diff --git a/distrib/msw/tmake/b32.t b/distrib/msw/tmake/b32.t
index 4201fc3f53..c440ca3f79 100644
--- a/distrib/msw/tmake/b32.t
+++ b/distrib/msw/tmake/b32.t
@@ -239,12 +239,12 @@ makearchsetuph:
 $(ARCHINCDIR)\wx:
     -mkdir $(ARCHINCDIR)
     -mkdir $(ARCHINCDIR)\wx
-    -erase $(CFG)
+    -$(RM) $(CFG)
 
 !if "$(DLL)" == "0"
 
 $(LIBTARGET): $(DUMMY).obj $(OBJECTS)
-        -erase $(LIBTARGET)
+        -$(RM) $(LIBTARGET)
     tlib "$(LIBTARGET)" /P1024 $(LINKDEBUGFLAGS) @&&!
 +$(OBJECTS:.obj =.obj +) +$(PERIPH_LIBS:.lib =.lib +)
 !
@@ -252,8 +252,8 @@ $(LIBTARGET): $(DUMMY).obj $(OBJECTS)
 !else
 
 $(LIBTARGET): $(DUMMY).obj $(OBJECTS)
-    -erase $(LIBTARGET)
-    -erase $(WXDLL)
+    -$(RM) $(LIBTARGET)
+    -$(RM) $(WXDLL)
         $(LINK) $(LINK_FLAGS) $(LINKDEBUGFLAGS) /L$(WXLIBDIR);$(BCCDIR)\lib;$(BCCDIR)\lib\psdk @&&!
 c0d32.obj $(OBJECTS)
 $(WXDLL)
@@ -508,14 +508,14 @@ $(WIN95FLAG)
 ! $(CFG)
 
 clean: $(PERIPH_CLEAN_TARGET)
-    -erase $(WXLIBDIR)\wx.tds
-    -erase $(WXLIBDIR)\wx.il?
-    -erase *.obj
-    -erase *.pch
-    -erase *.csm
-    -erase "wx32.#??"
-    -erase ..\common\y_tab.c
-    -erase ..\common\lex_yy.c
+    -$(RM) $(WXLIBDIR)\wx.tds
+    -$(RM) $(WXLIBDIR)\wx.il?
+    -$(RM) *.obj
+    -$(RM) *.pch
+    -$(RM) *.csm
+    -$(RM) "wx32.#??"
+    -$(RM) ..\common\y_tab.c
+    -$(RM) ..\common\lex_yy.c
 
 cleanall: clean
 
@@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ allpdfrtf: pdfrtf portingpdfrtf proppdfrtf
 
 $(DOCDIR)/winhelp/wx.hlp:         $(DOCDIR)/latex/wx/wx.rtf $(DOCDIR)/latex/wx/wx.hpj
         cd $(DOCDIR)/latex/wx
-        -erase wx.ph
+        -$(RM) wx.ph
         hc wx
         move wx.hlp $(DOCDIR)\winhelp\wx.hlp
         move wx.cnt $(DOCDIR)\winhelp\wx.cnt
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ $(DOCDIR)/winhelp/wx.hlp:         $(DOCDIR)/latex/wx/wx.rtf $(DOCDIR)/latex/wx/w
 
 $(DOCDIR)/winhelp/porting.hlp:         $(DOCDIR)/latex/porting/porting.rtf $(DOCDIR)/latex/porting/porting.hpj
         cd $(DOCDIR)/latex/porting
-        -erase porting.ph
+        -$(RM) porting.ph
         hc porting
         move porting.hlp $(DOCDIR)\winhelp\porting.hlp
         move porting.cnt $(DOCDIR)\winhelp\porting.cnt
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ $(DOCDIR)/winhelp/porting.hlp:         $(DOCDIR)/latex/porting/porting.rtf $(DOC
 
 $(DOCDIR)/winhelp/prop.hlp:         $(DOCDIR)/latex/proplist/prop.rtf $(DOCDIR)/latex/proplist/prop.hpj
         cd $(DOCDIR)/latex/proplist
-        -erase prop.ph
+        -$(RM) prop.ph
         hc prop
         move prop.hlp $(DOCDIR)\winhelp\prop.hlp
         move prop.cnt $(DOCDIR)\winhelp\prop.cnt
@@ -636,7 +636,7 @@ $(DOCDIR)/winhelp/prop.hlp:         $(DOCDIR)/latex/proplist/prop.rtf $(DOCDIR)/
 
 $(DOCDIR)/winhelp/techref.hlp:         $(DOCDIR)/latex/techref/techref.rtf $(DOCDIR)/latex/techref/techref.hpj
         cd $(DOCDIR)/latex/techref
-        -erase techref.ph
+        -$(RM) techref.ph
         hc techref
         move techref.hlp $(DOCDIR)\winhelp\techref.hlp
         move techref.cnt $(DOCDIR)\winhelp\techref.cnt
@@ -694,10 +694,10 @@ $(DOCDIR)\html\wx\wx.htm:         $(DOCDIR)\latex\wx\classes.tex $(DOCDIR)\latex
         cd $(DOCDIR)\latex\wx
         -mkdir $(DOCDIR)\html\wx
         -start $(WAITFLAG) tex2rtf $(DOCDIR)\latex\wx\manual.tex $(DOCDIR)\html\wx\wx.htm -twice -html
-        -erase $(DOCDIR)\html\wx\*.con
-        -erase $(DOCDIR)\html\wx\*.ref
-        -erase $(DOCDIR)\latex\wx\*.con
-        -erase $(DOCDIR)\latex\wx\*.ref
+        -$(RM) $(DOCDIR)\html\wx\*.con
+        -$(RM) $(DOCDIR)\html\wx\*.ref
+        -$(RM) $(DOCDIR)\latex\wx\*.con
+        -$(RM) $(DOCDIR)\latex\wx\*.ref
          cd $(THISDIR)
 
 $(DOCDIR)\html\wx\wx.chm : $(DOCDIR)\html\wx\wx.htm $(DOCDIR)\html\wx\wx.hhp
@@ -710,20 +710,20 @@ $(DOCDIR)\html\porting\port.htm:         $(DOCDIR)\latex\porting\porting.tex
         cd $(DOCDIR)\latex\porting
         -mkdir $(DOCDIR)\html\porting
         -start $(WAITFLAG) tex2rtf $(DOCDIR)\latex\porting\porting.tex $(DOCDIR)\html\porting\port.htm -twice -html
-        -erase $(DOCDIR)\html\porting\*.con
-        -erase $(DOCDIR)\html\porting\*.ref
-        -erase $(DOCDIR)\latex\porting\*.con
-        -erase $(DOCDIR)\latex\porting\*.ref
+        -$(RM) $(DOCDIR)\html\porting\*.con
+        -$(RM) $(DOCDIR)\html\porting\*.ref
+        -$(RM) $(DOCDIR)\latex\porting\*.con
+        -$(RM) $(DOCDIR)\latex\porting\*.ref
         cd $(THISDIR)
 
 $(DOCDIR)\html\proplist\prop.htm:         $(DOCDIR)\latex\proplist\prop.tex $(DOCDIR)\latex\proplist\body.tex $(DOCDIR)\latex\proplist\classes.tex $(DOCDIR)\latex\proplist\changes.tex
         cd $(DOCDIR)\latex\proplist
         -mkdir $(DOCDIR)\html\proplist
         -start $(WAITFLAG) tex2rtf $(DOCDIR)\latex\proplist\prop.tex $(DOCDIR)\html\proplist\prop.htm -twice -html
-        -erase $(DOCDIR)\html\proplist\*.con
-        -erase $(DOCDIR)\html\proplist\*.ref
-        -erase $(DOCDIR)\latex\proplist\*.con
-        -erase $(DOCDIR)\latex\proplist\*.ref
+        -$(RM) $(DOCDIR)\html\proplist\*.con
+        -$(RM) $(DOCDIR)\html\proplist\*.ref
+        -$(RM) $(DOCDIR)\latex\proplist\*.con
+        -$(RM) $(DOCDIR)\latex\proplist\*.ref
         cd $(THISDIR)
 
 $(WXDIR)\docs\latex\wx\manual.dvi:  $(DOCDIR)/latex/wx/body.tex $(DOCDIR)/latex/wx/manual.tex
diff --git a/distrib/msw/tmake/b32base.t b/distrib/msw/tmake/b32base.t
index 9366f8c9e9..7ae5829c8a 100644
--- a/distrib/msw/tmake/b32base.t
+++ b/distrib/msw/tmake/b32base.t
@@ -132,12 +132,12 @@ makearchsetuph:
 $(ARCHINCDIR)\wx:
     -mkdir $(ARCHINCDIR)
     -mkdir $(ARCHINCDIR)\wx
-    -erase $(CFG)
+    -$(RM) $(CFG)
 
 !if "$(DLL)" == "0"
 
 $(LIBTARGET): $(DUMMY).obj $(OBJECTS)
-    -erase $(WXLIB)
+    -$(RM) $(WXLIB)
     tlib "$(WXLIB)" /P1024 @&&!
 +$(OBJECTS:.obj =.obj +) +$(PERIPH_LIBS:.lib =.lib +)
 !
@@ -145,8 +145,8 @@ $(LIBTARGET): $(DUMMY).obj $(OBJECTS)
 !else
 
 $(LIBTARGET): $(DUMMY).obj $(OBJECTS)
-    -erase $(WXLIB)
-    -erase $(WXDLL)
+    -$(RM) $(WXLIB)
+    -$(RM) $(WXDLL)
         $(LINK) $(LINK_FLAGS) /L$(WXLIBDIR);$(BCCDIR)\lib;$(BCCDIR)\lib\psdk /v @&&!
 c0d32.obj $(OBJECTS)
 $(WXLIBDIR)\$(WXLIBNAME)
@@ -285,12 +285,12 @@ $(WIN95FLAG)
 ! $(CFG)
 
 clean: $(PERIPH_CLEAN_TARGET)
-    -erase $(WXLIBDIR)\wx.tds
-    -erase $(WXLIBDIR)\wx.il?
-    -erase *.obj
-    -erase *.pch
-    -erase *.csm
-    -erase "wx32.#??"
+    -$(RM) $(WXLIBDIR)\wx.tds
+    -$(RM) $(WXLIBDIR)\wx.il?
+    -$(RM) *.obj
+    -$(RM) *.pch
+    -$(RM) *.csm
+    -$(RM) "wx32.#??"
 
 cleanall: clean
 
diff --git a/samples/mfc/makefile.b32 b/samples/mfc/makefile.b32
index bde5f94fbe..05e94f6cc3 100644
--- a/samples/mfc/makefile.b32
+++ b/samples/mfc/makefile.b32
@@ -67,5 +67,9 @@ $(TARGET).res :      $(TARGET).rc
     brc32 -r /i$(BCCDIR)\include /i$(WXDIR)\include\msw /i$(WXDIR)\contrib\fafa $(TARGET)
 
 clean:
-        -erase *.obj *.exe *.res *.map *.rws
+        -$(RM) *.obj 
+        -$(RM) *.exe 
+        -$(RM) *.res 
+        -$(RM) *.map 
+        -$(RM) *.rws
 
diff --git a/src/makeb32.env b/src/makeb32.env
index 45967ebe10..a826887c09 100644
--- a/src/makeb32.env
+++ b/src/makeb32.env
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Common settings for Borland 32-bit compilation (makefile.b32 files)
 
 !if "$(RM)" == ""
-RM= erase
+RM= del
 !endif
 
 WXDIR = $(WXWIN)
diff --git a/src/makeprog.b32 b/src/makeprog.b32
index 2afd2304d6..a31c1658ce 100644
--- a/src/makeprog.b32
+++ b/src/makeprog.b32
@@ -79,11 +79,11 @@ $(TARGET).res :      $(TARGET).rc $(WXDIR)\include\wx\msw\wx.rc
     brc32 -r /i$(BCCDIR)\include /i$(WXDIR)\include /i$(WXDIR)\contrib\include $(TARGET)
 
 clean:
-        -erase *.obj
-        -erase *.exe
-        -erase *.res
-        -erase *.map
-        -erase *.rws
-        -erase *.tds
-        -erase *.il?
+        -$(RM) *.obj
+        -$(RM) *.exe
+        -$(RM) *.res
+        -$(RM) *.map
+        -$(RM) *.rws
+        -$(RM) *.tds
+        -$(RM) *.il?
 
diff --git a/src/msw/makebase.b32 b/src/msw/makebase.b32
index 5bbba8fbea..f0c8651a1c 100644
--- a/src/msw/makebase.b32
+++ b/src/msw/makebase.b32
@@ -161,12 +161,12 @@ makearchsetuph:
 $(ARCHINCDIR)\wx:
     -mkdir $(ARCHINCDIR)
     -mkdir $(ARCHINCDIR)\wx
-    -erase $(CFG)
+    -$(RM) $(CFG)
 
 !if "$(DLL)" == "0"
 
 $(LIBTARGET): $(DUMMY).obj $(OBJECTS)
-    -erase $(WXLIB)
+    -$(RM) $(WXLIB)
     tlib "$(WXLIB)" /P1024 @&&!
 +$(OBJECTS:.obj =.obj +) +$(PERIPH_LIBS:.lib =.lib +)
 !
@@ -174,8 +174,8 @@ $(LIBTARGET): $(DUMMY).obj $(OBJECTS)
 !else
 
 $(LIBTARGET): $(DUMMY).obj $(OBJECTS)
-    -erase $(WXLIB)
-    -erase $(WXDLL)
+    -$(RM) $(WXLIB)
+    -$(RM) $(WXDLL)
         $(LINK) $(LINK_FLAGS) /L$(WXLIBDIR);$(BCCDIR)\lib;$(BCCDIR)\lib\psdk /v @&&!
 c0d32.obj $(OBJECTS)
 $(WXLIBDIR)\$(WXLIBNAME)
@@ -452,12 +452,12 @@ $(WIN95FLAG)
 ! $(CFG)
 
 clean: $(PERIPH_CLEAN_TARGET)
-    -erase $(WXLIBDIR)\wx.tds
-    -erase $(WXLIBDIR)\wx.il?
-    -erase *.obj
-    -erase *.pch
-    -erase *.csm
-    -erase "wx32.#??"
+    -$(RM) $(WXLIBDIR)\wx.tds
+    -$(RM) $(WXLIBDIR)\wx.il?
+    -$(RM) *.obj
+    -$(RM) *.pch
+    -$(RM) *.csm
+    -$(RM) "wx32.#??"
 
 cleanall: clean
 
diff --git a/utils/Install/packace/makefile.b32 b/utils/Install/packace/makefile.b32
index d2cece68fc..2e68ce9cc3 100644
--- a/utils/Install/packace/makefile.b32
+++ b/utils/Install/packace/makefile.b32
@@ -32,10 +32,10 @@ packinst.obj: ..\packinst\packinst.c
 	bcc32 $(CPPFLAGS) -P- -c {$< }
         
 clean:
-        -erase *.obj
-        -erase *.exe
-        -erase *.res
-        -erase *.map
-        -erase *.rws
-        -erase *.tds
-        -erase *.il?
+        -$(RM) *.obj
+        -$(RM) *.exe
+        -$(RM) *.res
+        -$(RM) *.map
+        -$(RM) *.rws
+        -$(RM) *.tds
+        -$(RM) *.il?
diff --git a/utils/Install/packzip/makefile.b32 b/utils/Install/packzip/makefile.b32
index 7734f0f7b3..2fe2d7bb8e 100644
--- a/utils/Install/packzip/makefile.b32
+++ b/utils/Install/packzip/makefile.b32
@@ -77,13 +77,13 @@ $(OBJU)
 |
 
 clean:
-        -erase *.obj
-        -erase *.exe
-        -erase *.res
-        -erase *.map
-        -erase *.rws
-        -erase *.tds
-        -erase *.il?
+        -$(RM) *.obj
+        -$(RM) *.exe
+        -$(RM) *.res
+        -$(RM) *.map
+        -$(RM) *.rws
+        -$(RM) *.tds
+        -$(RM) *.il?
 
 # individual file dependencies
 
diff --git a/utils/Install/sfxace/makefile.b32 b/utils/Install/sfxace/makefile.b32
index f324d3be90..aa91559e00 100644
--- a/utils/Install/sfxace/makefile.b32
+++ b/utils/Install/sfxace/makefile.b32
@@ -66,11 +66,11 @@ $(TARGET).res :      $(TARGET).rc $(WXDIR)\include\wx\msw\wx.rc
 	    brc32 -r /i$(BCCDIR)\include /i$(WXDIR)\include /i$(WXDIR)\contrib\include $(TARGET)
 
 clean:
-        -erase *.obj
-        -erase *.exe
-        -erase *.res
-        -erase *.map
-        -erase *.rws
-        -erase *.tds
-        -erase *.il?
+        -$(RM) *.obj
+        -$(RM) *.exe
+        -$(RM) *.res
+        -$(RM) *.map
+        -$(RM) *.rws
+        -$(RM) *.tds
+        -$(RM) *.il?
 
diff --git a/utils/Install/sfxzip/makefile.b32 b/utils/Install/sfxzip/makefile.b32
index ce4e11187e..8447aa64a5 100644
--- a/utils/Install/sfxzip/makefile.b32
+++ b/utils/Install/sfxzip/makefile.b32
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ sfx.res
 !
 
 clean:
-        -erase *.obj
-        -erase *.exe
-        -erase *.res
-        -erase *.map
-        -erase *.rws
-        -erase *.tds
-        -erase *.il?
+        -$(RM) *.obj
+        -$(RM) *.exe
+        -$(RM) *.res
+        -$(RM) *.map
+        -$(RM) *.rws
+        -$(RM) *.tds
+        -$(RM) *.il?
 
 # individual file dependencies