diff --git a/driver/main.cpp b/driver/main.cpp
index 6829f8c..d4ee754 100644
--- a/driver/main.cpp
+++ b/driver/main.cpp
@@ -77,22 +77,24 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     else if (!strcasecmp(argv[1], _S("makegcn")))
     {
 #if NOD_UCS2
-        if (_wcslen(argv[2]) < 6)
-            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, "game-id is not at least 6 characters");
+        if (wcslen(argv[2]) < 6)
+            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, _S("game-id is not at least 6 characters"));
 #else
         if (strlen(argv[2]) < 6)
-            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, "game-id is not at least 6 characters");
+            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, _S("game-id is not at least 6 characters"));
 #endif
 
         /* Pre-validate paths */
         NOD::Sstat theStat;
         if (NOD::Stat(argv[4], &theStat) || !S_ISDIR(theStat.st_mode))
-            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, "unable to stat %s as directory", argv[4]);
+            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, _S("unable to stat %s as directory"), argv[4]);
         if (NOD::Stat(argv[5], &theStat) || !S_ISREG(theStat.st_mode))
-            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, "unable to stat %s as file", argv[5]);
+            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, _S("unable to stat %s as file"), argv[5]);
         if (NOD::Stat(argv[6], &theStat) || !S_ISREG(theStat.st_mode))
             NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, "unable to stat %s as file", argv[6]);
 
+        NOD::SystemUTF8View gameId(argv[2]);
+        NOD::SystemUTF8View gameTitle(argv[3]);
         size_t lastIdx = -1;
         auto progFunc = [&](size_t idx, const NOD::SystemString& name, size_t bytes)
         {
@@ -112,12 +114,12 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
         {
             NOD::SystemString outPath(argv[4]);
             outPath.append(_S(".iso"));
-            NOD::DiscBuilderGCN b(outPath.c_str(), argv[2], argv[3], 0x0003EB60, progFunc);
+            NOD::DiscBuilderGCN b(outPath.c_str(), gameId.utf8_str().c_str(), gameTitle.utf8_str().c_str(), 0x0003EB60, progFunc);
             b.buildFromDirectory(argv[4], argv[5], argv[6]);
         }
         else
         {
-            NOD::DiscBuilderGCN b(argv[7], argv[2], argv[3], 0x0003EB60, progFunc);
+            NOD::DiscBuilderGCN b(argv[7], gameId.utf8_str().c_str(), gameTitle.utf8_str().c_str(), 0x0003EB60, progFunc);
             b.buildFromDirectory(argv[4], argv[5], argv[6]);
         }
 
@@ -126,24 +128,26 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     else if (!strcasecmp(argv[1], _S("makewiisl")) || !strcasecmp(argv[1], _S("makewiidl")))
     {
 #if NOD_UCS2
-        if (_wcslen(argv[2]) < 6)
-            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, "game-id is not at least 6 characters");
+        if (wcslen(argv[2]) < 6)
+            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, _S("game-id is not at least 6 characters"));
 #else
         if (strlen(argv[2]) < 6)
-            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, "game-id is not at least 6 characters");
+            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, _S("game-id is not at least 6 characters"));
 #endif
 
         /* Pre-validate paths */
         NOD::Sstat theStat;
         if (NOD::Stat(argv[4], &theStat) || !S_ISDIR(theStat.st_mode))
-            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, "unable to stat %s as directory", argv[4]);
+            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, _S("unable to stat %s as directory"), argv[4]);
         if (NOD::Stat(argv[5], &theStat) || !S_ISREG(theStat.st_mode))
-            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, "unable to stat %s as file", argv[5]);
+            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, _S("unable to stat %s as file"), argv[5]);
         if (NOD::Stat(argv[6], &theStat) || !S_ISREG(theStat.st_mode))
-            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, "unable to stat %s as file", argv[6]);
+            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, _S("unable to stat %s as file"), argv[6]);
         if (NOD::Stat(argv[7], &theStat) || !S_ISREG(theStat.st_mode))
-            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, "unable to stat %s as file", argv[7]);
+            NOD::LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, _S("unable to stat %s as file"), argv[7]);
 
+        NOD::SystemUTF8View gameId(argv[2]);
+        NOD::SystemUTF8View gameTitle(argv[3]);
         size_t lastIdx = -1;
         auto progFunc = [&](size_t idx, const NOD::SystemString& name, size_t bytes)
         {
@@ -165,12 +169,12 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
         {
             NOD::SystemString outPath(argv[4]);
             outPath.append(_S(".iso"));
-            NOD::DiscBuilderWii b(outPath.c_str(), argv[2], argv[3], dual, progFunc);
+            NOD::DiscBuilderWii b(outPath.c_str(), gameId.utf8_str().c_str(), gameTitle.utf8_str().c_str(), dual, progFunc);
             b.buildFromDirectory(argv[4], argv[5], argv[6], argv[7]);
         }
         else
         {
-            NOD::DiscBuilderWii b(argv[8], argv[2], argv[3], dual, progFunc);
+            NOD::DiscBuilderWii b(argv[8], gameId.utf8_str().c_str(), gameTitle.utf8_str().c_str(), dual, progFunc);
             b.buildFromDirectory(argv[4], argv[5], argv[6], argv[7]);
         }
 
diff --git a/include/NOD/DiscBase.hpp b/include/NOD/DiscBase.hpp
index 573b7da..80c775f 100644
--- a/include/NOD/DiscBase.hpp
+++ b/include/NOD/DiscBase.hpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <unordered_map>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
+#include <functional>
 #include "Util.hpp"
 #include "IDiscIO.hpp"
 #include "IFileIO.hpp"
diff --git a/include/NOD/Util.hpp b/include/NOD/Util.hpp
index bea0b05..2de6eaf 100644
--- a/include/NOD/Util.hpp
+++ b/include/NOD/Util.hpp
@@ -20,11 +20,37 @@
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 
 #include <string>
+#include <cstring>
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <LogVisor/LogVisor.hpp>
+#ifdef _MSC_VER
+#pragma warning(disable : 4996)
+
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+
+#if !defined(S_ISREG) && defined(S_IFMT) && defined(S_IFREG)
+#define S_ISREG(m) (((m) & S_IFMT) == S_IFREG)
+#endif
+
+#if !defined(S_ISDIR) && defined(S_IFMT) && defined(S_IFDIR)
+#define S_ISDIR(m) (((m) & S_IFMT) == S_IFDIR)
+#endif
+
+#if !defined(S_ISLNK)
+#define S_ISLNK(m) 0
+#endif
+#endif
+
+#undef min
+#undef max
 
 namespace NOD
 {
+/* define our own min/max to avoid MSVC BS */
+template<typename T>
+inline T min(T a, T b) { return a < b ? a : b; }
+template<typename T>
+inline T max(T a, T b) { return a > b ? a : b; }
 
 /* Log Module */
 extern LogVisor::LogModule LogModule;
@@ -49,7 +75,7 @@ static inline void ToLower(SystemString& str)
 {std::transform(str.begin(), str.end(), str.begin(), towlower);}
 static inline void ToUpper(SystemString& str)
 {std::transform(str.begin(), str.end(), str.begin(), towupper);}
-static inline size_t StrLen(const SystemChar* str) {return _wcslen(str);}
+static inline size_t StrLen(const SystemChar* str) {return wcslen(str);}
 class SystemUTF8View
 {
     std::string m_utf8;
@@ -108,7 +134,7 @@ public:
 
 static inline void Unlink(const SystemChar* file)
 {
-#if _WIN32
+#if NOD_UCS2
     _wunlink(file);
 #else
     unlink(file);
@@ -117,8 +143,8 @@ static inline void Unlink(const SystemChar* file)
 
 static inline int StrCmp(const SystemChar* str1, const SystemChar* str2)
 {
-#if HECL_UCS2
-    return _wcscmp(str1, str2);
+#if NOD_UCS2
+    return wcscmp(str1, str2);
 #else
     return strcmp(str1, str2);
 #endif
@@ -126,7 +152,7 @@ static inline int StrCmp(const SystemChar* str1, const SystemChar* str2)
 
 static inline int StrCaseCmp(const SystemChar* str1, const SystemChar* str2)
 {
-#if HECL_UCS2
+#if NOD_UCS2
     return _wcsicmp(str1, str2);
 #else
     return strcasecmp(str1, str2);
diff --git a/lib/DirectoryEnumerator.cpp b/lib/DirectoryEnumerator.cpp
index df087a2..7ad4aaa 100644
--- a/lib/DirectoryEnumerator.cpp
+++ b/lib/DirectoryEnumerator.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#ifdef WIN32
+#ifdef _WIN32
 #include <windows.h>
 #else
 #include <sys/stat.h>
diff --git a/lib/DiscBase.cpp b/lib/DiscBase.cpp
index cd2572b..453302b 100644
--- a/lib/DiscBase.cpp
+++ b/lib/DiscBase.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <errno.h>
+
 #ifndef _WIN32
 #include <unistd.h>
 #endif
@@ -138,9 +139,14 @@ static uint64_t GetInode(const SystemChar* path)
 {
     uint64_t inode;
 #if _WIN32
-    OFSTRUCT ofs;
-    HFILE fp = OpenFile(path, &ofs, OF_READ);
-    if (fp == HFILE_ERROR)
+    HANDLE fp = CreateFileW(path,
+                            GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE,
+                            FILE_SHARE_READ | FILE_SHARE_WRITE,
+                            nullptr,
+                            OPEN_EXISTING,
+                            FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL,
+                            nullptr);
+    if (!fp)
         LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, _S("unable to open %s"), path);
     BY_HANDLE_FILE_INFORMATION info;
     if (!GetFileInformationByHandle(fp, &info))
@@ -212,7 +218,7 @@ void DiscBuilderBase::PartitionBuilderBase::recursiveBuildNodes(bool system, con
             ++m_parent.m_progressIdx;
             while (xferSz < e.m_fileSz)
             {
-                size_t rdSz = fread(buf, 1, std::min(0x8000ul, e.m_fileSz - xferSz), fp);
+                size_t rdSz = fread(buf, 1, NOD::min(size_t(0x8000ul), e.m_fileSz - xferSz), fp);
                 if (!rdSz)
                     break;
                 ws->write(buf, rdSz);
@@ -263,12 +269,12 @@ bool DiscBuilderBase::PartitionBuilderBase::buildFromDirectory(const SystemChar*
                                                             const SystemChar* apploaderIn)
 {
     if (!dirIn || !dolIn || !apploaderIn)
-        LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, "all arguments must be supplied to buildFromDirectory()");
+        LogModule.report(LogVisor::FatalError, _S("all arguments must be supplied to buildFromDirectory()"));
 
     /* Clear file */
     m_parent.getFileIO().beginWriteStream();
     ++m_parent.m_progressIdx;
-    m_parent.m_progressCB(m_parent.m_progressIdx, "Preparing output image", -1);
+    m_parent.m_progressCB(m_parent.m_progressIdx, _S("Preparing output image"), -1);
 
     /* Add root node */
     m_buildNodes.emplace_back(true, m_buildNameOff, 0, 1);
diff --git a/lib/DiscWii.cpp b/lib/DiscWii.cpp
index 7ce4fce..e68f1cc 100644
--- a/lib/DiscWii.cpp
+++ b/lib/DiscWii.cpp
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ public:
         std::unique_ptr<IDiscIO::IReadStream> rs = m_parent.getDiscIO().beginReadStream(m_offset);
         while (rem)
         {
-            size_t rdSz = std::min(rem, 8192ul);
+            size_t rdSz = NOD::min(rem, size_t(8192ul));
             rs->read(buf, rdSz);
             fwrite(buf, 1, rdSz, fp);
             rem -= rdSz;
@@ -792,7 +792,7 @@ bool DiscBuilderWii::buildFromDirectory(const SystemChar* dirIn, const SystemCha
     }
 
     ++m_progressIdx;
-    m_progressCB(m_progressIdx, "Finishing Disc", -1);
+    m_progressCB(m_progressIdx, _S("Finishing Disc"), -1);
 
     /* Populate disc header */
     std::unique_ptr<IFileIO::IWriteStream> ws = imgOut->beginWriteStream(0);
diff --git a/lib/sha1.c b/lib/sha1.c
index 126ac4c..093a8c8 100644
--- a/lib/sha1.c
+++ b/lib/sha1.c
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@
 # define SHA_BIG_ENDIAN
 # endif
 #else // ! defined __LITTLE_ENDIAN__
+#ifndef _WIN32
 # include <endian.h> // machine/endian.h
+#endif
 # if __BYTE_ORDER__ ==  __ORDER_BIG_ENDIAN__
 #  define SHA_BIG_ENDIAN
 # endif