diff --git a/mailnews/addrbook/src/Makefile.in b/mailnews/addrbook/src/Makefile.in
index ee04d813a1b..7c96d2c89a0 100644
--- a/mailnews/addrbook/src/Makefile.in
+++ b/mailnews/addrbook/src/Makefile.in
@@ -92,7 +92,6 @@ CPPSRCS		= \
 		nsAddbookUrl.cpp    \
 		nsAbDirFactoryService.cpp	\
 		nsAbMDBDirFactory.cpp	\
-		nsAbUtils.cpp	\
                 nsAbDirectoryQuery.cpp    \
                 nsAbDirectoryQueryProxy.cpp    \
                 nsAbDirSearchListener.cpp \
diff --git a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbBSDirectory.cpp b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbBSDirectory.cpp
index ec3b679e782..0c5eea5fdb0 100644
--- a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbBSDirectory.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbBSDirectory.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@
 
 #include "nsIPrefService.h"
 #include "nsAbBSDirectory.h"
-#include "nsAbUtils.h"
 
 #include "nsRDFCID.h"
 #include "nsIRDFService.h"
diff --git a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbDirectoryQuery.cpp b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbDirectoryQuery.cpp
index 8cd4eb76284..267992631c7 100644
--- a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbDirectoryQuery.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbDirectoryQuery.cpp
@@ -176,12 +176,14 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsAbDirectoryQueryArguments::SetQuerySubDirectories(PRBool aQueryS
 NS_IMETHODIMP nsAbDirectoryQueryArguments::SetReturnProperties(PRUint32 returnPropertiesSize,
         const char** returnPropertiesArray)
 {
-    nsresult rv;
-    rv = CharPtrArrayToCStringArray::Convert(mReturnProperties,
-        returnPropertiesSize,
-        returnPropertiesArray);
+    NS_ENSURE_ARG_POINTER(returnPropertiesArray);
 
-    return rv;
+    mReturnProperties.Clear();
+
+    for (PRUint32 i = 0; i < returnPropertiesSize; i++)
+        mReturnProperties.AppendCString(nsDependentCString(returnPropertiesArray[i]));
+
+    return NS_OK;
 }
 
 /* void getReturnProperties (out unsigned long returnPropertiesSize,
@@ -189,11 +191,19 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsAbDirectoryQueryArguments::SetReturnProperties(PRUint32 returnPr
 NS_IMETHODIMP nsAbDirectoryQueryArguments::GetReturnProperties(PRUint32* returnPropertiesSize,
         char*** returnPropertiesArray)
 {
-    nsresult rv;
-    rv = CStringArrayToCharPtrArray::Convert (mReturnProperties,
-        returnPropertiesSize, returnPropertiesArray);    
+    NS_ENSURE_ARG_POINTER(returnPropertiesSize);
+    NS_ENSURE_ARG_POINTER(returnPropertiesArray);
 
-    return rv;
+    PRUint32 size = mReturnProperties.Count();
+    *returnPropertiesSize = size;
+    *returnPropertiesArray = NS_STATIC_CAST(char**, nsMemory::Alloc (sizeof (char* ) * size));
+    if (!(*returnPropertiesArray))
+        return NS_ERROR_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+
+    for (PRUint32 i = 0; i < size; i++)
+        (*returnPropertiesArray)[i] = ToNewCString(*mReturnProperties[i]);
+
+    return NS_OK;
 }
 
 NS_IMPL_THREADSAFE_ISUPPORTS1(nsAbDirectoryQueryPropertyValue, nsIAbDirectoryQueryPropertyValue)
diff --git a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbLDAPDirectory.cpp b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbLDAPDirectory.cpp
index d4dc3b10ca5..9d86b94049c 100644
--- a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbLDAPDirectory.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbLDAPDirectory.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@
 
 #include "nsAbLDAPDirectory.h"
 #include "nsAbLDAPProperties.h"
-#include "nsAbUtils.h"
 
 #include "nsAbQueryStringToExpression.h"
 
@@ -362,13 +361,8 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsAbLDAPDirectory::StartSearch ()
 
     // Set the return properties to
     // return nsIAbCard interfaces
-    nsCStringArray properties;
-    properties.AppendCString (nsCAutoString ("card:nsIAbCard"));
-    CharPtrArrayGuard returnProperties (PR_FALSE);
-    rv = CStringArrayToCharPtrArray::Convert (properties,returnProperties.GetSizeAddr(),
-                    returnProperties.GetArrayAddr(), PR_FALSE);
-    NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
-    rv = arguments->SetReturnProperties (returnProperties.GetSize(), returnProperties.GetArray());
+    const char *arr = "card:nsIAbCard";
+    rv = arguments->SetReturnProperties (1, &arr);
     NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
 
     rv = arguments->SetQuerySubDirectories (PR_TRUE);
diff --git a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbMDBDirectory.cpp b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbMDBDirectory.cpp
index be12600a6a0..41d11c09626 100644
--- a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbMDBDirectory.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbMDBDirectory.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@
 #include "nsAbDirectoryQuery.h"
 #include "nsIAbDirectoryQueryProxy.h"
 #include "nsAbQueryStringToExpression.h"
-#include "nsAbUtils.h"
 #include "nsArrayEnumerator.h"
 #include "nsAbMDBCardProperty.h"
 
@@ -909,13 +908,8 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsAbMDBDirectory::StartSearch()
 
   // Set the return properties to
   // return nsIAbCard interfaces
-  nsCStringArray properties;
-  properties.AppendCString(nsCAutoString("card:nsIAbCard"));
-  CharPtrArrayGuard returnProperties(PR_FALSE);
-  rv = CStringArrayToCharPtrArray::Convert(properties,returnProperties.GetSizeAddr(),
-          returnProperties.GetArrayAddr(), PR_FALSE);
-  NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
-  rv = arguments->SetReturnProperties(returnProperties.GetSize(), returnProperties.GetArray());
+  const char *arr = "card:nsIAbCard";
+  rv = arguments->SetReturnProperties(1, &arr);
   NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
 
   // don't search the subdirectories 
diff --git a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbOutlookDirectory.cpp b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbOutlookDirectory.cpp
index cbc9593c70a..a86e65420e9 100644
--- a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbOutlookDirectory.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbOutlookDirectory.cpp
@@ -995,14 +995,9 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsAbOutlookDirectory::StartSearch(void)
     NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(retCode, retCode) ;
     retCode = arguments->SetExpression(expression) ;
     NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(retCode, retCode) ;
-    nsCStringArray properties ;
-    CharPtrArrayGuard returnProperties(PR_FALSE) ;
     
-    properties.AppendCString(nsCAutoString("card:nsIAbCard")) ;
-    retCode = CStringArrayToCharPtrArray::Convert(properties, returnProperties.GetSizeAddr(),
-        returnProperties.GetArrayAddr(), PR_FALSE) ;
-    NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(retCode, retCode) ;
-    retCode = arguments->SetReturnProperties(returnProperties.GetSize(), returnProperties.GetArray()) ;
+    const char *arr = "card:nsIAbCard";
+    retCode = arguments->SetReturnProperties(1, &arr);
     NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(retCode, retCode) ;
     retCode = arguments->SetQuerySubDirectories(PR_TRUE) ;
     NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(retCode, retCode) ;
diff --git a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbRDFDataSource.cpp b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbRDFDataSource.cpp
index 869a9fc939b..0e8207fedb4 100644
--- a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbRDFDataSource.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbRDFDataSource.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@
 #include "nsIAbDirectory.h"
 #include "nsIAddrBookSession.h"
 #include "nsIAbCard.h"
-#include "nsAbUtils.h"
 
 #include "rdf.h"
 #include "nsIRDFService.h"
diff --git a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbUtils.cpp b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbUtils.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb2d..00000000000
diff --git a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbUtils.h b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbUtils.h
index d17ec0a0f57..b62254b8d4d 100644
--- a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbUtils.h
+++ b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbUtils.h
@@ -105,40 +105,10 @@ private:
         else
         {
           nsMemory::Free(mArray);
-          mArray=nsnull;
         }
     }
 };
 
-
-/*
- * Helper class to convert an nsCStringArray
- * to an array of char*
- * By default strings will be copied, unless
- * the copyElements parameter is set to PR_FALSE.
- */
-class CStringArrayToCharPtrArray
-{
-public:
-    static nsresult Convert (nsCStringArray& array,
-        PRUint32* returnPropertiesSize,
-        char*** returnPropertiesArray,
-        PRBool copyElements = PR_TRUE);
-};
-
-/*
- * Helper class to convert an array of char*
- * to an nsCStringArray
- */
-class CharPtrArrayToCStringArray
-{
-public:
-    static nsresult Convert (nsCStringArray& array,
-        PRUint32 returnPropertiesSize,
-        const char** returnPropertiesArray);
-};
-
-
 /*
  * Wrapper class to automatically free an array of
  * PRUnichar* when class goes out of scope
@@ -199,36 +169,8 @@ private:
         else
         {
           nsMemory::Free(mArray);
-          mArray=nsnull;
         }
     }
 };
 
-/*
- * Helper class to convert an nsStringArray
- * to an array of PRUnichar*
- * By default strings will be copied, unless
- * the copyElements parameter is set to PR_FALSE.
- */
-class StringArrayToPRUnicharPtrArray
-{
-public:
-    static nsresult Convert (nsStringArray& array,
-        PRUint32* returnPropertiesSize,
-        PRUnichar*** returnPropertiesArray,
-        PRBool copyElements = PR_TRUE);
-};
-
-/*
- * Helper class to convert an array of PRUnichar*
- * to an nsStringArray
- */
-class PRUnicharPtrArrayToStringArray
-{
-public:
-    static nsresult Convert (nsStringArray& returnPropertiesArray,
-        PRUint32 returnPropertiesSize,
-        const PRUnichar** array);
-};
-
 #endif  /* nsAbUtils_h__ */
diff --git a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbWinHelper.cpp b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbWinHelper.cpp
index 93bbe17a0dc..a193e817598 100644
--- a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbWinHelper.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbWinHelper.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
 #define USES_IID_IDistList
 
 #include "nsAbWinHelper.h"
-#include "nsAbUtils.h"
 #include "nsMapiAddressBook.h"
 #include "nsWabAddressBook.h"
 #include "nsCRT.h"
diff --git a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsMapiAddressBook.cpp b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsMapiAddressBook.cpp
index 49d42cccde8..bc6033212c7 100644
--- a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsMapiAddressBook.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsMapiAddressBook.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
  *
  * ***** END LICENSE BLOCK ***** */
 #include "nsMapiAddressBook.h"
-#include "nsAbUtils.h"
 #include "nsAutoLock.h"
 
 #include "prlog.h"
diff --git a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsWabAddressBook.cpp b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsWabAddressBook.cpp
index 3937163fb80..b0a0909a116 100644
--- a/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsWabAddressBook.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/addrbook/src/nsWabAddressBook.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
  *
  * ***** END LICENSE BLOCK ***** */
 #include "nsWabAddressBook.h"
-#include "nsAbUtils.h"
 #include "nsAutoLock.h"
 #include "prlog.h"