diff --git a/src/lib/arch/XArch.cpp b/src/lib/arch/XArch.cpp
index f7446ce5..e377800e 100644
--- a/src/lib/arch/XArch.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/arch/XArch.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 // XArch
 //
 
-std::string
+const char*
 XArch::what() const throw()
 {
 	try {
@@ -33,5 +33,5 @@ XArch::what() const throw()
 	catch (...) {
 		// ignore
 	}
-	return m_what;
+	return m_what.c_str();
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/arch/XArch.h b/src/lib/arch/XArch.h
index 887f079c..ed9e824a 100644
--- a/src/lib/arch/XArch.h
+++ b/src/lib/arch/XArch.h
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ public:
 };
 
 //! Generic exception architecture dependent library
-class XArch {
+class XArch : public std::exception {
 public:
 	XArch(XArchEval* adoptedEvaluator) : m_eval(adoptedEvaluator) { }
 	XArch(const std::string& msg) : m_eval(NULL), m_what(msg) { }
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ public:
 							m_what(e.m_what) { }
 	~XArch() { delete m_eval; }
 
-	std::string			what() const throw();
+	const char*			what() const throw();
 
 private:
 	XArchEval*			m_eval;
diff --git a/src/lib/base/XBase.h b/src/lib/base/XBase.h
index b6b5f23f..d265d609 100644
--- a/src/lib/base/XBase.h
+++ b/src/lib/base/XBase.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 /*!
 This is the base class of most exception types.
 */
-class XBase {
+class XBase : public std::exception {
 public:
 	//! Use getWhat() as the result of what()
 	XBase();
diff --git a/src/lib/ipc/IpcLogOutputter.cpp b/src/lib/ipc/IpcLogOutputter.cpp
index f3924ae8..60c36510 100644
--- a/src/lib/ipc/IpcLogOutputter.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/ipc/IpcLogOutputter.cpp
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ CIpcLogOutputter::bufferThread(void*)
 		}
 	}
 	catch (XArch& e) {
-		LOG((CLOG_ERR "ipc log buffer thread error, %s", e.what().c_str()));
+		LOG((CLOG_ERR "ipc log buffer thread error, %s", e.what()));
 	}
 
 	LOG((CLOG_DEBUG "ipc log buffer thread finished"));
diff --git a/src/lib/net/SocketMultiplexer.cpp b/src/lib/net/SocketMultiplexer.cpp
index 2463eeed..9a7874fe 100644
--- a/src/lib/net/SocketMultiplexer.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/net/SocketMultiplexer.cpp
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ CSocketMultiplexer::serviceThread(void*)
 			}
 		}
 		catch (XArchNetwork& e) {
-			LOG((CLOG_WARN "error in socket multiplexer: %s", e.what().c_str()));
+			LOG((CLOG_WARN "error in socket multiplexer: %s", e.what()));
 			status = 0;
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/lib/net/TCPSocket.cpp b/src/lib/net/TCPSocket.cpp
index c47854a5..3f90b57c 100644
--- a/src/lib/net/TCPSocket.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/net/TCPSocket.cpp
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ CTCPSocket::close()
 		}
 		catch (XArchNetwork& e) {
 			// ignore, there's not much we can do
-			LOG((CLOG_WARN "error closing socket: %s", e.what().c_str()));
+			LOG((CLOG_WARN "error closing socket: %s", e.what()));
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ CTCPSocket::serviceConnecting(ISocketMultiplexerJob* job,
 			ARCH->throwErrorOnSocket(m_socket);
 		}
 		catch (XArchNetwork& e) {
-			sendConnectionFailedEvent(e.what().c_str());
+			sendConnectionFailedEvent(e.what());
 			onDisconnected();
 			return newJob();
 		}
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ CTCPSocket::serviceConnected(ISocketMultiplexerJob* job,
 		}
 		catch (XArchNetwork& e) {
 			// other write error
-			LOG((CLOG_WARN "error writing socket: %s", e.what().c_str()));
+			LOG((CLOG_WARN "error writing socket: %s", e.what()));
 			onDisconnected();
 			sendEvent(m_events->forIStream().outputError());
 			sendEvent(m_events->forISocket().disconnected());
@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@ CTCPSocket::serviceConnected(ISocketMultiplexerJob* job,
 		}
 		catch (XArchNetwork& e) {
 			// ignore other read error
-			LOG((CLOG_WARN "error reading socket: %s", e.what().c_str()));
+			LOG((CLOG_WARN "error reading socket: %s", e.what()));
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/lib/platform/MSWindowsWatchdog.cpp b/src/lib/platform/MSWindowsWatchdog.cpp
index fac956aa..5ea22197 100644
--- a/src/lib/platform/MSWindowsWatchdog.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/platform/MSWindowsWatchdog.cpp
@@ -215,14 +215,14 @@ CMSWindowsWatchdog::mainLoop(void*)
 			ARCH->sleep(1);
 		
 		}
-		catch (XArch& e) {
-			LOG((CLOG_ERR "failed to launch, error: %s", e.what().c_str()));
+		catch (std::exception& e) {
+			LOG((CLOG_ERR "failed to launch, error: %s", e.what()));
 			m_processFailures++;
 			m_processRunning = false;
 			continue;
 		}
-		catch (XSynergy& e) {
-			LOG((CLOG_ERR "failed to launch, error: %s", e.what()));
+		catch (...) {
+			LOG((CLOG_ERR "failed to launch, unknown error."));
 			m_processFailures++;
 			m_processRunning = false;
 			continue;
diff --git a/src/lib/synergy/App.cpp b/src/lib/synergy/App.cpp
index 83065c07..e9e5e237 100644
--- a/src/lib/synergy/App.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/synergy/App.cpp
@@ -313,17 +313,11 @@ CApp::run(int argc, char** argv)
 		// using the exit(int) function!
 		result = e.getCode();
 	}
-	catch (XBase& e) {
-		LOG((CLOG_CRIT "Exception: %s\n", e.what()));
-	}
-	catch (XArch& e) {
-		LOG((CLOG_CRIT "Init failed: %s" BYE, e.what().c_str(), argsBase().m_pname));
-	}
 	catch (std::exception& e) {
-		LOG((CLOG_CRIT "Exception: %s\n", e.what()));
+		LOG((CLOG_CRIT "An error occurred: %s\n", e.what()));
 	}
 	catch (...) {
-		LOG((CLOG_CRIT "An unexpected exception occurred.\n"));
+		LOG((CLOG_CRIT "An unknown error occurred.\n"));
 	}
 
 	appUtil().beforeAppExit();
diff --git a/src/lib/synergy/DaemonApp.cpp b/src/lib/synergy/DaemonApp.cpp
index fd3bec92..e8e8007b 100644
--- a/src/lib/synergy/DaemonApp.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/synergy/DaemonApp.cpp
@@ -248,14 +248,11 @@ CDaemonApp::mainLoop(bool logToFile)
 		
 		DAEMON_RUNNING(false);
 	}
-	catch (XArch& e) {
-		LOG((CLOG_ERR "xarch exception: %s", e.what().c_str()));
-	}
 	catch (std::exception& e) {
-		LOG((CLOG_ERR "std exception: %s", e.what()));
+		LOG((CLOG_CRIT "An error occurred: %s", e.what()));
 	}
 	catch (...) {
-		LOG((CLOG_ERR "unrecognized error."));
+		LOG((CLOG_CRIT "An unknown error occurred.\n"));
 	}
 }
 
@@ -318,7 +315,7 @@ CDaemonApp::handleIpcMessage(const CEvent& e, void*)
 						CLOG->setFilter(logLevel.c_str());
 					}
 					catch (XArch& e) {
-						LOG((CLOG_ERR "failed to save LogLevel setting, %s", e.what().c_str()));
+						LOG((CLOG_ERR "failed to save LogLevel setting, %s", e.what()));
 					}
 				}
 			}
@@ -335,7 +332,7 @@ CDaemonApp::handleIpcMessage(const CEvent& e, void*)
 				ARCH->setting("Elevate", CString(cm->elevate() ? "1" : "0"));
 			}
 			catch (XArch& e) {
-				LOG((CLOG_ERR "failed to save settings, %s", e.what().c_str()));
+				LOG((CLOG_ERR "failed to save settings, %s", e.what()));
 			}
 
 #if SYSAPI_WIN32