diff --git a/pcsx2/Elfheader.cpp b/pcsx2/Elfheader.cpp
index e977a02cb2..e3f8640d9b 100644
--- a/pcsx2/Elfheader.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/Elfheader.cpp
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ void ElfApplyPatches()
 	ssprintf( filename, "%8.8x", params ElfCRC );
 
 	// if patches found the following status msg will be overwritten
-	Console::SetTitle( fmt_string( "Game running [CRC=%hs]", params &filename ) );
+	Console::SetTitle( fmt_string( "Game running [CRC=%hs]", &filename ) );
 
 	if( !Config.Patch ) return;
 
diff --git a/pcsx2/Exceptions.h b/pcsx2/Exceptions.h
index a12aa2b177..411500f0ce 100644
--- a/pcsx2/Exceptions.h
+++ b/pcsx2/Exceptions.h
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ namespace Exception
 	public:
 		virtual ~UnsupportedStateVersion() throw() {}
 		explicit UnsupportedStateVersion( int version ) :
-			StateLoadError_Recoverable( fmt_string( "Unknown or unsupported savestate version: 0x%x", params version ) )
+			StateLoadError_Recoverable( fmt_string( "Unknown or unsupported savestate version: 0x%x", version ) )
 		{}
 
 		explicit UnsupportedStateVersion( int version, const std::string& msg ) :
diff --git a/pcsx2/GS.cpp b/pcsx2/GS.cpp
index 916c58b6ca..8fef4146ea 100644
--- a/pcsx2/GS.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/GS.cpp
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ static void IMRwrite(u32 value) {
 	// don't update mtgs mem
 }
 
-void gsWrite8(u32 mem, u8 value) {
+__forceinline void gsWrite8(u32 mem, u8 value) {
 	switch (mem) {
 		case 0x12001000: // GS_CSR
 			gsCSRwrite((CSRw & ~0x000000ff) | value); break;
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ void gsWrite8(u32 mem, u8 value) {
 	GIF_LOG("GS write 8 at %8.8lx with data %8.8lx\n", mem, value);
 }
 
-void gsWrite16(u32 mem, u16 value) {
+__forceinline void gsWrite16(u32 mem, u16 value) {
 	
 	GIF_LOG("GS write 16 at %8.8lx with data %8.8lx\n", mem, value);
 
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ void gsWrite16(u32 mem, u16 value) {
 		mtgsThread->SendSimplePacket(GS_RINGTYPE_MEMWRITE16, mem&0x13ff, value, 0);
 }
 
-void gsWrite32(u32 mem, u32 value)
+__forceinline void gsWrite32(u32 mem, u32 value)
 {
 	assert( !(mem&3));
 	GIF_LOG("GS write 32 at %8.8lx with data %8.8lx\n", mem, value);
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ void gsWrite32(u32 mem, u32 value)
 		mtgsThread->SendSimplePacket(GS_RINGTYPE_MEMWRITE32, mem&0x13ff, value, 0);
 }
 
-void gsWrite64(u32 mem, u64 value) {
+__forceinline void gsWrite64(u32 mem, u64 value) {
 
 	GIF_LOG("GS write 64 at %8.8lx with data %8.8lx_%8.8lx\n", mem, ((u32*)&value)[1], (u32)value);
 
@@ -470,25 +470,25 @@ void gsWrite64(u32 mem, u64 value) {
 		mtgsThread->SendSimplePacket(GS_RINGTYPE_MEMWRITE64, mem&0x13ff, (u32)value, (u32)(value>>32));
 }
 
-u8 gsRead8(u32 mem)
+__forceinline u8 gsRead8(u32 mem)
 {
 	GIF_LOG("GS read 8 from %8.8lx  value: %8.8lx\n", mem, *(u8*)PS2GS_BASE(mem));
 	return *(u8*)PS2GS_BASE(mem);
 }
 
-u16 gsRead16(u32 mem)
+__forceinline u16 gsRead16(u32 mem)
 {
 	GIF_LOG("GS read 16 from %8.8lx  value: %8.8lx\n", mem, *(u16*)PS2GS_BASE(mem));
 	return *(u16*)PS2GS_BASE(mem);
 }
 
-u32 gsRead32(u32 mem) 
+__forceinline u32 gsRead32(u32 mem) 
 {
 	GIF_LOG("GS read 32 from %8.8lx  value: %8.8lx\n", mem, *(u32*)PS2GS_BASE(mem));
 	return *(u32*)PS2GS_BASE(mem);
 }
 
-u64 gsRead64(u32 mem)
+__forceinline u64 gsRead64(u32 mem)
 {
 	GIF_LOG("GS read 64 from %8.8lx  value: %8.8lx_%8.8lx\n", mem, *(u32*)PS2GS_BASE(mem+4), *(u32*)PS2GS_BASE(mem) );
 	return *(u64*)PS2GS_BASE(mem);
diff --git a/pcsx2/GS.h b/pcsx2/GS.h
index ad2b5fe8a6..d60afa4e06 100644
--- a/pcsx2/GS.h
+++ b/pcsx2/GS.h
@@ -260,15 +260,15 @@ extern void _gs_ChangeTimings( u32 framerate, u32 iTicks );
 void gsGIFReset();
 void gsCSRwrite(u32 value);
 
-void gsWrite8(u32 mem, u8 value);
-void gsWrite16(u32 mem, u16 value);
-void gsWrite32(u32 mem, u32 value);
-void gsWrite64(u32 mem, u64 value);
+extern void gsWrite8(u32 mem, u8 value);
+extern void gsWrite16(u32 mem, u16 value);
+extern void gsWrite32(u32 mem, u32 value);
+extern void gsWrite64(u32 mem, u64 value);
 
-u8   gsRead8(u32 mem);
-u16  gsRead16(u32 mem);
-u32  gsRead32(u32 mem);
-u64  gsRead64(u32 mem);
+extern u8   gsRead8(u32 mem);
+extern u16  gsRead16(u32 mem);
+extern u32  gsRead32(u32 mem);
+extern u64  gsRead64(u32 mem);
 
 void gsConstWrite8(u32 mem, int mmreg);
 void gsConstWrite16(u32 mem, int mmreg);
diff --git a/pcsx2/Linux/GtkGui.cpp b/pcsx2/Linux/GtkGui.cpp
index bd18291b59..6add212a17 100644
--- a/pcsx2/Linux/GtkGui.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/Linux/GtkGui.cpp
@@ -155,15 +155,15 @@ void RunExecute( const char* elf_file, bool use_bios )
 	// cross platform gui?)  - Air
 
 	try
-		{
-			cpuReset();
-		}
-		
-		catch( std::exception& ex )
-		{
-			Msgbox::Alert( "%s", params ex.what() );
-			return;
-		}
+	{
+		cpuReset();
+	}
+	
+	catch( std::exception& ex )
+	{
+		Msgbox::Alert( ex.what() );
+		return;
+	}
 
 	if (OpenPlugins(NULL) == -1) 
 	{
@@ -418,9 +418,9 @@ void States_Save( string file, int num = -1 )
 	catch( std::exception& ex )
 	{
 		if( num != -1 )
-			Msgbox::Alert("An error occured while trying to save to slot %d", params num );
+			Msgbox::Alert("An error occurred while trying to save to slot %d", params num );
 		else
-			Msgbox::Alert("An error occured while trying to save to file: %s", params file );
+			Msgbox::Alert("An error occurred while trying to save to file: %s", params file );
 
 		Console::Error("Save state request failed with the following error:" );
 		Console::Error( "%s", params ex.what() );
diff --git a/pcsx2/Linux/LnxConsole.cpp b/pcsx2/Linux/LnxConsole.cpp
index 0dc8db884e..de1ab84fbb 100644
--- a/pcsx2/Linux/LnxConsole.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/Linux/LnxConsole.cpp
@@ -63,13 +63,13 @@ namespace Console
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	__forceinline bool __fastcall Write( const string& fmt )
+	__forceinline bool __fastcall Write( const char* fmt )
 	{
 		if (Config.PsxOut)
-			puts( fmt.c_str() );
+			puts( fmt );
 
 		if (emuLog != NULL)
-			fputs(fmt.c_str(), emuLog);
+			fputs(fmt, emuLog);
 
 		return false;
 	}
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ namespace Console
 
 namespace Msgbox
 {	
-	bool Alert (const string& fmt)
+	bool Alert (const char* fmt)
 	{
 		GtkWidget *dialog;
 		
@@ -101,14 +101,14 @@ namespace Msgbox
 		dialog = gtk_message_dialog_new (GTK_WINDOW(MainWindow),
                                   GTK_DIALOG_DESTROY_WITH_PARENT,
                                   GTK_MESSAGE_ERROR,
-                                  GTK_BUTTONS_OK, fmt.c_str());
+                                  GTK_BUTTONS_OK, fmt);
 		gtk_dialog_run (GTK_DIALOG (dialog));
 		gtk_widget_destroy (dialog);
 		
 		return false; 
 	}
 
-	bool Alert(const string& fmt, VARG_PARAM dummy, ...)
+	bool Alert(const char* fmt, VARG_PARAM dummy, ...)
 	{
 		GtkWidget *dialog;
 		string msg;
@@ -118,12 +118,14 @@ namespace Msgbox
 		vssprintf(msg, fmt, list);
 		va_end(list);
 
+		// fixme: using NULL terminators on std::string might work, but are technically "incorrect."
+		// This should use one of the std::string trimming functions instead.
 		if (msg[msg.length()-1] == '\n')
 			msg[msg.length()-1] = 0;
 
 		if (!UseGui) 
 		{ 
-			Console::Error( msg ); 
+			Console::Error( msg.c_str() ); 
 			return false; 
 		}
 		
diff --git a/pcsx2/System.cpp b/pcsx2/System.cpp
index b23d68bc57..ef70ae34d7 100644
--- a/pcsx2/System.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/System.cpp
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ bool SysAllocateMem()
 
 			if( !CreateProcess(strexe.c_str(), "", NULL, NULL, FALSE, DETACHED_PROCESS|CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP, NULL, strdir.GetPtr(), &si, &pi))
 			{
-				MessageBox(NULL, fmt_string( "Failed to launch %hs\n", params &strexe ).c_str(), "Failure", MB_OK);
+				MessageBox(NULL, fmt_string( "Failed to launch %hs\n", &strexe ).c_str(), "Failure", MB_OK);
 			}
 			else
 			{
diff --git a/pcsx2/VUmicroMem.cpp b/pcsx2/VUmicroMem.cpp
index ddb1755ad4..194b93dfa6 100644
--- a/pcsx2/VUmicroMem.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/VUmicroMem.cpp
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ void vuMicroMemAlloc()
 	{
 		VU0.Mem = NULL;
 		throw Exception::OutOfMemory(
-			fmt_string( "Failed to alloc vu0mem 0x11000000 %d", params GetLastError() )
+			fmt_string( "Failed to alloc vu0mem 0x11000000 %d", GetLastError() )
 		);
 	}
 
diff --git a/pcsx2/windows/WinConsole.cpp b/pcsx2/windows/WinConsole.cpp
index 0b20c83522..13e325b7a9 100644
--- a/pcsx2/windows/WinConsole.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/windows/WinConsole.cpp
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ namespace Msgbox
 
 		va_list list;
 		va_start(list,dummy);
-		MessageBox(0, fmt_string(fmt,list).c_str(), _("Pcsx2 Msg"), 0);
+		MessageBox(0, vfmt_string(fmt,list).c_str(), _("Pcsx2 Msg"), 0);
 		va_end(list);
 
 		return false;
diff --git a/pcsx2/x86/iVUzerorec.cpp b/pcsx2/x86/iVUzerorec.cpp
index fa11268ec3..15464ab77c 100644
--- a/pcsx2/x86/iVUzerorec.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/x86/iVUzerorec.cpp
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ void SuperVUAlloc(int vuindex)
 		if( s_recVUMem == NULL )
 		{
 			throw Exception::OutOfMemory(
-				fmt_string( "SuperVU Error > failed to allocate recompiler memory (addr: 0x%x)", params (u32)s_recVUMem )
+				fmt_string( "SuperVU Error > failed to allocate recompiler memory (addr: 0x%x)", (u32)s_recVUMem )
 			);
 		}