_with=""
diff --git a/aclocal/libblkid.m4 b/aclocal/libblkid.m4
index 10824e9f58f1..1b8884ce6bcd 100644
--- a/aclocal/libblkid.m4
+++ b/aclocal/libblkid.m4
@@ -5,15 +5,14 @@ AC_DEFUN([AC_BLKID_VERS], [
    [
     saved_LIBS="$LIBS"
     LIBS=-lblkid
-    AC_TRY_RUN([
+    AC_RUN_IFELSE([AC_LANG_SOURCE([[
 	#include <blkid/blkid.h>
 	int main()
 	{
 		int vers = blkid_get_library_version(0, 0);
 		return vers >= 140 ? 0 : 1;
 	}
-       ], [libblkid_cv_is_recent=yes], [libblkid_cv_is_recent=no],
-       [libblkid_cv_is_recent=unknown])
+       ]])],[libblkid_cv_is_recent=yes],[libblkid_cv_is_recent=no],[libblkid_cv_is_recent=unknown])
     LIBS="$saved_LIBS"])
   AC_MSG_RESULT($libblkid_cv_is_recent)
 ])dnl
diff --git a/aclocal/libsqlite3.m4 b/aclocal/libsqlite3.m4
index 8c38993cbba8..16b8c8a1d565 100644
--- a/aclocal/libsqlite3.m4
+++ b/aclocal/libsqlite3.m4
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([AC_SQLITE3_VERS], [
    [
     saved_LIBS="$LIBS"
     LIBS=-lsqlite3
-    AC_TRY_RUN([
+    AC_RUN_IFELSE([AC_LANG_SOURCE([[
 	#include <stdio.h>
 	#include <sqlite3.h>
 	int main()
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([AC_SQLITE3_VERS], [
 		return vers != SQLITE_VERSION_NUMBER ||
 			vers < 3003000;
 	}
-       ], [libsqlite3_cv_is_recent=yes], [libsqlite3_cv_is_recent=no],
-       [libsqlite3_cv_is_recent=unknown])
+       ]])],[libsqlite3_cv_is_recent=yes],[libsqlite3_cv_is_recent=no],[libsqlite3_cv_is_recent=unknown])
     LIBS="$saved_LIBS"])
 
   AC_MSG_RESULT($libsqlite3_cv_is_recent)
diff --git a/aclocal/libtirpc.m4 b/aclocal/libtirpc.m4
index 27368ff24ef1..f7de5193c177 100644
--- a/aclocal/libtirpc.m4
+++ b/aclocal/libtirpc.m4
@@ -37,8 +37,7 @@ dnl
 AC_DEFUN([AC_LIBTIRPC_OLD], [
 
   AC_ARG_WITH([tirpcinclude],
-              [AC_HELP_STRING([--with-tirpcinclude=DIR],
-                              [use TI-RPC headers in DIR])],
+              [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-tirpcinclude=DIR],[use TI-RPC headers in DIR])],
               [tirpc_header_dir=$withval],
               [tirpc_header_dir=/usr/include/tirpc])
 
diff --git a/aclocal/nfs-utils.m4 b/aclocal/nfs-utils.m4
index fae8b95fe533..5f3ab0c2b301 100644
--- a/aclocal/nfs-utils.m4
+++ b/aclocal/nfs-utils.m4
@@ -2,13 +2,12 @@ dnl *********** GNU libc 2 ***************
 AC_DEFUN([AC_GNULIBC],[
   AC_MSG_CHECKING(for GNU libc2)
   AC_CACHE_VAL(knfsd_cv_glibc2,
-  [AC_TRY_CPP([
+  [AC_PREPROC_IFELSE([AC_LANG_SOURCE([[
       #include <features.h>
       #if !defined(__GLIBC__)
       # error Nope
       #endif
-      ],
-  knfsd_cv_glibc2=yes, knfsd_cv_glibc2=no)])
+      ]])],[knfsd_cv_glibc2=yes],[knfsd_cv_glibc2=no])])
   AC_MSG_RESULT($knfsd_cv_glibc2)
   if test $knfsd_cv_glibc2 = yes; then
     CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -D_GNU_SOURCE"
diff --git a/aclocal/rpcsec_vers.m4 b/aclocal/rpcsec_vers.m4
index 11d2f18cb241..43e5a9669383 100644
--- a/aclocal/rpcsec_vers.m4
+++ b/aclocal/rpcsec_vers.m4
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ dnl Checks librpcsec version
 AC_DEFUN([AC_RPCSEC_VERSION], [
 
   AC_ARG_WITH([gssglue],
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--with-gssglue], [Use libgssglue for GSS support])])
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--with-gssglue],[Use libgssglue for GSS support])])
   if test x"$with_gssglue" = x"yes"; then
     PKG_CHECK_MODULES([GSSGLUE], [libgssglue >= 0.3])
     AC_CHECK_LIB([gssglue], [gss_set_allowable_enctypes])
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 3e1c183b6a07..a13f36915a35 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -14,33 +14,29 @@ dnl *************************************************************
 dnl * Define the set of applicable options
 dnl *************************************************************
 AC_ARG_WITH(release,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--with-release=XXX], [set release to XXX [1]])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--with-release=XXX],[set release to XXX [1]])],
 	RELEASE=$withval,
 	RELEASE=1)
 	AC_SUBST(RELEASE)
 AC_ARG_WITH(statedir,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--with-statedir=/foo],
-			[use state dir /foo @<:@default=/var/lib/nfs@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--with-statedir=/foo],[use state dir /foo @<:@default=/var/lib/nfs@:>@])],
 	statedir=$withval,
 	statedir=/var/lib/nfs)
 	AC_SUBST(statedir)
 AC_ARG_WITH(nfsconfig,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--with-nfsconfig=/config/file],
-			[use general config file /config/file @<:@default=/etc/nfs.conf@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--with-nfsconfig=/config/file],[use general config file /config/file @<:@default=/etc/nfs.conf@:>@])],
 	nfsconfig=$withval,
 	nfsconfig=/etc/nfs.conf)
 	AC_SUBST(nfsconfig)
 AC_ARG_WITH(statdpath,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--with-statdpath=/foo],
-			[define the statd state dir as /foo instead of the NFS statedir @<:@default=/var/lib/nfs@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--with-statdpath=/foo],[define the statd state dir as /foo instead of the NFS statedir @<:@default=/var/lib/nfs@:>@])],
 	statdpath=$withval,
 	statdpath=$statedir
 	)
 	AC_SUBST(statdpath)
 AC_ARG_WITH(statduser,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--with-statduser=rpcuser],
-                        [statd to run under @<:@rpcuser or nobody@:>@]
-	)],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--with-statduser=rpcuser],[statd to run under @<:@rpcuser or nobody@:>@
+	])],
 	statduser=$withval,
 	if test "x$cross_compiling" = "xno"; then
 		if grep -s '^rpcuser:' /etc/passwd > /dev/null; then
@@ -53,9 +49,8 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(statduser,
 	fi)
 	AC_SUBST(statduser)
 AC_ARG_WITH(start-statd,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--with-start-statd=scriptname],
-			[When an nfs filesystems is mounted with locking, run this script]
-	)],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--with-start-statd=scriptname],[When an nfs filesystems is mounted with locking, run this script
+	])],
 	startstatd=$withval,
 	startstatd=/usr/sbin/start-statd
 	)
@@ -63,8 +58,7 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(start-statd,
 	AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(START_STATD, "$startstatd", [Define this to a script which can start statd on mount])
 unitdir=/usr/lib/systemd/system
 AC_ARG_WITH(systemd,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--with-systemd@<:@=unit-dir-path@:>@],
-			[install systemd unit files @<:@Default: no, and path defaults to /usr/lib/systemd/system if not given@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--with-systemd@<:@=unit-dir-path@:>@],[install systemd unit files @<:@Default: no, and path defaults to /usr/lib/systemd/system if not given@:>@])],
 	if test "$withval" != "no" ; then 
 		use_systemd=1
 		if test "$withval" != "yes" ; then 
@@ -78,8 +72,7 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(systemd,
 	AC_SUBST(unitdir)
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(nfsv4,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-nfsv4],
-                        [disable support for NFSv4 @<:@default=no@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-nfsv4],[disable support for NFSv4 @<:@default=no@:>@])],
 	enable_nfsv4=$enableval,
 	enable_nfsv4=yes)
 	if test "$enable_nfsv4" = yes; then
@@ -93,8 +86,7 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(nfsv4,
 	AM_CONDITIONAL(CONFIG_NFSV4, [test "$enable_nfsv4" = "yes"])
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(nfsv41,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-nfsv41],
-                        [disable support for NFSv41 @<:@default=no@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-nfsv41],[disable support for NFSv41 @<:@default=no@:>@])],
 	enable_nfsv41=$enableval,
 	enable_nfsv41=yes)
 	if test "$enable_nfsv41" = yes; then
@@ -111,8 +103,7 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(nfsv41,
 	AM_CONDITIONAL(CONFIG_NFSV41, [test "$enable_nfsv41" = "yes"])
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(gss,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-gss],
-              [disable client support for rpcsec_gss @<:@default=no@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-gss],[disable client support for rpcsec_gss @<:@default=no@:>@])],
 	enable_gss=$enableval,
 	enable_gss=yes)
 	if test "$enable_gss" = yes; then
@@ -126,8 +117,7 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(gss,
 	AM_CONDITIONAL(CONFIG_GSS, [test "$enable_gss" = "yes"])
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(svcgss,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-svcgss],
-    [enable building svcgssd for rpcsec_gss server support @<:@default=no@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-svcgss],[enable building svcgssd for rpcsec_gss server support @<:@default=no@:>@])],
 	enable_svcgss=$enableval,
 	enable_svcgss=no)
 	if test "$enable_gss" = yes -a "$enable_svcgss" = yes; then
@@ -141,12 +131,12 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(svcgss,
 	AM_CONDITIONAL(CONFIG_SVCGSS, [test "$enable_svcgss" = "yes"])
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(kprefix,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-kprefix], [install progs as rpc.knfsd etc])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-kprefix],[install progs as rpc.knfsd etc])],
 	test "$enableval" = "yes" && kprefix=k,
 	kprefix=)
 	AC_SUBST(kprefix)
 AC_ARG_WITH(rpcgen,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--with-rpcgen=internal], [use internal rpcgen instead of system one])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--with-rpcgen=internal],[use internal rpcgen instead of system one])],
 	rpcgen_path=$withval,
 	rpcgen_path=yes )
 	rpcgen_cflags=-Werror=strict-prototypes
@@ -166,21 +156,18 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(rpcgen,
 	AC_SUBST(RPCGEN_PATH)
 	AM_CONDITIONAL(CONFIG_RPCGEN, [test "$RPCGEN_PATH" = "internal"])
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(uuid,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-uuid], 
-		[Exclude uuid support to avoid buggy libblkid. @<:@default=no@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-uuid],[Exclude uuid support to avoid buggy libblkid. @<:@default=no@:>@])],
 	if test "$enableval" = "yes" ; then choose_blkid=yes; else choose_blkid=no; fi,
 	choose_blkid=default)
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(mount,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-mount],
-		[Do not build mount.nfs and do use the util-linux mount(8) functionality. @<:@default=no@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-mount],[Do not build mount.nfs and do use the util-linux mount(8) functionality. @<:@default=no@:>@])],
 	enable_mount=$enableval,
 	enable_mount=yes)
 	AM_CONDITIONAL(CONFIG_MOUNT, [test "$enable_mount" = "yes"])
 
 if test "$enable_mount" = yes; then
 	AC_ARG_ENABLE(libmount-mount,
-		[AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-libmount-mount],
-				[Link mount.nfs with libmount @<:@default=no@:>@])],
+		[AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-libmount-mount],[Link mount.nfs with libmount @<:@default=no@:>@])],
 		enable_libmount=$enableval,
 		enable_libmount=no)
 else
@@ -188,14 +175,12 @@ else
 fi
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(sbin-override,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-sbin-override],
-		[Don't force nfsdcltrack and mount helpers into /sbin: always honour --sbindir])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-sbin-override],[Don't force nfsdcltrack and mount helpers into /sbin: always honour --sbindir])],
 	enable_sbin_override=$enableval,
 	enable_sbin_override=yes)
 	AM_CONDITIONAL(CONFIG_SBIN_OVERRIDE, [test "$enable_sbin_override" = "yes"])
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(junction,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-junction],
-			[enable support for NFS junctions @<:@default=no@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-junction],[enable support for NFS junctions @<:@default=no@:>@])],
 	enable_junction=$enableval,
 	enable_junction=no)
 	if test "$enable_junction" = yes; then
@@ -207,13 +192,11 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(junction,
 	AM_CONDITIONAL(CONFIG_JUNCTION, [test "$enable_junction" = "yes" ])
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(tirpc,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-tirpc],
-			[disable use of TI-RPC library @<:@default=no@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-tirpc],[disable use of TI-RPC library @<:@default=no@:>@])],
 	enable_tirpc=$enableval,
 	enable_tirpc=yes)
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(ipv6,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-ipv6],
-                        [disable support for IPv6 @<:@default=no@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-ipv6],[disable support for IPv6 @<:@default=no@:>@])],
 	enable_ipv6=$enableval,
 	enable_ipv6=yes)
 	if test "$enable_ipv6" = yes; then
@@ -226,8 +209,7 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(ipv6,
 
 if test "$enable_mount" = yes; then
 	AC_ARG_ENABLE(mountconfig,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-mountconfig],
-        [disable mount to use a configuration file @<:@default=no@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-mountconfig],[disable mount to use a configuration file @<:@default=no@:>@])],
 	enable_mountconfig=$enableval,
 	enable_mountconfig=yes)
 	if test "$enable_mountconfig" = no; then
@@ -236,9 +218,8 @@ if test "$enable_mount" = yes; then
 		AC_DEFINE(MOUNT_CONFIG, 1, 
 			[Define this if you want mount to read a configuration file])
 		AC_ARG_WITH(mountfile,
-			[AC_HELP_STRING([--with-mountfile=filename],
-			[Using filename as the NFS mount options file [/etc/nfsmounts.conf]]
-			)],
+			[AS_HELP_STRING([--with-mountfile=filename],[Using filename as the NFS mount options file [/etc/nfsmounts.conf]
+			])],
 		mountfile=$withval,
 		mountfile=/etc/nfsmount.conf)
 		AC_SUBST(mountfile)
@@ -252,20 +233,17 @@ else
 fi
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(nfsdcld,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-nfsdcld],
-			[disable NFSv4 clientid tracking daemon @<:@default=no@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-nfsdcld],[disable NFSv4 clientid tracking daemon @<:@default=no@:>@])],
 	enable_nfsdcld=$enableval,
 	enable_nfsdcld="yes")
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(nfsdcltrack,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-nfsdcltrack],
-			[disable NFSv4 clientid tracking programs @<:@default=no@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-nfsdcltrack],[disable NFSv4 clientid tracking programs @<:@default=no@:>@])],
 	enable_nfsdcltrack=$enableval,
 	enable_nfsdcltrack="yes")
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(nfsv4server,
-	[AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-nfsv4server],
-			[enable support for NFSv4 only server  @<:@default=no@:>@])],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-nfsv4server],[enable support for NFSv4 only server  @<:@default=no@:>@])],
 	enable_nfsv4server=$enableval,
 	enable_nfsv4server="no")
 	if test "$enable_nfsv4server" = yes; then
@@ -299,7 +277,7 @@ AC_PROG_CPP
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 AC_PROG_LN_S
 AC_PROG_MAKE_SET
-AC_PROG_LIBTOOL
+LT_INIT
 AM_PROG_CC_C_O
 
 if test "x$cross_compiling" = "xno"; then
@@ -313,7 +291,6 @@ AC_SUBST(CC_FOR_BUILD)
 AC_CHECK_TOOL(AR, ar)
 AC_CHECK_TOOL(LD, ld)
 
-AC_HEADER_STDC([])
 AC_GNULIBC
 AC_BSD_SIGNALS
 
@@ -553,7 +530,7 @@ AC_C_INLINE
 AC_TYPE_OFF_T
 AC_TYPE_PID_T
 AC_TYPE_SIZE_T
-AC_HEADER_TIME
+
 AC_STRUCT_TM
 AC_CHECK_TYPES([struct file_handle], [], [], [[
 		#define _GNU_SOURCE
@@ -579,7 +556,7 @@ AC_HEADER_MAJOR
 AC_FUNC_MEMCMP
 #AC_FUNC_REALLOC
 AC_FUNC_SELECT_ARGTYPES
-AC_TYPE_SIGNAL
+
 AC_FUNC_STAT
 AC_FUNC_VPRINTF
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([alarm atexit dup2 fdatasync ftruncate getcwd \
