diff --git a/src/calibre/__init__.py b/src/calibre/__init__.py
index c8fa6f3fb6..6c04d72e9a 100644
--- a/src/calibre/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/__init__.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ except EnvironmentError:
 from calibre.constants import (iswindows, ismacos, islinux, isfrozen,
         isbsd, preferred_encoding, __appname__, __version__, __author__,
         win32event, win32api, winerror, fcntl,
-        filesystem_encoding, plugins, config_dir)
+        filesystem_encoding, config_dir)
 from calibre.startup import winutil, winutilerror
 from calibre.utils.icu import safe_chr
 from calibre.prints import prints
@@ -409,15 +409,9 @@ def strftime(fmt, t=None):
         t[0] = replacement
         t = time.struct_time(t)
     ans = None
-    if iswindows:
-        if isinstance(fmt, bytes):
-            fmt = fmt.decode('mbcs', 'replace')
-        fmt = fmt.replace('%e', '%#d')
-        ans = plugins['winutil'][0].strftime(fmt, t)
-    else:
-        ans = time.strftime(fmt, t)
-        if isinstance(ans, bytes):
-            ans = ans.decode(preferred_encoding, 'replace')
+    if isinstance(fmt, bytes):
+        fmt = fmt.decode('mbcs' if iswindows else 'utf-8', 'replace')
+    ans = time.strftime(fmt, t)
     if early_year:
         ans = ans.replace('_early year hack##', unicode_type(orig_year))
     return ans
diff --git a/src/calibre/startup.py b/src/calibre/startup.py
index 64597e7b0e..4878595ae8 100644
--- a/src/calibre/startup.py
+++ b/src/calibre/startup.py
@@ -81,15 +81,6 @@ if not _run_once:
 
     sys.meta_path.insert(0, DeVendor())
 
-    #
-    # Platform specific modules
-    if iswindows:
-        winutil, winutilerror = plugins['winutil']
-        if not winutil:
-            raise RuntimeError('Failed to load the winutil plugin: %s'%winutilerror)
-        if len(sys.argv) > 1 and not isinstance(sys.argv[1], unicode_type):
-            sys.argv[1:] = winutil.argv()[1-len(sys.argv):]
-
     # Ensure that all temp files/dirs are created under a calibre tmp dir
     from calibre.ptempfile import base_dir
     try:
diff --git a/src/calibre/test_build.py b/src/calibre/test_build.py
index 05da265348..d2b06a51c0 100644
--- a/src/calibre/test_build.py
+++ b/src/calibre/test_build.py
@@ -158,8 +158,6 @@ class BuildTest(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertTrue(
                 isinstance(x, unicode_type),
                 '%s() did not return a unicode string, instead returning: %r' % (name, x))
-        for x in winutil.argv():
-            au(x, 'argv')
         for x in 'username temp_path locale_name'.split():
             au(getattr(winutil, x)(), x)
         d = winutil.localeconv()
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/windows/winutil.c b/src/calibre/utils/windows/winutil.c
index 3861287bf5..8a1cfbc0ae 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/windows/winutil.c
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/windows/winutil.c
@@ -27,12 +27,6 @@ wherever possible in this module.
         >>>  special_folder_path(CSIDL_PERSONAL)
         u'C:\\Documents and Settings\\Kovid Goyal\\My Documents'
 
-.. function:: argv() -> list of unicode command line arguments
-    Get command line arguments as unicode objects. Note that the
-    first argument will be the path to the interpreter, *not* the
-    script being run. So to replace sys.argv, you should use
-    `if len(sys.argv) > 1: sys.argv[1:] = winutil.argv()[1-len(sys.argv):]`
-
 .. function:: internet_connected() -> Return True if there is an active
    internet connection.
 
@@ -56,35 +50,6 @@ wherever possible in this module.
 
 #define BUFSIZE    512
 #define MAX_DRIVES 26
-static BOOL DEBUG = FALSE;
-
-//#define debug(fmt, ...) if DEBUG printf(x, __VA_ARGS__);
-void
-debug(const char *fmt, ...) {
-    va_list argList;
-    va_start(argList, fmt);
-    if (DEBUG) vprintf(fmt, argList);
-    va_end(argList);
-}
-
-static void console_out(LPCWSTR fmt, LPCWSTR arg) {
-    char *bfmt, *barg;
-    int sz;
-
-    sz = WideCharToMultiByte(CP_UTF8, 0, fmt, -1, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL);
-    bfmt = (char*)calloc(sz+1, sizeof(char));
-    WideCharToMultiByte(CP_UTF8, 0, fmt, -1, bfmt, sz, NULL, NULL);
-
-    sz = WideCharToMultiByte(CP_UTF8, 0, arg, -1, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL);
-    barg = (char*)calloc(sz+1, sizeof(char));
-    WideCharToMultiByte(CP_UTF8, 0, arg, -1, barg, sz, NULL, NULL);
-
-    if (bfmt != NULL && barg != NULL) {
-        printf(bfmt, barg);
-        fflush(stdout);
-        free(bfmt); free(barg);
-    }
-}
 
 static PyObject *
 winutil_folder_path(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {
@@ -106,94 +71,6 @@ winutil_folder_path(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {
     return ans;
 }
 
-static PyObject *
-winutil_argv(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {
-    PyObject *argv, *v;
-    LPWSTR *_argv;
-    int argc, i;
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "")) return NULL;
-    _argv = CommandLineToArgvW(GetCommandLineW(), &argc);
-    if (_argv == NULL) { PyErr_NoMemory(); return NULL; }
-    argv = PyList_New(argc);
-    if (argv != NULL) {
-        for (i = 0; i < argc; i++) {
-            v = PyUnicode_FromWideChar(_argv[i], wcslen(_argv[i]));
-            if ( v == NULL) {
-                Py_DECREF(argv); argv = NULL; PyErr_NoMemory(); break;
-            }
-            PyList_SetItem(argv, i, v);
-        }
-    }
-    LocalFree(_argv);
-    return argv;
-}
-
-
-static LPVOID
-format_last_error() {
-    /* Format the last error as a string. The returned pointer should
-       be freed with :cfunction:`LocalFree(lpMsgBuf)`. It can be printed with
-       :cfunction:`printf("\n%ws\n", (LPCTSTR)lpMsgBuf)`.
-    */
-
-    LPVOID lpMsgBuf;
-    FormatMessage(
-    FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER |
-    FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_SYSTEM |
-    FORMAT_MESSAGE_IGNORE_INSERTS,
-    NULL,
-    GetLastError(),
-    0, // Default language
-    (LPTSTR) &lpMsgBuf,
-    0,
-    NULL
-    );
-    return lpMsgBuf;
-}
-
-static PyObject *
-winutil_set_debug(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {
-    PyObject *yes;
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O", &yes)) return NULL;
-    DEBUG = (BOOL)PyObject_IsTrue(yes);
-    return Py_None;
-}
-
-static int
-gettmarg(PyObject *args, struct tm *p)
-{
-    int y;
-    memset((void *) p, '\0', sizeof(struct tm));
-
-    if (!PyArg_Parse(args, "(iiiiiiiii)",
-             &y,
-             &p->tm_mon,
-             &p->tm_mday,
-             &p->tm_hour,
-             &p->tm_min,
-             &p->tm_sec,
-             &p->tm_wday,
-             &p->tm_yday,
-             &p->tm_isdst))
-        return 0;
-    if (y < 1900) {
-        if (69 <= y && y <= 99)
-            y += 1900;
-        else if (0 <= y && y <= 68)
-            y += 2000;
-        else {
-            PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError,
-                    "year out of range");
-            return 0;
-        }
-    }
-    p->tm_year = y - 1900;
-    p->tm_mon--;
-    p->tm_wday = (p->tm_wday + 1) % 7;
-    p->tm_yday--;
-    return 1;
-}
-
 static PyObject *
 winutil_internet_connected(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {
     DWORD flags;
@@ -272,94 +149,6 @@ winutil_localeconv(PyObject *self) {
 }
 
 
-static PyObject *
-winutil_strftime(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
-{
-    PyObject *tup = NULL;
-    struct tm buf;
-    size_t buflen;
-    wchar_t *outbuf = NULL;
-    Py_UNICODE *fmt = NULL;
-    int fmtlen;
-    size_t i;
-    memset((void *) &buf, 0, sizeof(buf));
-
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "u#|O:strftime", &fmt, &fmtlen, &tup)) return NULL;
-
-    if (tup == NULL) {
-        time_t tt = time(NULL);
-        if(localtime_s(&buf, &tt) != 0) {
-            PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "Failed to get localtime()");
-            return NULL;
-        }
-    } else if (!gettmarg(tup, &buf)) return NULL;
-
-    if (buf.tm_mon == -1) buf.tm_mon = 0;
-    else if (buf.tm_mon < 0 || buf.tm_mon > 11) {
-        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "month out of range");
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    if (buf.tm_mday == 0) buf.tm_mday = 1;
-    else if (buf.tm_mday < 0 || buf.tm_mday > 31) {
-        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "day of month out of range");
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    if (buf.tm_hour < 0 || buf.tm_hour > 23) {
-        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "hour out of range");
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    if (buf.tm_min < 0 || buf.tm_min > 59) {
-        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "minute out of range");
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    if (buf.tm_sec < 0 || buf.tm_sec > 61) {
-        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "seconds out of range");
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    /* tm_wday does not need checking of its upper-bound since taking
-       ``% 7`` in gettmarg() automatically restricts the range. */
-    if (buf.tm_wday < 0) {
-        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "day of week out of range");
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    if (buf.tm_yday == -1) buf.tm_yday = 0;
-    else if (buf.tm_yday < 0 || buf.tm_yday > 365) {
-        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "day of year out of range");
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    if (buf.tm_isdst < -1 || buf.tm_isdst > 1) {
-        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError,
-                "daylight savings flag out of range");
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
-    for (i = 5*(unsigned int)fmtlen; ; i += i) {
-        outbuf = (wchar_t *)PyMem_Malloc(i*sizeof(wchar_t));
-        if (outbuf == NULL) {
-            PyErr_NoMemory(); return NULL;
-        }
-        buflen = wcsftime(outbuf, i, fmt, &buf);
-        if (buflen > 0 || i >= 256 * (unsigned int)fmtlen) {
-            /* If the buffer is 256 times as long as the format,
-               it's probably not failing for lack of room!
-               More likely, the format yields an empty result,
-               e.g. an empty format, or %Z when the timezone
-               is unknown. */
-            PyObject *ret;
-            ret = PyUnicode_FromWideChar(outbuf, buflen);
-            PyMem_Free(outbuf);
-            return ret;
-        }
-        PyMem_Free(outbuf);
-        /* VisualStudio .NET 2005 does this properly */
-        if (buflen == 0 && errno == EINVAL) {
-            PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "Invalid format string");
-            return NULL;
-        }
-    }
-    return NULL;
-}
-
 static PyObject*
 winutil_close_handle(PyObject *self, PyObject *pyhandle) {
     if (!PyLong_Check(pyhandle)) { PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "handle must be an int"); return NULL; }
@@ -397,26 +186,6 @@ static PyMethodDef winutil_methods[] = {
             "a symbolic constant with CSIDL_FLAG_CREATE to force the operating "
             "system to create a folder if it does not exist."},
 
-    {"argv", winutil_argv, METH_VARARGS,
-    "argv() -> list of command line arguments\n\n"
-            "Get command line arguments as unicode objects. Note that the "
-            "first argument will be the path to the interpreter, *not* the "
-            "script being run. So to replace sys.argv, you should use "
-            "sys.argv[1:] = argv()[1:]."},
-
-    {"set_debug", winutil_set_debug, METH_VARARGS,
-            "set_debug(bool)\n\nSet debugging mode."
-    },
-
-    {"strftime", winutil_strftime, METH_VARARGS,
-        "strftime(format[, tuple]) -> string\n\
-\n\
-Convert a time tuple to a string according to a format specification.\n\
-See the library reference manual for formatting codes. When the time tuple\n\
-is not present, current time as returned by localtime() is used. format must\n\
-be a unicode string. Returns unicode strings."
-     },
-
     {"internet_connected", winutil_internet_connected, METH_VARARGS,
         "internet_connected()\n\nReturn True if there is an active internet connection"
     },
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/windows/winutilpp.cpp b/src/calibre/utils/windows/winutilpp.cpp
index 4c60763d9a..3f496eecd2 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/windows/winutilpp.cpp
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/windows/winutilpp.cpp
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ set_error_from_file_handle(HANDLE h) {
     return PyErr_SetFromWindowsErr(error_code);
 }
 
+
 extern "C" {
 
 PyObject*