diff --git a/common/include/Utilities/Dependencies.h b/common/include/Utilities/Dependencies.h
index 6c6bf982c5..60c603fc91 100644
--- a/common/include/Utilities/Dependencies.h
+++ b/common/include/Utilities/Dependencies.h
@@ -23,6 +23,12 @@
 
 class wxOutputStream;
 class wxInputStream;
+class wxPoint;
+class wxRect;
+class wxSize;
+
+extern const wxSize wxDefaultSize;
+extern const wxPoint wxDefaultPosition;
 
 
 // This should prove useful....
@@ -107,18 +113,17 @@ static const pxEnumEnd_t pxEnumEnd = {};
 // translator (which the _() does automatically, and sometimes we don't want that).  This is
 // a shorthand replacement for wxTRANSLATE.
 //
-#define wxLt(a)		(a)
+#ifndef wxLt
+#	define wxLt(a)		a
+#endif
 
 #include <wx/string.h>
-#include <wx/gdicmn.h>		// for wxPoint/wxRect stuff
 #include <wx/intl.h>
 #include <wx/log.h>
 
 #include "Pcsx2Defs.h"
 
 #include <stdexcept>
-#include <algorithm>
-#include <string>
 #include <cstring>		// string.h under c++
 #include <cstdio>		// stdio.h under c++
 #include <cstdlib>
diff --git a/common/include/Utilities/StringHelpers.h b/common/include/Utilities/StringHelpers.h
index 4e8b674b6d..5556465473 100644
--- a/common/include/Utilities/StringHelpers.h
+++ b/common/include/Utilities/StringHelpers.h
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 #include "Dependencies.h"
 
 #include <wx/tokenzr.h>
-#include <wx/gdicmn.h>		// for wxPoint/wxRect stuff
 
 
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/common/include/Utilities/win_memzero.h b/common/include/Utilities/win_memzero.h
index f52c942b26..5207002cdc 100644
--- a/common/include/Utilities/win_memzero.h
+++ b/common/include/Utilities/win_memzero.h
@@ -187,8 +187,8 @@ static __forceinline void memzero_ptr( void *dest )
 	}
 
 	// This function only works on 32-bit alignments.
-	jASSUME( (MZFbytes & 0x3) == 0 );
-	jASSUME( ((uptr)dest & 0x3) == 0 );
+	pxAssume( (MZFbytes & 0x3) == 0 );
+	pxAssume( ((uptr)dest & 0x3) == 0 );
 
 	enum
 	{
@@ -278,8 +278,8 @@ static __forceinline void memset_8( void *dest )
 	if( bytes128 > 32 )
 	{
 		// This function only works on 128-bit alignments.
-		jASSUME( (MZFbytes & 0xf) == 0 );
-		jASSUME( ((uptr)dest & 0xf) == 0 );
+		pxAssume( (MZFbytes & 0xf) == 0 );
+		pxAssume( ((uptr)dest & 0xf) == 0 );
 
 		__asm
 		{
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ static __forceinline void memset_8( void *dest )
 	}*/
 
 	// This function only works on 32-bit alignments of data copied.
-	jASSUME( (MZFbytes & 0x3) == 0 );
+	pxAssume( (MZFbytes & 0x3) == 0 );
 
 	enum
 	{
@@ -396,8 +396,8 @@ static __forceinline void memset_16( void *dest )
 {
 	if( MZFbytes == 0 ) return;
 
-	if( (MZFbytes & 0x1) != 0 )
-		throw Exception::LogicError( "Invalid parameter passed to memset_16 - data length is not a multiple of 16 or 32 bits." );
+	// Assertion: data length must be a multiple of 16 or 32 bits
+	pxAssume( (MZFbytes & 0x1) == 0 );
 
 	if( (MZFbytes & 0x3) != 0 )
 	{
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ static __forceinline void memset_16( void *dest )
 	//u64 _xmm_backup[2];
 
 	// This function only works on 32-bit alignments of data copied.
-	jASSUME( (MZFbytes & 0x3) == 0 );
+	pxAssume( (MZFbytes & 0x3) == 0 );
 
 	enum
 	{
@@ -484,9 +484,8 @@ static __forceinline void memset_32( void *dest )
 {
 	if( MZFbytes == 0 ) return;
 
-	if( (MZFbytes & 0x3) != 0 )
-		throw Exception::LogicError( "Invalid parameter passed to memset_32 - data length is not a multiple of 32 bits." );
-
+	// Assertion: data length must be a multiple of 32 bits
+	pxAssume( (MZFbytes & 0x3) == 0 );
 
 	//u64 _xmm_backup[2];
 
@@ -494,7 +493,7 @@ static __forceinline void memset_32( void *dest )
 	// If the data length is not a factor of 32 bits, the C++ optimizing compiler will
 	// probably just generate mysteriously broken code in Release builds. ;)
 
-	jASSUME( (MZFbytes & 0x3) == 0 );
+	pxAssume( (MZFbytes & 0x3) == 0 );
 
 	enum
 	{
diff --git a/common/src/Utilities/IniInterface.cpp b/common/src/Utilities/IniInterface.cpp
index 37ca022465..f1642f802c 100644
--- a/common/src/Utilities/IniInterface.cpp
+++ b/common/src/Utilities/IniInterface.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@
 #include "PrecompiledHeader.h"
 #include "IniInterface.h"
 
+#include <wx/gdicmn.h>
+
+const wxRect wxDefaultRect( wxDefaultCoord, wxDefaultCoord, wxDefaultCoord, wxDefaultCoord );
+
 static int _calcEnumLength( const wxChar* const* enumArray )
 {
 	int cnt = 0;
diff --git a/common/src/Utilities/PrecompiledHeader.h b/common/src/Utilities/PrecompiledHeader.h
index 10e33c3096..f348764f47 100644
--- a/common/src/Utilities/PrecompiledHeader.h
+++ b/common/src/Utilities/PrecompiledHeader.h
@@ -6,10 +6,6 @@
 
 #include "Dependencies.h"
 
-using std::string;
-using std::min;
-using std::max;
-
 #include "Assertions.h"
 #include "MemcpyFast.h"
 #include "Console.h"
diff --git a/common/src/Utilities/StringHelpers.cpp b/common/src/Utilities/StringHelpers.cpp
index 26e549baab..5859ad9441 100644
--- a/common/src/Utilities/StringHelpers.cpp
+++ b/common/src/Utilities/StringHelpers.cpp
@@ -14,9 +14,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "PrecompiledHeader.h"
-
-const wxRect wxDefaultRect( wxDefaultCoord, wxDefaultCoord, wxDefaultCoord, wxDefaultCoord );
-
+#include <wx/gdicmn.h>		// for wxPoint/wxRect stuff
 
 __forceinline wxString fromUTF8( const char* src )
 {
diff --git a/common/src/Utilities/vssprintf.cpp b/common/src/Utilities/vssprintf.cpp
index e8d2995f86..8af6151aaf 100644
--- a/common/src/Utilities/vssprintf.cpp
+++ b/common/src/Utilities/vssprintf.cpp
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ repeat:
 				// let's add support for std::string as a formatted parameter!  (air)
 				if( qualifier == 'h' )
 				{
-					static const string nullstring( "<NULL>" );
+					static const std::string nullstring( "<NULL>" );
 
 					const std::string* ss = va_arg(args, std::string*);
 					if( ss == NULL ) ss = &nullstring;
diff --git a/common/src/x86emitter/PrecompiledHeader.h b/common/src/x86emitter/PrecompiledHeader.h
index bb9541eb17..7d5b86b650 100644
--- a/common/src/x86emitter/PrecompiledHeader.h
+++ b/common/src/x86emitter/PrecompiledHeader.h
@@ -5,24 +5,14 @@
 #define EMITTER_PRECOMPILED_HEADER
 
 #include <wx/string.h>
-#include <wx/tokenzr.h>
-#include <wx/gdicmn.h>		// for wxPoint/wxRect stuff
-#include <wx/intl.h>
-#include <wx/log.h>
 
 #include "Pcsx2Defs.h"
 
 #include <stdexcept>
-#include <algorithm>
-#include <string>
 #include <cstring>		// string.h under c++
 #include <cstdio>		// stdio.h under c++
 #include <cstdlib>
 
-using std::string;
-using std::min;
-using std::max;
-
 #include "Utilities/Console.h"
 #include "Utilities/Exceptions.h"
 #include "Utilities/General.h"
diff --git a/pcsx2/CMakeLists.txt b/pcsx2/CMakeLists.txt
index c6d8f4e60c..750b58c5ec 100644
--- a/pcsx2/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/pcsx2/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -234,8 +234,7 @@ set(pcsx2Headers
 	sio_internal.h
 	SPR.h
 	Stats.h
-	StringUtils.h
-    SysForwardDefs.h
+	SysForwardDefs.h
 	System.h
 	Vif_Dma.h
 	Vif.h
diff --git a/pcsx2/DebugTools/DisR5900.cpp b/pcsx2/DebugTools/DisR5900.cpp
index 9abcde5905..a076d45f4e 100644
--- a/pcsx2/DebugTools/DisR5900.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/DebugTools/DisR5900.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 #include "R5900.h"
 #include "VU.h"
 
+using std::string;
+
 const char * const disRNameCP2f[] = {
 	"VF00", "VF01", "VF02", "VF03", "VF04", "VF05", "VF06", "VF07",
 	"VF08", "VF09", "VF10", "VF11", "VF12", "VF13", "VF14", "VF15",
diff --git a/pcsx2/Dump.cpp b/pcsx2/Dump.cpp
index 096831eba7..ceb0e95e6d 100644
--- a/pcsx2/Dump.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/Dump.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 #include "Utilities/AsciiFile.h"
 
 using namespace R5900;
+using std::string;
+
 // fixme: currently should not be uncommented.
 //#define TEST_BROKEN_DUMP_ROUTINES
 
diff --git a/pcsx2/PrecompiledHeader.h b/pcsx2/PrecompiledHeader.h
index b68d145823..f00c23151b 100644
--- a/pcsx2/PrecompiledHeader.h
+++ b/pcsx2/PrecompiledHeader.h
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@
 // macro provided for tagging translation strings, without actually running them through the
 // translator (which the _() does automatically, and sometimes we don't want that).  This is
 // a shorthand replacement for wxTRANSLATE.
-#define wxLt(a)		(a)
+#ifndef wxLt
+#	define wxLt(a)		a
+#endif
 
 #define NOMINMAX		// Disables other libs inclusion of their own min/max macros (we use std instead)
 
@@ -29,7 +31,6 @@
 
 #include <wx/string.h>
 #include <wx/tokenzr.h>
-#include <wx/gdicmn.h>		// for wxPoint/wxRect stuff
 #include <wx/intl.h>
 #include <wx/log.h>
 #include <wx/filename.h>
@@ -38,18 +39,11 @@
 // Include the STL junk that's actually handy.
 
 #include <stdexcept>
-#include <algorithm>
 #include <vector>
-#include <string>
 #include <list>
-#include <deque>
-#include <sstream>
 #include <cstring>		// string.h under c++
 #include <cstdio>		// stdio.h under c++
 #include <cstdlib>
-#include <iostream>
-#include <sstream>
-#include <fstream>
 
 // ... and include some ANSI/POSIX C libs that are useful too, just for good measure.
 // (these compile lightning fast with or without PCH, but they never change so
@@ -59,8 +53,6 @@
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <pthread.h>
 
-
-using std::string;		// we use it enough, so bring it into the global namespace.
 using std::min;
 using std::max;
 
@@ -117,14 +109,6 @@ typedef int BOOL;
 #		define __declspec(x)
 #	endif
 
-#	ifndef strnicmp
-#		define strnicmp strncasecmp
-#	endif
-
-#	ifndef stricmp
-#		define stricmp strcasecmp
-#	endif
-
 #endif		// end GCC/Linux stuff
 
 #endif
diff --git a/pcsx2/R5900.cpp b/pcsx2/R5900.cpp
index 22785b52bb..411967db50 100644
--- a/pcsx2/R5900.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/R5900.cpp
@@ -635,7 +635,7 @@ void __fastcall eeloadReplaceOSDSYS()
 	}
 	pxAssert(osdsys_p);
 
-	string elfname;
+	std::string elfname;
 
 	if (!elf_override.IsEmpty())
 	{
diff --git a/pcsx2/StringUtils.h b/pcsx2/StringUtils.h
deleted file mode 100644
index ececc7a9be..0000000000
--- a/pcsx2/StringUtils.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,33 +0,0 @@
-/*  PCSX2 - PS2 Emulator for PCs
- *  Copyright (C) 2002-2010  PCSX2 Dev Team
- *
- *  PCSX2 is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms
- *  of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free Software Found-
- *  ation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
- *
- *  PCSX2 is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY;
- *  without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
- *  PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.
- *
- *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with PCSX2.
- *  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
- */
-
-#pragma once
-
-#include <string>
-#include <cstdarg>
-#include <sstream>
-
-// to_string: A utility template for quick and easy inline string type conversion.
-// Use to_string(intval), or to_string(float), etc.  Anything that the STL itself
-// would support should be supported here. :)
-// Notice: Obsolete, use wxString features instead.
-template< typename T >
-std::string to_string(const T& value)
-{
-	std::ostringstream oss;
-	oss << value;
-	return oss.str();
-}
-
diff --git a/pcsx2/Utilities/FileUtils.cpp b/pcsx2/Utilities/FileUtils.cpp
index ee41d307fc..88b24a0e45 100644
--- a/pcsx2/Utilities/FileUtils.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/Utilities/FileUtils.cpp
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ void AsciiFile::Printf( const char* fmt, ... )
 {
 	va_list list;
 	va_start( list, fmt );
-	string writeme; vssprintf( writeme, fmt, list );
+	std::string writeme; vssprintf( writeme, fmt, list );
 	va_end( list );
 	Write( writeme.c_str(), writeme.length() );
 }
diff --git a/pcsx2/windows/VCprojects/pcsx2_2008.vcproj b/pcsx2/windows/VCprojects/pcsx2_2008.vcproj
index 73a727118e..e9d4a14f2a 100644
--- a/pcsx2/windows/VCprojects/pcsx2_2008.vcproj
+++ b/pcsx2/windows/VCprojects/pcsx2_2008.vcproj
@@ -315,10 +315,6 @@
 					RelativePath="..\..\Utilities\FileUtils.cpp"
 					>
 				</File>
-				<File
-					RelativePath="..\..\StringUtils.h"
-					>
-				</File>
 			</Filter>
 			<Filter
 				Name="Patch"
diff --git a/pcsx2/x86/microVU.h b/pcsx2/x86/microVU.h
index 3a5af77966..bdddc45902 100644
--- a/pcsx2/x86/microVU.h
+++ b/pcsx2/x86/microVU.h
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ class AsciiFile;
 using namespace std;
 using namespace x86Emitter;
 
+#include <deque>
+
 #include "VU.h"
 #include "GS.h"
 #include "iR5900.h"