diff --git a/compiler/res/prog8lib/virtual/conv.p8 b/compiler/res/prog8lib/virtual/conv.p8
index 36f6f23ae..6611b6c82 100644
--- a/compiler/res/prog8lib/virtual/conv.p8
+++ b/compiler/res/prog8lib/virtual/conv.p8
@@ -106,19 +106,21 @@ sub  str_uwhex  (uword value) {
 
 sub  str_uw0  (uword value) {
     ; ---- convert the uword in A/Y in decimal string form, with left padding 0s (5 positions total)
-    ubyte tenthousands = (value / 10000) as ubyte
-    value -= 10000*tenthousands
-    ubyte thousands = (value / 1000) as ubyte
-    value -= 1000*thousands
-    ubyte hundreds = (value / 100) as ubyte
-    value -= 100 as uword * hundreds
-    ubyte tens = (value / 10) as ubyte
-    value -= 10*tens
+    uword value2 = value/10
+    ubyte digits = value-value2*10 as ubyte
+    uword value3 = value2/10
+    ubyte tens = value2-value3*10 as ubyte
+    uword value4 = value3/10
+    ubyte hundreds = value3-value4*10 as ubyte
+    uword value5 = value4/10
+    ubyte thousands = value4-value5*10 as ubyte
+    uword value6 = value5/10
+    ubyte tenthousands = value5-value6*10 as ubyte
     string_out[0] = tenthousands+'0'
     string_out[1] = thousands+'0'
     string_out[2] = hundreds+'0'
     string_out[3] = tens+'0'
-    string_out[4] = value as ubyte + '0'
+    string_out[4] = digits+'0'
     string_out[5] = 0
 }
 
@@ -139,14 +141,16 @@ sub  str_w  (word value)  {
 }
 
 sub internal_str_uw(uword value, uword out_ptr) {
-    ubyte tenthousands = (value / 10000) as ubyte
-    value -= 10000*tenthousands
-    ubyte thousands = (value / 1000) as ubyte
-    value -= 1000*thousands
-    ubyte hundreds = (value / 100) as ubyte
-    value -= 100 as uword * hundreds
-    ubyte tens = (value / 10) as ubyte
-    value -= 10*tens
+    uword value2 = value/10
+    ubyte digits = value-value2*10 as ubyte
+    uword value3 = value2/10
+    ubyte tens = value2-value3*10 as ubyte
+    uword value4 = value3/10
+    ubyte hundreds = value3-value4*10 as ubyte
+    uword value5 = value4/10
+    ubyte thousands = value4-value5*10 as ubyte
+    uword value6 = value5/10
+    ubyte tenthousands = value5-value6*10 as ubyte
     if tenthousands
         goto output_tenthousands
     if thousands
@@ -169,7 +173,7 @@ output_tens:
     @(out_ptr) = tens+'0'
     out_ptr++
 output_ones:
-    @(out_ptr) = value as ubyte + '0'
+    @(out_ptr) = digits+'0'
     out_ptr++
     @(out_ptr) = 0
 }
diff --git a/docs/source/todo.rst b/docs/source/todo.rst
index a295a1981..522f4fb6a 100644
--- a/docs/source/todo.rst
+++ b/docs/source/todo.rst
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 TODO
 ====
 
-- fix VM print_w
-- fix VM abs(byte) it always returns 0   also check abs(word)
 - IR: instructions that do type conversion (SZ etc, CONCAT, SGN) should put the result in a DIFFERENT register.
 
 ...
diff --git a/examples/test.p8 b/examples/test.p8
index 9ba8aef3d..ce8138a38 100644
--- a/examples/test.p8
+++ b/examples/test.p8
@@ -3,14 +3,7 @@
 %option no_sysinit
 
 main {
-    sub set_color(ubyte dummy, uword arg) {
-        arg++
-    }
-
     sub start() {
-        ubyte intens
-        set_color(0, (intens >> 1) * $111)
-
         byte intensity = -25
         txt.print_b(intensity)
         txt.nl()
@@ -19,9 +12,10 @@ main {
         txt.nl()
         txt.print_b(intensity)
         txt.nl()
-        word intensityw = 2555
+
         txt.print_uw0(12345)
         txt.nl()
+        word intensityw = -12345
         txt.print_w(intensityw)
         txt.nl()
         txt.print_w(abs(intensityw))