diff --git a/extra/hardware-info/windows/ce/ce.factor b/extra/hardware-info/windows/ce/ce.factor
index c61a3c8b8a..6537661b3e 100755
--- a/extra/hardware-info/windows/ce/ce.factor
+++ b/extra/hardware-info/windows/ce/ce.factor
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ IN: hardware-info.windows.ce
 : memory-status ( -- MEMORYSTATUS )
     "MEMORYSTATUS" <c-object>
     "MEMORYSTATUS" heap-size over set-MEMORYSTATUS-dwLength
-    [ GlobalMemoryStatus ] keep ;
+    dup GlobalMemoryStatus ;
 
 M: wince cpus ( -- n ) 1 ;
 
diff --git a/extra/hardware-info/windows/nt/nt.factor b/extra/hardware-info/windows/nt/nt.factor
index 51af5c5949..6215566f11 100755
--- a/extra/hardware-info/windows/nt/nt.factor
+++ b/extra/hardware-info/windows/nt/nt.factor
@@ -3,16 +3,13 @@ kernel libc math namespaces hardware-info.backend
 windows windows.advapi32 windows.kernel32 system ;
 IN: hardware-info.windows.nt
 
-: system-info ( -- SYSTEM_INFO )
-    "SYSTEM_INFO" <c-object> [ GetSystemInfo ] keep ;
-
 M: winnt cpus ( -- n )
     system-info SYSTEM_INFO-dwNumberOfProcessors ;
 
 : memory-status ( -- MEMORYSTATUSEX )
     "MEMORYSTATUSEX" <c-object>
     "MEMORYSTATUSEX" heap-size over set-MEMORYSTATUSEX-dwLength
-    [ GlobalMemoryStatusEx ] keep swap zero? [ win32-error ] when ;
+    dup GlobalMemoryStatusEx win32-error=0/f ;
 
 M: winnt memory-load ( -- n )
     memory-status MEMORYSTATUSEX-dwMemoryLoad ;
@@ -35,21 +32,12 @@ M: winnt total-virtual-mem ( -- n )
 M: winnt available-virtual-mem ( -- n )
     memory-status MEMORYSTATUSEX-ullAvailVirtual ;
 
-: pull-win32-string ( alien -- string )
-    [ utf16n alien>string ] keep free ;
-
 : computer-name ( -- string )
-    MAX_COMPUTERNAME_LENGTH 1+ [ malloc ] keep
-    <int> dupd GetComputerName zero? [
-        free win32-error f
-    ] [
-        pull-win32-string
-    ] if ;
+    MAX_COMPUTERNAME_LENGTH 1+
+    [ <byte-array> dup ] keep <uint>
+    GetComputerName win32-error=0/f alien>native-string ;
  
 : username ( -- string )
-    UNLEN 1+ [ malloc ] keep
-    <int> dupd GetUserName zero? [
-        free win32-error f
-    ] [
-        pull-win32-string
-    ] if ;
+    UNLEN 1+
+    [ <byte-array> dup ] keep <uint>
+    GetUserName win32-error=0/f alien>native-string ;
diff --git a/extra/hardware-info/windows/windows.factor b/extra/hardware-info/windows/windows.factor
index 3aa6824ff6..d3ebe87501 100755
--- a/extra/hardware-info/windows/windows.factor
+++ b/extra/hardware-info/windows/windows.factor
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ IN: hardware-info.windows
 : os-version ( -- os-version )
     "OSVERSIONINFO" <c-object>
     "OSVERSIONINFO" heap-size over set-OSVERSIONINFO-dwOSVersionInfoSize
-    [ GetVersionEx ] keep swap zero? [ win32-error ] when ;
+    dup GetVersionEx win32-error=0/f ;
 
 : windows-major ( -- n )
     os-version OSVERSIONINFO-dwMajorVersion ;
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ IN: hardware-info.windows
     os-version OSVERSIONINFO-dwPlatformId ;
 
 : windows-service-pack ( -- string )
-    os-version OSVERSIONINFO-szCSDVersion utf16n alien>string ;
+    os-version OSVERSIONINFO-szCSDVersion alien>native-string ;
 
 : feature-present? ( n -- ? )
     IsProcessorFeaturePresent zero? not ;
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ IN: hardware-info.windows
     "ushort" <c-array> ;
 
 : get-directory ( word -- str )
-    >r MAX_UNICODE_PATH [ <u16-string-object> ] keep dupd r>
-    execute win32-error=0/f utf16n alien>string ; inline
+    [ MAX_UNICODE_PATH [ <u16-string-object> ] keep dupd ] dip
+    execute win32-error=0/f alien>native-string ; inline
 
 : windows-directory ( -- str )
     \ GetWindowsDirectory get-directory ;