diff --git a/src/emu/diimage.c b/src/emu/diimage.c
index 85faabf3b37..a50a4eb10c0 100644
--- a/src/emu/diimage.c
+++ b/src/emu/diimage.c
@@ -430,8 +430,7 @@ void device_image_interface::run_hash(void (*partialhash)(hash_collection &, con
 	hashes.reset();
 	size = (UINT32) length();
 
-	buf.resize(size);
-	memset(buf,0,size);
+	buf.resize_and_clear(size);
 
 	/* read the file */
 	fseek(0, SEEK_SET);
diff --git a/src/emu/drawgfx.c b/src/emu/drawgfx.c
index 74d289bbc0e..a43e0a674cf 100644
--- a/src/emu/drawgfx.c
+++ b/src/emu/drawgfx.c
@@ -473,8 +473,7 @@ void gfx_element::set_layout(const gfx_layout &gl, const UINT8 *srcdata)
 	}
 
 	// mark everything dirty
-	m_dirty.resize(m_total_elements);
-	memset(m_dirty, 1, m_total_elements);
+	m_dirty.resize_and_clear(m_total_elements, 1);
 
 	// allocate a pen usage array for entries with 32 pens or less
 	if (m_color_depth <= 32)
diff --git a/src/lib/formats/coco_dsk.c b/src/lib/formats/coco_dsk.c
index d781e89770d..b3f2b306c43 100644
--- a/src/lib/formats/coco_dsk.c
+++ b/src/lib/formats/coco_dsk.c
@@ -747,8 +747,7 @@ static floperr_t coco_dmk_format_track(floppy_image_legacy *floppy, int head, in
 	track_data = (UINT8 *) track_data_v;
 
 	/* set up sector map */
-	sector_map.resize(sectors);
-	sector_map.clear(0xFF);
+	sector_map.resize_and_clear(sectors, 0xFF);
 
 	physical_sector = 0;
 	for (logical_sector = 0; logical_sector < sectors; logical_sector++)
diff --git a/src/lib/formats/z80ne_dsk.c b/src/lib/formats/z80ne_dsk.c
index 0c408c987c2..4445bcfcacf 100644
--- a/src/lib/formats/z80ne_dsk.c
+++ b/src/lib/formats/z80ne_dsk.c
@@ -207,9 +207,8 @@ static floperr_t z80ne_dmk_format_track(floppy_image_legacy *floppy, int head, i
 	track_data = (UINT8 *) track_data_v;
 
 	/* set up sector map */
-	sector_map.resize(sectors);
-	sector_map.clear(0xFF);
-
+	sector_map.resize_and_clear(sectors, 0xFF);
+	
 	physical_sector = 0;
 	for (logical_sector = 0; logical_sector < sectors; logical_sector++)
 	{
@@ -231,8 +230,7 @@ static floperr_t z80ne_dmk_format_track(floppy_image_legacy *floppy, int head, i
 							sector_length +
 							DMK_DATA_CRC_LEN +
 							DMK_DATA_GAP_LEN);
-	local_sector.resize(local_sector_size);
-	local_sector.clear();
+	local_sector.resize_and_clear(local_sector_size);
 
 	/* set up track table of contents */
 	physical_sector = 0;
@@ -392,8 +390,7 @@ static floperr_t z80ne_dmk_seek_sector_in_track(floppy_image_legacy *floppy, int
 							DMK_ID_GAP_LEN +
 							DMK_DAM_LEN +
 							DMK_DATA_GAP_LEN);
-	local_idam.resize(local_idam_size);
-	local_idam.clear();
+	local_idam.resize_and_clear(local_idam_size);
 
 	/* search for matching IDAM */
 	for (i = 0; i < DMK_TOC_LEN / 2; i++)
@@ -572,8 +569,7 @@ static floperr_t internal_z80ne_dmk_read_sector(floppy_image_legacy *floppy, int
 
 	/* set up a local physical sector space (DAM + data + crc + GAP) */
 	local_sector_size = (DMK_DAM_LEN + sector_length + DMK_DATA_CRC_LEN + DMK_DATA_GAP_LEN);
-	local_sector.resize(local_sector_size);
-	local_sector.clear();
+	local_sector.resize_and_clear(local_sector_size);
 
 	/* get sector data */
 	/* create a local copy of sector data including DAM (for crc calculation) */
@@ -618,8 +614,7 @@ static floperr_t internal_z80ne_dmk_write_sector(floppy_image_legacy *floppy, in
 
 	/* set up a local physical sector space */
 	local_sector_size = (DMK_DAM_LEN + sector_length + DMK_DATA_CRC_LEN + DMK_DATA_GAP_LEN);
-	local_sector.resize(local_sector_size);
-	local_sector.clear();
+	local_sector.resize_and_clear(local_sector_size);
 	if(!ddam)
 		local_sector[0] = 0xFB;
 	else
diff --git a/src/lib/util/chd.c b/src/lib/util/chd.c
index c9842eb5f88..68332479312 100644
--- a/src/lib/util/chd.c
+++ b/src/lib/util/chd.c
@@ -2362,8 +2362,7 @@ void chd_file_compressor::compress_begin()
 	m_read_error = false;
 
 	// reset work item state
-	m_work_buffer.resize(hunk_bytes() * (WORK_BUFFER_HUNKS + 1));
-	memset(m_work_buffer, 0, m_work_buffer.count());
+	m_work_buffer.resize_and_clear(hunk_bytes() * (WORK_BUFFER_HUNKS + 1));
 	m_compressed_buffer.resize(hunk_bytes() * WORK_BUFFER_HUNKS);
 	for (int itemnum = 0; itemnum < WORK_BUFFER_HUNKS; itemnum++)
 	{
diff --git a/src/lib/util/palette.c b/src/lib/util/palette.c
index 58e5d6e1fa5..a516b3e4a32 100644
--- a/src/lib/util/palette.c
+++ b/src/lib/util/palette.c
@@ -75,12 +75,11 @@ const UINT32 *palette_client::dirty_state::dirty_list(UINT32 &mindirty, UINT32 &
 
 void palette_client::dirty_state::resize(UINT32 colors)
 {
-	// resize to the correct number of dwords
+	// resize to the correct number of dwords and mark all entries dirty
 	UINT32 dirty_dwords = (colors + 31) / 32;
-	m_dirty.resize(dirty_dwords);
+	m_dirty.resize_and_clear(dirty_dwords, 0xff);
 
 	// mark all entries dirty
-	memset(&m_dirty[0], 0xff, dirty_dwords * sizeof(UINT32));
 	m_dirty[dirty_dwords - 1] &= (1 << (colors % 32)) - 1;
 
 	// set min/max	
diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/sigmab98.c b/src/mame/drivers/sigmab98.c
index 6f2c13f7ccf..27f4391dfbe 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/sigmab98.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/sigmab98.c
@@ -2149,9 +2149,8 @@ DRIVER_INIT_MEMBER(sigmab98_state,itazuram)
 	m_rombank = 0x0f;
 
 	// RAM banks
-	m_paletteram.resize(0x3000);
+	m_paletteram.resize_and_clear(0x3000);
 	m_palette->basemem().set(m_paletteram, ENDIANNESS_BIG, 2);	
-	memset(m_paletteram, 0, 0x3000);
 	membank("palbank")->set_base(m_paletteram);
 	m_rambank = 0x64;
 
@@ -2262,8 +2261,7 @@ ROM_END
 DRIVER_INIT_MEMBER(sigmab98_state,haekaka)
 {
 	// RAM banks
-	m_paletteram.resize(0x200);
-	memset(m_paletteram, 0, 0x200);
+	m_paletteram.resize_and_clear(0x200);
 	m_palette->basemem().set(m_paletteram, ENDIANNESS_BIG, 2);
 
 	m_spriteram.allocate(0x1000);
diff --git a/src/mess/machine/x68k_hdc.c b/src/mess/machine/x68k_hdc.c
index 1a587492e56..8ed2331db20 100644
--- a/src/mess/machine/x68k_hdc.c
+++ b/src/mess/machine/x68k_hdc.c
@@ -265,8 +265,7 @@ WRITE16_MEMBER( x68k_hdc_image_device::hdc_w )
 						lba |= m_command[2] << 8;
 						lba |= (m_command[1] & 0x1f) << 16;
 						fseek(lba * 256,SEEK_SET);
-						blk.resize(256*33);
-						memset(blk,0,256*33);
+						blk.resize_and_clear(256*33);
 						// formats 33 256-byte blocks
 						fwrite(blk,256*33);
 						logerror("SASI: FORMAT UNIT (LBA 0x%06x)\n",lba);
diff --git a/src/mess/tools/imgtool/imghd.c b/src/mess/tools/imgtool/imghd.c
index 65f404f531c..46c30b0b83b 100644
--- a/src/mess/tools/imgtool/imghd.c
+++ b/src/mess/tools/imgtool/imghd.c
@@ -101,8 +101,7 @@ imgtoolerr_t imghd_create(imgtool_stream *stream, UINT32 hunksize, UINT32 cylind
 	}
 
 	/* alloc and zero buffer */
-	cache.resize(hunksize);
-	cache.clear();
+	cache.resize_and_clear(hunksize);
 
 	/* zero out every hunk */
 	totalhunks = (logicalbytes + hunksize - 1) / hunksize;