diff --git a/source/lib/precompiled.h b/source/lib/precompiled.h
index a806731564..ed77557dc9 100755
--- a/source/lib/precompiled.h
+++ b/source/lib/precompiled.h
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@
 #pragma warning(disable:4786)	// identifier truncated to 255 chars
 #endif
 
+// make string_s (secure CRT string functions) available everywhere
+#include "lib/string_s.h"
+
+
 //
 // memory headers
 //
@@ -34,6 +38,7 @@
 #include <cstring>	// uses placement new
 #include <string>
 
+
 //
 // headers to be precompiled
 //
diff --git a/source/lib/string_s.cpp b/source/lib/string_s.cpp
index f5ee055ce9..07568df5fa 100644
--- a/source/lib/string_s.cpp
+++ b/source/lib/string_s.cpp
@@ -194,9 +194,6 @@ int tcat_s(tchar* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const tchar* src)
 
 static int test()
 {
-debug_out("%s\n", __FILE__);
-TIMER(stringtest);
-
 	const tchar* s0 = T("");
 	const tchar* s1 = T("a");
 	const tchar* s5 = T("abcde");
@@ -300,7 +297,7 @@ STMT(                                                                        \
 	int ret = tcat_s((dst), dst_max, (src));                                 \
 	assert2(ret == expected_ret);                                            \
 	if(dst != 0)                                                             \
-		assert2(!tcmp(dst, expected_dst));                                   \
+		assert2(!tcmp(dst, T(expected_dst)));                                \
 )
 #define TEST_CAT2(dst, dst_val, src, expected_ret, expected_dst)             \
 STMT(                                                                        \
@@ -324,7 +321,7 @@ STMT(                                                                        \
 	TEST_CAT(0 ,1,s1, EINVAL,"");	// dst = 0, max > 0
 	TEST_CAT(d1,1,0 , EINVAL,"");	// src = 0
 	TEST_CAT(d1,0,s1, ERANGE,"");	// max_dst_chars = 0
-	TEST_CAT(no_null,5,s1, ERANGE,T(""));	// dst not terminated
+	TEST_CAT(no_null,5,s1, ERANGE,"");	// dst not terminated
 
 	TEST_CAT2(d1 ,"" ,s1, ERANGE,"");
 	TEST_CAT2(d1 ,"" ,s5, ERANGE,"");
diff --git a/source/lib/string_s.h b/source/lib/string_s.h
index 09c92bf0b3..cecf221bee 100644
--- a/source/lib/string_s.h
+++ b/source/lib/string_s.h
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #ifndef STRINGS_S_H__
 #define STRINGS_S_H__
 
+#include "posix.h"	// size_t
+
 // these are already shipped with VC2005
 #if _MSC_VER < 1400
 
@@ -9,8 +11,8 @@
 // null character. to protect against access violations, only the
 // first <max_len> characters are examined; if the null character is
 // not encountered by then, <max_len> is returned.
-extern size_t strlen_s(const tchar* str, size_t max_len);
-extern size_t wcslen_s(const tchar* str, size_t max_len);
+extern size_t strlen_s(const char* str, size_t max_len);
+extern size_t wcslen_s(const wchar_t* str, size_t max_len);
 
 // copy at most <max_src_chars> (not including trailing null) from
 // <src> into <dst>, which must not overlap.
@@ -19,8 +21,8 @@ extern size_t wcslen_s(const tchar* str, size_t max_len);
 // 0 is returned to indicate success and that <dst> is null-terminated.
 //
 // note: padding with zeroes is not called for by NG1031.
-extern int strncpy_s(tchar* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const tchar* src, size_t max_src_chars);
-extern int wcsncpy_s(tchar* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const tchar* src, size_t max_src_chars);
+extern int strncpy_s(char* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const char* src, size_t max_src_chars);
+extern int wcsncpy_s(wchar_t* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const wchar_t* src, size_t max_src_chars);
 
 // copy <src> (including trailing null) into <dst>, which must not overlap.
 // if thereby <max_dst_chars> (including null) would be exceeded,
@@ -28,16 +30,16 @@ extern int wcsncpy_s(tchar* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const tchar* src, size_t
 // 0 is returned to indicate success and that <dst> is null-terminated.
 //
 // note: implemented as tncpy_s(dst, max_dst_chars, src, SIZE_MAX)
-extern int strcpy_s(tchar* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const tchar* src);
-extern int wcscpy_s(tchar* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const tchar* src);
+extern int strcpy_s(char* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const char* src);
+extern int wcscpy_s(wchar_t* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const wchar_t* src);
 
 // append at most <max_src_chars> (not including trailing null) from
 // <src> to <dst>, which must not overlap.
 // if thereby <max_dst_chars> (including null) would be exceeded,
 // <dst> is set to the empty string and ERANGE returned; otherwise,
 // 0 is returned to indicate success and that <dst> is null-terminated.
-extern int strncat_s(tchar* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const tchar* src, size_t max_src_chars);
-extern int wcsncat_s(tchar* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const tchar* src, size_t max_src_chars);
+extern int strncat_s(char* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const char* src, size_t max_src_chars);
+extern int wcsncat_s(wchar_t* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const wchar_t* src, size_t max_src_chars);
 
 // append <src> to <dst>, which must not overlap.
 // if thereby <max_dst_chars> (including null) would be exceeded,
@@ -45,8 +47,8 @@ extern int wcsncat_s(tchar* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const tchar* src, size_t
 // 0 is returned to indicate success and that <dst> is null-terminated.
 //
 // note: implemented as tncat_s(dst, max_dst_chars, src, SIZE_MAX)
-extern int strcat_s(tchar* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const tchar* src);
-extern int wcscat_s(tchar* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const tchar* src);
+extern int strcat_s(char* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const char* src);
+extern int wcscat_s(wchar_t* dst, size_t max_dst_chars, const wchar_t* src);
 
 
 #endif	// #if _MSC_VER < 1400