diff --git a/sys/include/venti.h b/sys/include/venti.h
index e4677c1a3..dff553b4c 100644
--- a/sys/include/venti.h
+++ b/sys/include/venti.h
@@ -207,10 +207,10 @@ int vtscorefmt(Fmt*);
  * error-checking malloc et al.
  */
 void	vtfree(void *);
-void*	vtmalloc(int);
-void*	vtmallocz(int);
-void*	vtrealloc(void *p, int);
-void*	vtbrk(int n);
+void*	vtmalloc(ulong);
+void*	vtmallocz(ulong);
+void*	vtrealloc(void *p, ulong);
+void*	vtbrk(ulong);
 char*	vtstrdup(char *);
 
 /*
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/arenas.c b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/arenas.c
index 0316c4c86..96fa7d668 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/arenas.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/arenas.c
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ parseamap(IFile *f, AMapN *amn)
 	for(i = 0; i < n; i++){
 		s = ifileline(f);
 		if(s)
-			t = estrdup(s);
+			t = vtstrdup(s);
 		else
 			t = nil;
 		if(s == nil || getfields(s, flds, 4, 0, "\t") != 3){
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/buildindex.c b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/buildindex.c
index 97ec3855b..8ce5a77d6 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/buildindex.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/buildindex.c
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ mkipool(ISect *isect, Minibuf *mbuf, u32int nmbuf,
 	IEntryLink *l;
 	
 	nentry = (nmbuf+1)*bufsize / IEntrySize;
-	p = ezmalloc(sizeof(IPool)
+	p = vtmallocz(sizeof(IPool)
 		+nentry*sizeof(IEntry)
 		+nmbuf*sizeof(IEntryLink*)
 		+nmbuf*sizeof(u32int)
@@ -676,7 +676,7 @@ sortminibuffer(ISect *is, Minibuf *mb, uchar *buf, u32int nbuf, u32int bufsize)
 	Part *part;
 	
 	part = is->part;
-	buckdata = emalloc(is->blocksize);
+	buckdata = vtmalloc(is->blocksize);
 	
 	if(mb->nwentry == 0)
 		return;
@@ -691,7 +691,6 @@ sortminibuffer(ISect *is, Minibuf *mb, uchar *buf, u32int nbuf, u32int bufsize)
 		errors = 1;
 		return;
 	}
-	assert(*(uint*)buf != 0xa5a5a5a5);
 	
 	/*
 	 * remove fragmentation due to IEntrySize
@@ -820,7 +819,7 @@ isectproc(void *v)
 	bufsize = MinBufSize;
 	while(bufsize*2*nbuf <= isectmem && bufsize < MaxBufSize)
 		bufsize *= 2;
-	data = emalloc(nbuf*bufsize);
+	data = vtmalloc(nbuf*bufsize);
 	epbuf = bufsize/IEntrySize;
 	fprint(2, "%T %s: %,ud buckets, %,ud groups, %,ud minigroups, %,ud buffer\n",
 		is->part->name, nbucket, nbuf, nminibuf, bufsize);
@@ -951,7 +950,7 @@ isectproc(void *v)
 			if(space < mbuf[j].woffset - mbuf[j].boffset)
 				space = mbuf[j].woffset - mbuf[j].boffset;
 
-		data = emalloc(space);
+		data = vtmalloc(space);
 		for(j=0; j<nminibuf; j++){
 			mb = &mbuf[j];
 			sortminibuffer(is, mb, data, space, bufsize);
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/config.c b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/config.c
index ba4daba1a..1d5917e82 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/config.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/config.c
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ runconfig(char *file, Config *config)
 			ok = 0;
 			break;
 		}
-		line = estrdup(s);
+		line = vtstrdup(s);
 		i = getfields(s, flds, MaxArgs + 1, 1, " \t\r");
 		if(i == 2 && strcmp(flds[0], "isect") == 0){
 			sv = MKN(ISect*, config->nsects + 1);
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ runconfig(char *file, Config *config)
 				seterr(EAdmin, "duplicate indices in config file %s", file);
 				break;
 			}
-			config->index = estrdup(flds[1]);
+			config->index = vtstrdup(flds[1]);
 		}else if(i == 2 && strcmp(flds[0], "bcmem") == 0){
 			if(numok(flds[1]) < 0){
 				seterr(EAdmin, "illegal size %s in config file %s",
@@ -163,19 +163,19 @@ runconfig(char *file, Config *config)
 				seterr(EAdmin, "duplicate httpaddr lines in configuration file %s", file);
 				break;
 			}
-			config->haddr = estrdup(flds[1]);
+			config->haddr = vtstrdup(flds[1]);
 		}else if(i == 2 && strcmp(flds[0], "webroot") == 0){
 			if(config->webroot){
 				seterr(EAdmin, "duplicate webroot lines in configuration file %s", file);
 				break;
 			}
-			config->webroot = estrdup(flds[1]);
+			config->webroot = vtstrdup(flds[1]);
 		}else if(i == 2 && strcmp(flds[0], "addr") == 0){
 			if(config->vaddr){
 				seterr(EAdmin, "duplicate addr lines in configuration file %s", file);
 				break;
 			}
-			config->vaddr = estrdup(flds[1]);
+			config->vaddr = vtstrdup(flds[1]);
 		}else{
 			seterr(EAdmin, "illegal line '%s' in configuration file %s", line, file);
 			break;
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/dcache.c b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/dcache.c
index a50ef0c5c..44e530e43 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/dcache.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/dcache.c
@@ -82,10 +82,11 @@ initdcache(u32int mem)
 	int i;
 	u8int *p;
 
-	if(mem < maxblocksize * 2)
-		sysfatal("need at least %d bytes for the disk cache", maxblocksize * 2);
 	if(maxblocksize == 0)
 		sysfatal("no max. block size given for disk cache");
+	if(mem < maxblocksize * 2)
+		sysfatal("need at least 2 max-size blocks (%d bytes) for the disk cache", maxblocksize * 2);
+
 	blocksize = maxblocksize;
 	nblocks = mem / blocksize;
 	dcache.full.l = &dcache.lock;
@@ -94,11 +95,11 @@ initdcache(u32int mem)
 	trace(TraceProc, "initialize disk cache with %d blocks of %d bytes, maximum %d dirty blocks\n",
 			nblocks, blocksize, dcache.maxdirty);
 	dcache.size = blocksize;
-	dcache.heads = MKNZ(DBlock*, HashSize);
-	dcache.heap = MKNZ(DBlock*, nblocks);
-	dcache.blocks = MKNZ(DBlock, nblocks);
-	dcache.write = MKNZ(DBlock*, nblocks);
-	dcache.mem = MKNZ(u8int, (nblocks+1+128) * blocksize);
+	dcache.heads = vtbrk(sizeof(DBlock*) * HashSize);
+	dcache.heap = vtbrk(sizeof(DBlock*) * nblocks);
+	dcache.blocks = vtbrk(sizeof(DBlock) * nblocks);
+	dcache.write = vtbrk(sizeof(DBlock*) * nblocks);
+	dcache.mem = vtbrk((nblocks+1+128) * blocksize);
 
 	last = nil;
 	p = (u8int*)(((uintptr)dcache.mem+blocksize-1)&~(uintptr)(blocksize-1));
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/fns.h b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/fns.h
index 398562c27..a1181b8cb 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/fns.h
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/fns.h
@@ -29,13 +29,9 @@ void		delaykickroundproc(void*);
 void		dirtydblock(DBlock*, int);
 void		diskaccess(int);
 void		disksched(void);
-void		*emalloc(ulong);
 void		emptydcache(void);
 void		emptyicache(void);
 void		emptylumpcache(void);
-void		*erealloc(void *, ulong);
-char		*estrdup(char*);
-void		*ezmalloc(ulong);
 Arena		*findarena(char *name);
 int		flushciblocks(Arena *arena);
 void		flushdcache(void);
@@ -151,6 +147,8 @@ int		readclumpinfos(Arena *arena, int clump, ClumpInfo *cis, int n);
 ZBlock		*readfile(char *name);
 int		readifile(IFile *f, char *name);
 Packet		*readlump(u8int *score, int type, u32int size, int *cached);
+// If the return value is not negative one, n bytes were successfully read.
+// If n == -1, this will ALWAYS report failure, even when the read succeeded.
 int		readpart(Part *part, u64int addr, u8int *buf, u32int n);
 int		resetbloom(Bloom*);
 int		runconfig(char *config, Config*);
@@ -221,8 +219,8 @@ void		zeropart(Part *part, int blocksize);
 #define scorecmp(h1,h2)		memcmp((h1),(h2),VtScoreSize)
 #define scorecp(h1,h2)		memmove((h1),(h2),VtScoreSize)
 
-#define MK(t)			((t*)emalloc(sizeof(t)))
-#define MKZ(t)			((t*)ezmalloc(sizeof(t)))
-#define MKN(t,n)		((t*)emalloc((n)*sizeof(t)))
-#define MKNZ(t,n)		((t*)ezmalloc((n)*sizeof(t)))
-#define MKNA(t,at,n)		((t*)emalloc(sizeof(t) + (n)*sizeof(at)))
+#define MK(t)			((t*)vtmalloc(sizeof(t)))
+#define MKZ(t)			((t*)vtmallocz(sizeof(t)))
+#define MKN(t,n)		((t*)vtmalloc((n)*sizeof(t)))
+#define MKNZ(t,n)		((t*)vtmallocz((n)*sizeof(t)))
+#define MKNA(t,at,n)		((t*)vtmalloc(sizeof(t) + (n)*sizeof(at)))
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/icache.c b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/icache.c
index 67faba209..4c7a71327 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/icache.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/icache.c
@@ -278,14 +278,12 @@ scachemiss(u64int addr)
  */
 
 void
-initicache(u32int mem0)
+initicache(u32int mem)
 {
-	u32int mem;
 	int i, entries, scache;
 	
 	icache.full.l = &icache.lock;
 
-	mem = mem0;
 	entries = mem / (sizeof(IEntry)+sizeof(IEntry*));
 	scache = (entries/8) / ArenaCIGSize;
 	entries -= entries/8;
@@ -295,7 +293,7 @@ initicache(u32int mem0)
 		scache = 16;
 	if(entries < 1000)
 		entries = 1000;
-fprint(2, "icache %,d bytes = %,d entries; %d scache\n", mem0, entries, scache);
+fprint(2, "icache %,lud bytes = %,lud entries; %lud scache\n", mem, entries, scache);
 
 	icache.clean.prev = icache.clean.next = &icache.clean;
 	icache.dirty.prev = icache.dirty.next = &icache.dirty;
@@ -304,7 +302,7 @@ fprint(2, "icache %,d bytes = %,d entries; %d scache\n", mem0, entries, scache);
 	icache.hash = mkihash(entries);
 	icache.nentries = entries;
 	setstat(StatIcacheSize, entries);
-	icache.entries = vtmallocz(entries*sizeof icache.entries[0]);
+	icache.entries = vtbrk(entries*sizeof icache.entries[0]);
 	icache.maxdirty = entries / 2;
 	for(i=0; i<entries; i++)
 		pushfirst(&icache.free, &icache.entries[i]);
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/icachewrite.c b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/icachewrite.c
index e1406ef15..b771fd5b3 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/icachewrite.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/icachewrite.c
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ icachewriteproc(void *v)
 	threadsetname("icachewriteproc:%s", is->part->name);
 
 	bsize = 1<<is->blocklog;
-	buf = emalloc(Bufsize+bsize);
+	buf = vtmalloc(Bufsize+bsize);
 	buf = (u8int*)(((uintptr)buf+bsize-1)&~(uintptr)(bsize-1));
 
 	for(;;){
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/lumpcache.c b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/lumpcache.c
index d9a6b954e..a67aff4ea 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/lumpcache.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/lumpcache.c
@@ -47,9 +47,9 @@ initlumpcache(u32int size, u32int nblocks)
 	lumpcache.nblocks = nblocks;
 	lumpcache.allowed = size;
 	lumpcache.avail = size;
-	lumpcache.heads = MKNZ(Lump*, HashSize);
-	lumpcache.heap = MKNZ(Lump*, nblocks);
-	lumpcache.blocks = MKNZ(Lump, nblocks);
+	lumpcache.heads = vtbrk(sizeof(Lump*) * HashSize);
+	lumpcache.heap = vtbrk(sizeof(Lump*) * nblocks);
+	lumpcache.blocks = vtbrk(sizeof(Lump) * nblocks);
 	setstat(StatLcacheSize, lumpcache.nblocks);
 
 	last = nil;
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ checklumpcache(void)
 	}
 	if(lumpcache.avail != lumpcache.allowed - size){
 		fprint(2, "mismatched available=%d and allowed=%d - used=%d space", lumpcache.avail, lumpcache.allowed, size);
-		*(int*)0=0;
+		abort();
 	}
 
 	nfree = 0;
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/part.c b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/part.c
index 9f112cf62..d5c778742 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/part.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/part.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ parsepart(char *name, char **file, u64int *lo, u64int *hi)
 {
 	char *p;
 
-	*file = estrdup(name);
+	*file = vtstrdup(name);
 	if((p = strrchr(*file, ':')) == nil){
 		*lo = 0;
 		*hi = 0;
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@ initpart(char *name, int mode)
 		return nil;
 	trace(TraceDisk, "initpart %s file %s lo 0x%llx hi 0x%llx", name, file, lo, hi);
 	part = MKZ(Part);
-	part->name = estrdup(name);
-	part->filename = estrdup(file);
+	part->name = vtstrdup(name);
+	part->filename = vtstrdup(file);
 	if(readonly){
 		mode &= ~(OREAD|OWRITE|ORDWR);
 		mode |= OREAD;
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/printindex.c b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/printindex.c
index edbcf7934..895f11407 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/printindex.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/printindex.c
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ dumpisect(ISect *is)
 	IBucket ib;
 	IEntry ie;
 
-	buf = emalloc(is->blocksize);
+	buf = vtmalloc(is->blocksize);
 	for(i=0; i<is->blocks; i++){
 		off = is->blockbase+(u64int)is->blocksize*i;
 		if(readpart(is->part, off, buf, is->blocksize) < 0)
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/utils.c b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/utils.c
index d810c53d8..0c4cb4517 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/utils.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/utils.c
@@ -136,70 +136,6 @@ now(void)
 	return time(nil);
 }
 
-int abortonmem = 1;
-
-void *
-emalloc(ulong n)
-{
-	void *p;
-
-	p = malloc(n);
-	if(p == nil){
-		if(abortonmem)
-			abort();
-		sysfatal("out of memory allocating %lud", n);
-	}
-	memset(p, 0xa5, n);
-	setmalloctag(p, getcallerpc(&n));
-if(0)print("emalloc %p-%p by %#p\n", p, (char*)p+n, getcallerpc(&n));
-	return p;
-}
-
-void *
-ezmalloc(ulong n)
-{
-	void *p;
-
-	p = malloc(n);
-	if(p == nil){
-		if(abortonmem)
-			abort();
-		sysfatal("out of memory allocating %lud", n);
-	}
-	memset(p, 0, n);
-	setmalloctag(p, getcallerpc(&n));
-if(0)print("ezmalloc %p-%p by %#p\n", p, (char*)p+n, getcallerpc(&n));
-	return p;
-}
-
-void *
-erealloc(void *p, ulong n)
-{
-	p = realloc(p, n);
-	if(p == nil){
-		if(abortonmem)
-			abort();
-		sysfatal("out of memory allocating %lud", n);
-	}
-	setrealloctag(p, getcallerpc(&p));
-if(0)print("erealloc %p-%p by %#p\n", p, (char*)p+n, getcallerpc(&p));
-	return p;
-}
-
-char *
-estrdup(char *s)
-{
-	char *t;
-	int n;
-
-	n = strlen(s) + 1;
-	t = emalloc(n);
-	memmove(t, s, n);
-	setmalloctag(t, getcallerpc(&s));
-if(0)print("estrdup %p-%p by %#p\n", t, (char*)t+n, getcallerpc(&s));
-	return t;
-}
-
 /*
  * return floor(log2(v))
  */
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/venti.c b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/venti.c
index 87361a0e1..da166515b 100755
--- a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/venti.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/venti.c
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ static void
 vtrerror(VtReq *r, char *error)
 {
 	r->rx.msgtype = VtRerror;
-	r->rx.error = estrdup(error);
+	r->rx.error = vtstrdup(error);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/sys/src/libventi/mem.c b/sys/src/libventi/mem.c
index dea99a9d1..57e108a5a 100644
--- a/sys/src/libventi/mem.c
+++ b/sys/src/libventi/mem.c
@@ -7,55 +7,55 @@ enum {
 	ChunkSize 	= 128*1024
 };
 
-
 void
 vtfree(void *p)
 {
-	if(p == 0)
-		return;
 	free(p);
 }
 
 void *
-vtmalloc(int size)
+vtmalloc(ulong size)
 {
-	void *p;
-
-	p = malloc(size);
-	if(p == 0)
-		sysfatal("vtmalloc: out of memory");
+	void *p = mallocz(size, 0);
+	if(p == nil){
+		fprint(2, "vtmalloc: out of memory allocating %lud", size);
+		abort();
+	}
 	setmalloctag(p, getcallerpc(&size));
 	return p;
 }
 
 void *
-vtmallocz(int size)
+vtmallocz(ulong size)
 {
-	void *p = vtmalloc(size);
-	memset(p, 0, size);
+	void *p = mallocz(size, 1);
+	if(p == nil){
+		fprint(2, "vtmallocz: out of memory allocating %lud", size);
+		abort();
+	}
 	setmalloctag(p, getcallerpc(&size));
 	return p;
 }
 
 void *
-vtrealloc(void *p, int size)
+vtrealloc(void *p, ulong size)
 {
-	if(p == nil)
-		return vtmalloc(size);
 	p = realloc(p, size);
-	if(p == 0)
-		sysfatal("vtMemRealloc: out of memory");
+	if(p == 0 && size != 0){
+		fprint(2, "vtrealloc: out of memory allocating %lud", size);
+		abort();
+	}
 	setrealloctag(p, getcallerpc(&size));
 	return p;
 }
 
 void *
-vtbrk(int n)
+vtbrk(ulong n)
 {
 	static Lock lk;
 	static uchar *buf;
-	static int nbuf, nchunk;
-	int align, pad;
+	static ulong nbuf, nchunk;
+	ulong align, pad;
 	void *p;
 
 	if(n >= IdealAlignment)
@@ -65,10 +65,20 @@ vtbrk(int n)
 	else	
 		align = 4;
 
+	if(n > ChunkSize){
+		p = sbrk(n);
+		if(p == (void*)-1)
+			sysfatal("Failed to allocate permanent chunk size %lud", n);
+		memset(p, 0, n);
+		return (uchar*)p;
+	}
 	lock(&lk);
 	pad = (align - (uintptr)buf) & (align-1);
 	if(n + pad > nbuf) {
-		buf = vtmallocz(ChunkSize);
+		buf = sbrk(ChunkSize);
+		if(buf == (void*)-1)
+			sysfatal("Failed to allocate permanent chunk size %ud", ChunkSize);
+		memset(buf, 0, ChunkSize);
 		nbuf = ChunkSize;
 		pad = (align - (uintptr)buf) & (align-1);
 		nchunk++;