diff --git a/racket/src/cfg-racket b/racket/src/cfg-racket
index ad8cb8eea9..a65d534767 100755
--- a/racket/src/cfg-racket
+++ b/racket/src/cfg-racket
@@ -4594,7 +4594,7 @@ fi
   fi
 fi
 if test "$ARFLAGS" = '' ; then
-  ARFLAGS=ruv
+  ARFLAGS=rc
 fi
 
 # If using gcc, we want all warnings:
diff --git a/racket/src/cs/c/Makefile.in b/racket/src/cs/c/Makefile.in
index 3450ec173b..dfb04d1d72 100644
--- a/racket/src/cs/c/Makefile.in
+++ b/racket/src/cs/c/Makefile.in
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ SCHEME_TARGET_INC = $(SCHEME_SRC)/$(TARGET_MACH)/boot/$(TARGET_MACH)
 CC = @CC@
 BASE_CFLAGS = @CFLAGS@ @CPPFLAGS@
 CFLAGS = $(BASE_CFLAGS) -I$(SCHEME_TARGET_INC) -I$(srcdir)/../../rktio -Irktio -I.
-LD = @LD@
 LDFLAGS = @LDFLAGS@
 LIBS = @LIBS@
 AR = @AR@
@@ -141,7 +140,7 @@ scheme-make-copy:
 	if [ ! -d "$(SCHEME_SRC)" ] ; then cp -r $(srcdir)/../../ChezScheme "$(SCHEME_SRC)" ; fi
 	$(MAKE) scheme-make-finish
 
-SCHEME_CONFIG_VARS = CC="$(CC)" CFLAGS="$(BASE_CFLAGS)" LD="$(LD)" LDFLAGS="$(LDFLAGS)" \
+SCHEME_CONFIG_VARS = CC="$(CC)" CFLAGS="$(BASE_CFLAGS)" LDFLAGS="$(LDFLAGS)" \
                      AR="$(AR)" ARFLAGS="$(ARFLAGS)" RANLIB="$(RANLIB)" \
                      WINDRES="$(WINDRES)"
 
@@ -205,7 +204,11 @@ racketcs@NOT_OSX@@NOT_MINGW@: raw_racketcs petite-v.boot scheme-v.boot racket-v.
 gracketcs@NOT_OSX@@NOT_MINGW@: raw_gracketcs petite-v.boot scheme-v.boot racket-v.boot $(EMBED_DEPS)
 	$(BOOTSTRAP_RACKET) $(srcdir)/embed-boot.rkt @ELF_COMP@ @BOOT_COMPRESS_COMP@ raw_gracketcs gracketcs petite-v.boot scheme-v.boot racket-v.boot
 
-BOOT_OBJS = boot.o $(SCHEME_TARGET_INC)/kernel.o rktio/librktio.a
+SCHEME_LIBS = $(SCHEME_TARGET_INC)/libkernel.a \
+              $(SCHEME_TARGET_INC)/../../lz4/lib/liblz4.a \
+              $(SCHEME_TARGET_INC)/../../zlib/libz.a
+
+BOOT_OBJS = boot.o $(SCHEME_LIBS) rktio/librktio.a
 
 raw_racketcs: main.o boot.o $(BOOT_OBJS)
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o raw_racketcs main.o $(BOOT_OBJS) $(LDFLAGS) $(LIBS)
diff --git a/racket/src/cs/c/configure b/racket/src/cs/c/configure
index e244777a6e..f08aad6a58 100755
--- a/racket/src/cs/c/configure
+++ b/racket/src/cs/c/configure
@@ -3878,11 +3878,9 @@ fi
   fi
 fi
 if test "$ARFLAGS" = '' ; then
-  ARFLAGS=ruv
+  ARFLAGS=rc
 fi
 
-LD="${ac_tool_prefix}ld"
-
 WINDRES=windres
 
 ############## platform tests ################
@@ -3909,7 +3907,7 @@ case "$host_os" in
   openbsd*)
     MACH_OS=ob
     LIBS="${LIBS} -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm -lpthread -lossp-uuid"
-    LDFLAGS="{$LDFLAGS} -Wl,-zwxneeded"
+    LDFLAGS="${LDFLAGS} -Wl,-zwxneeded"
     # Can't strip until ELF lookup added to startup
     enable_strip=no
     ;;
@@ -4986,7 +4984,6 @@ done
 
 SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS="${SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS} CC="'"'"${CC}"'"'
 SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS="${SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS} CFLAGS="'"'"${CFLAGS}"'"'
-SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS="${SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS} LD="'"'"${LD}"'"'
 SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS="${SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS} LDFLAGS="'"'"${LDFLAGS}"'"'
 SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS="${SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS} AR="'"'"${AR}"'"'
 SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS="${SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS} ARFLAGS="'"'"${ARFLAGS}"'"'
diff --git a/racket/src/cs/c/configure.ac b/racket/src/cs/c/configure.ac
index 9720a53171..cbeddda440 100644
--- a/racket/src/cs/c/configure.ac
+++ b/racket/src/cs/c/configure.ac
@@ -159,11 +159,9 @@ if test "$AR" = '' ; then
   fi
 fi
 if test "$ARFLAGS" = '' ; then 
-  ARFLAGS=ruv
+  ARFLAGS=rc
 fi
 
-LD="${ac_tool_prefix}ld"
-
 WINDRES=windres
 
 ############## platform tests ################
@@ -190,7 +188,7 @@ case "$host_os" in
   openbsd*)
     MACH_OS=ob
     LIBS="${LIBS} -L/usr/local/lib -liconv -lm -lpthread -lossp-uuid"
-    LDFLAGS="{$LDFLAGS} -Wl,-zwxneeded"
+    LDFLAGS="${LDFLAGS} -Wl,-zwxneeded"
     # Can't strip until ELF lookup added to startup
     enable_strip=no
     ;;
@@ -604,7 +602,6 @@ done
 
 SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS="${SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS} CC="'"'"${CC}"'"'
 SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS="${SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS} CFLAGS="'"'"${CFLAGS}"'"'
-SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS="${SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS} LD="'"'"${LD}"'"'
 SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS="${SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS} LDFLAGS="'"'"${LDFLAGS}"'"'
 SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS="${SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS} AR="'"'"${AR}"'"'
 SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS="${SUB_CONFIGURE_EXTRAS} ARFLAGS="'"'"${ARFLAGS}"'"'
diff --git a/racket/src/racket/Makefile.in b/racket/src/racket/Makefile.in
index 68421b58e9..fa20959676 100644
--- a/racket/src/racket/Makefile.in
+++ b/racket/src/racket/Makefile.in
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ CPP = @CPP@
 CFLAGS = @CFLAGS@ @COMPFLAGS@ @PROFFLAGS@ 
 CPPFLAGS =  @PREFLAGS@
 
-NICEAR = $(mainsrcdir)/utils/nicear
 AR = @AR@
 ARFLAGS = @ARFLAGS@
 RANLIB = @RANLIB@
@@ -144,7 +143,7 @@ sproc-extra-lib:
 	$(MAKE) sproc.@LTO@
 
 gc.@LIBSFX@:
-	$(NICEAR) $(AR) $(ARFLAGS) @GCDIR@/gc.@LIBSFX@ @GCDIR@/*.@LTO@
+	$(AR) $(ARFLAGS) @GCDIR@/gc.@LIBSFX@ @GCDIR@/*.@LTO@
 
 # Compilation of the foreign libraries (this compiles all of them)
 foreign-stuff:
@@ -194,8 +193,7 @@ LIBRKTIO_FOR_DLL = $(LIBRKTIO_FOR_DLL_@LIBSFX@)
 LIBRKTIO_FOR_LIB = $(LIBRKTIO_FOR_LIB_@LIBSFX@)
 
 libracket.@LIBSFX@: src/*.@LTO@ $(@FOREIGN_IF_USED@_LIB) $(LIBRKTIO_FOR_DLL)
-	$(NICEAR) $(AR) $(ARFLAGS) libracket.@LIBSFX@ src/*.@LTO@ $(@FOREIGN_IF_USED@_OBJSLIB) $(LIBRKTIO_FOR_DLL) @LIBRACKET_DEP@
-	$(RANLIB) libracket.@LIBSFX@
+	$(AR) $(ARFLAGS) libracket.@LIBSFX@ src/*.@LTO@ $(@FOREIGN_IF_USED@_OBJSLIB) $(LIBRKTIO_FOR_DLL) @LIBRACKET_DEP@
 
 # Irix sproc, only
 sproc.@LTO@: @GCDIR@/sproc.@LTO@
diff --git a/racket/src/racket/configure.ac b/racket/src/racket/configure.ac
index 2c021eb2b9..c5005519d6 100644
--- a/racket/src/racket/configure.ac
+++ b/racket/src/racket/configure.ac
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ if test "$AR" = '' ; then
   fi
 fi
 if test "$ARFLAGS" = '' ; then 
-  ARFLAGS=ruv
+  ARFLAGS=rc
 fi
 
 # If using gcc, we want all warnings:
diff --git a/racket/src/racket/gc/Makefile.in b/racket/src/racket/gc/Makefile.in
index 50e11e9f93..0dab202ec7 100644
--- a/racket/src/racket/gc/Makefile.in
+++ b/racket/src/racket/gc/Makefile.in
@@ -339,7 +339,6 @@ HOSTCFLAGS=$(BASEFLAGS)
 #
 
 CXXFLAGS= $(ALL_CFLAGS) 
-NICEAR = $(mainsrcdir)/utils/nicear
 AR= @AR@
 ARFLAGS= @ARFLAGS@
 RANLIB= @RANLIB@
@@ -503,7 +502,7 @@ tests:
 
 # PLTSCHEME: make ../libmzgc.a, and use $(AR), $(RANLIB), and @LIBSFX@:
 base_lib ../libmzgc.@LIBSFX@: $(OBJS) dyn_load.@LTO@ $(UTILS)
-	$(NICEAR) $(AR) $(ARFLAGS) ../libmzgc.@LIBSFX@ $(OBJS) dyn_load.@LTO@
+	$(AR) $(ARFLAGS) ../libmzgc.@LIBSFX@ $(OBJS) dyn_load.@LTO@
 	$(RANLIB) ../libmzgc.@LIBSFX@
 
 cords: $(CORD_OBJS) cord/cordtest $(UTILS)
diff --git a/racket/src/racket/gc2/Makefile.in b/racket/src/racket/gc2/Makefile.in
index e0a129021f..0ba90f57a6 100644
--- a/racket/src/racket/gc2/Makefile.in
+++ b/racket/src/racket/gc2/Makefile.in
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ mainsrcdir = @srcdir@/../..
 CC = @CC@
 CPP = @CPP@
 CXX = @CXX@
-NICEAR = $(mainsrcdir)/utils/nicear
 AR = @AR@
 ARFLAGS = @ARFLAGS@
 RANLIB = @RANLIB@
@@ -584,8 +583,7 @@ EXTRA_OBJS_T = $(EXTRA_GMP) ../src/unwind.@LTO@ $(@FOREIGN_IF_USED@_LIB) $(LIBRK
 EXTRA_OBJS_L = $(EXTRA_GMP) ../src/unwind.@LTO@ $(@FOREIGN_IF_USED@_OBJSLIB) $(LIBRKTIO_FOR_DLL)
 
 ../libracket3m.@LIBSFX@: $(OBJS) $(EXTRA_OBJS_T) gc2.@LTO@
-	$(NICEAR) $(AR) $(ARFLAGS) ../libracket3m.@LIBSFX@ $(OBJS) $(EXTRA_OBJS_L) gc2.@LTO@
-	$(RANLIB) ../libracket3m.@LIBSFX@
+	$(AR) $(ARFLAGS) ../libracket3m.@LIBSFX@ $(OBJS) $(EXTRA_OBJS_L) gc2.@LTO@
 
 ../racket@MMM@@NOT_OSX@@NOT_MINGW@: main.@LTO@ ../libracket3m.@LIBSFX@ $(LIBRKTIO_FOR_LIB)
 	cd ..; @MZLINKER@ -o racket@MMM@ @PROFFLAGS@ gc2/main.@LTO@ libracket3m.@LIBSFX@ $(LIBRKTIO_UP_FOR_LIB) @LDFLAGS@ $(LIBS)
diff --git a/racket/src/racket/sgc/Makefile.in b/racket/src/racket/sgc/Makefile.in
index 8b1245adbc..3f270386fb 100644
--- a/racket/src/racket/sgc/Makefile.in
+++ b/racket/src/racket/sgc/Makefile.in
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ mainsrcdir = @srcdir@/../..
 CC = @CC@
 CXX = @CXX@
 RANLIB = @RANLIB@
-NICEAR = $(srcdir)/../../utils/nicear
 AR = @AR@
 ARFLAGS = @ARFLAGS@
 
@@ -27,7 +26,7 @@ SRCS =  $(srcdir)/sgc.c
 
 ../libmzgc.@LIBSFX@: $(OBJS)
 	$(MAKE) gcobjects
-	$(NICEAR) $(AR) $(ARFLAGS) ../libmzgc.@LIBSFX@ $(OBJS)
+	$(AR) $(ARFLAGS) ../libmzgc.@LIBSFX@ $(OBJS)
 	$(RANLIB) ../libmzgc.@LIBSFX@
 
 test: $(OBJS) test.@LTO@
diff --git a/racket/src/rktio/Makefile.in b/racket/src/rktio/Makefile.in
index fbc3afffdd..3ef94ced65 100644
--- a/racket/src/rktio/Makefile.in
+++ b/racket/src/rktio/Makefile.in
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ LDFLAGS = @LDFLAGS@
 LIBS = @LIBS@
 RKTLINKER = @RKTLINKER@
 
-NICEAR = $(srcdir)/../utils/nicear
 STATIC_AR = @STATIC_AR@
 ARFLAGS = @ARFLAGS@
 RANLIB = @RANLIB@
@@ -57,8 +56,7 @@ default_rktio:
 	$(MAKE) librktio.@LTA@
 
 @HIDE_NOT_STANDALONE@librktio.@LTA@: $(OBJS)
-	$(NICEAR) $(STATIC_AR) $(ARFLAGS) @HIDE_NOT_STANDALONE@librktio.@LTA@ $(OBJS)
-	$(RANLIB) @HIDE_NOT_STANDALONE@librktio.@LTA@
+	$(STATIC_AR) $(ARFLAGS) @HIDE_NOT_STANDALONE@librktio.@LTA@ $(OBJS)
 
 demo: rktio_demo
 	./rktio_demo $(ARGS)
@@ -175,7 +173,7 @@ $(srcdir)/rktio.def: $(srcdir)/rktio.h $(srcdir)/parse.rkt
 
 # Builds a shared object; requires `configure --enable-standalone`
 @HIDE_STANDALONE@librktio.@LIBSFX@: $(OBJS)
-	$(NICEAR) $(AR) @HIDE_STANDALONE@librktio.@LIBSFX@ $(OBJS) $(LDFLAGS) $(LIBS)
+	$(AR) @HIDE_STANDALONE@librktio.@LIBSFX@ $(OBJS) $(LDFLAGS) $(LIBS)
 
 # Builds a shared object and installs it to `configure --prefix=...` target
 install-shared-object:
diff --git a/racket/src/rktio/configure b/racket/src/rktio/configure
index 1517e54644..3507d3a360 100755
--- a/racket/src/rktio/configure
+++ b/racket/src/rktio/configure
@@ -3223,7 +3223,7 @@ fi
   fi
 fi
 if test "$ARFLAGS" = '' ; then
-  ARFLAGS=ruv
+  ARFLAGS=rc
 fi
 
 
diff --git a/racket/src/rktio/configure.ac b/racket/src/rktio/configure.ac
index 6b5a304b01..f9c530cc3d 100644
--- a/racket/src/rktio/configure.ac
+++ b/racket/src/rktio/configure.ac
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ if test "$AR" = '' ; then
   fi
 fi
 if test "$ARFLAGS" = '' ; then 
-  ARFLAGS=ruv
+  ARFLAGS=rc
 fi
 
 AC_CHECK_LIB(m, fmod)
diff --git a/racket/src/start/configure.ac b/racket/src/start/configure.ac
index 215181ccf2..b205790dcc 100644
--- a/racket/src/start/configure.ac
+++ b/racket/src/start/configure.ac
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ if test "$AR" = '' ; then
   fi
 fi
 if test "$ARFLAGS" = '' ; then 
-  ARFLAGS=ruv
+  ARFLAGS=rc
 fi
 
 # If using gcc, we want all warnings:
diff --git a/racket/src/utils/nicear b/racket/src/utils/nicear
deleted file mode 100755
index 2eafbaa625..0000000000
--- a/racket/src/utils/nicear
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-
-$* 2>&1 | awk '/^ar: creating / || /^[ar] \-/ || / modifier ignored / { print } ! ( /ar: creating / || /^[ar] \-/ || / modifier ignored / ) { print | "cat 1>&2" }'