diff --git a/src/fix_halt.h b/src/fix_halt.h
index bc7f0055a5..156397a4b5 100644
--- a/src/fix_halt.h
+++ b/src/fix_halt.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class FixHalt : public Fix {
 
  private:
   int attribute,operation,eflag,ivar;
-  double attvalue,value;
+  double value;
   char *idvar;
 
   double bondmax();
diff --git a/src/region.cpp b/src/region.cpp
index 1244b57365..234909feb9 100644
--- a/src/region.cpp
+++ b/src/region.cpp
@@ -578,34 +578,21 @@ void Region::write_restart(FILE *fp)
 
 int Region::restart(char *buf, int &n)
 {
-  int sizeid = buf[n];
+  int size = *((int *)(buf+n));
   n += sizeof(int);
-  char *restart_id = new char[sizeid];
-  for (int i = 0; i < sizeid; i++)
-    restart_id[i] = buf[n++];    
-  if (strcmp(restart_id,id) != 0) return 0;
+  if ((size <= 0) || (strcmp(buf+n,id) != 0)) return 0;
+  n += size;
 
-  int sizestyle = buf[n];
+  size = *((int *)(buf+n));
   n += sizeof(int);
-  char *restart_style = new char[sizestyle];
-  for (int i = 0; i < sizestyle; i++)
-    restart_style[i] = buf[n++];  
-  if (strcmp(restart_style,style) != 0) return 0;    
+  if ((size <= 0) || (strcmp(buf+n,style) != 0)) return 0;
+  n += size;
 
-  int restart_nreg = buf[n];
+  int restart_nreg = *((int *)(buf+n));
   n += sizeof(int);
   if (restart_nreg != nregion) return 0;
 
-  char *rlist = new char[size_restart*sizeof(double)];  
-  for (int i = 0; i < size_restart*sizeof(double); i++)
-    rlist[i] = buf[n++]; 
-  for (int i = 0; i < size_restart; i++){
-    prev[i] = ((double *)rlist)[i];
-  }
-  
-  delete [] rlist;
-  delete [] restart_id;
-  delete [] restart_style;
+  memcpy(prev,buf+n,size_restart*sizeof(double));
   return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/region_intersect.cpp b/src/region_intersect.cpp
index 02e3769ca6..a673ba9d11 100644
--- a/src/region_intersect.cpp
+++ b/src/region_intersect.cpp
@@ -323,30 +323,23 @@ void RegIntersect::write_restart(FILE *fp)
 
 int RegIntersect::restart(char *buf, int& n)
 {
-  int sizeid = buf[n];
+  int size = *((int *)(buf+n));
   n += sizeof(int);
-  char *restart_id = new char[sizeid];
-  for (int i = 0; i < sizeid; i++)
-    restart_id[i] = buf[n++];    
-  if (strcmp(restart_id,id) != 0) return 0;
+  if ((size <= 0) || (strcmp(buf+n,id) != 0)) return 0;
+  n += size;
 
-  int sizestyle = buf[n];
+  size = *((int *)(buf+n));
   n += sizeof(int);
+  if ((size <= 0) || (strcmp(buf+n,style) != 0)) return 0;
+  n += size;
 
-  char *restart_style = new char[sizestyle];
-  for (int i = 0; i < sizestyle; i++)
-    restart_style[i] = buf[n++];  
-  if (strcmp(restart_style,style) != 0) return 0;    
-
-  int restart_nreg = buf[n];
+  int restart_nreg = *((int *)(buf+n));
   n += sizeof(int);
   if (restart_nreg != nregion) return 0;
 
-  for (int ilist = 0; ilist < nregion; ilist++){
-    if (!domain->regions[list[ilist]]->restart(buf, n)){
-      return 0;
-    }
-  }
+  for (int ilist = 0; ilist < nregion; ilist++)
+    if (!domain->regions[list[ilist]]->restart(buf, n)) return 0;
+
   return 1; 
 }
 
diff --git a/src/region_union.cpp b/src/region_union.cpp
index c506c811c3..40bf35b0de 100644
--- a/src/region_union.cpp
+++ b/src/region_union.cpp
@@ -315,27 +315,23 @@ void RegUnion::write_restart(FILE *fp)
 
 int RegUnion::restart(char *buf, int &n)
 {
-  int sizeid = buf[n];
+  int size = *((int *)(buf+n));
   n += sizeof(int);
-  char *restart_id = new char[sizeid];
-  for (int i = 0; i < sizeid; i++)
-    restart_id[i] = buf[n++];    
-  if (strcmp(restart_id,id) != 0) return 0;
+  if ((size <= 0) || (strcmp(buf+n,id) != 0)) return 0;
+  n += size;
 
-  int sizestyle = buf[n];
+  size = *((int *)(buf+n));
   n += sizeof(int);
-  char *restart_style = new char[sizestyle];
-  for (int i = 0; i < sizestyle; i++)
-    restart_style[i] = buf[n++];  
-  if (strcmp(restart_style,style) != 0) return 0;    
+  if ((size <= 0) || (strcmp(buf+n,style) != 0)) return 0;
+  n += size;
 
-  int restart_nreg = buf[n];
+  int restart_nreg = *((int *)(buf+n));
   n += sizeof(int);
   if (restart_nreg != nregion) return 0;
 
-  for (int ilist = 0; ilist < nregion; ilist++){
+  for (int ilist = 0; ilist < nregion; ilist++)
     if (!domain->regions[list[ilist]]->restart(buf, n)) return 0;
-  }
+
   return 1;
 }