diff --git a/includes/update.inc b/includes/update.inc
index f199784ffbd..44e246757da 100644
--- a/includes/update.inc
+++ b/includes/update.inc
@@ -9,121 +9,6 @@
  * installation. It is included and used extensively by update.php.
  */
 
-
-/**
- * Add a column to a database using syntax appropriate for PostgreSQL.
- *
- * Saves the result of the SQL commands in the referenced $ret array.
- *
- * Note: when you add a column with NOT NULL and you are not sure if there are
- * already rows in the table, you MUST also add DEFAULT. Otherwise PostgreSQL
- * won't work when the table is not empty, and db_add_column() will fail.
- * To have an empty string as the default, you must use: 'default' => "''"
- * in the $attributes array. If NOT NULL and DEFAULT are set the PostgreSQL
- * version will set values of the added column in old rows to the
- * DEFAULT value.
- *
- * @param $ret
- *   Reference to an array to which results will be added.
- * @param $table
- *   Name of the table, without {}
- * @param $column
- *   Name of the column
- * @param $type
- *   Type of column
- * @param $attributes
- *   Additional optional attributes. Recognized attributes:
- *     not null => TRUE|FALSE
- *     default  => NULL|FALSE|value (the value must be enclosed in '' marks)
- * @return
- *   nothing, but modifies $ret parameter.
- */
-function db_add_column(&$ret, $table, $column, $type, $attributes = array()) {
-  if (array_key_exists('not null', $attributes) and $attributes['not null']) {
-    $not_null = 'NOT NULL';
-  }
-  if (array_key_exists('default', $attributes)) {
-    if (is_null($attributes['default'])) {
-      $default_val = 'NULL';
-      $default = 'default NULL';
-    }
-    elseif ($attributes['default'] === FALSE) {
-      $default = '';
-    }
-    else {
-      $default_val = "$attributes[default]";
-      $default = "default $attributes[default]";
-    }
-  }
-
-  $ret[] = update_sql("ALTER TABLE {" . $table . "} ADD $column $type");
-  if (!empty($default)) {
-    $ret[] = update_sql("ALTER TABLE {" . $table . "} ALTER $column SET $default");
-  }
-  if (!empty($not_null)) {
-    if (!empty($default)) {
-      $ret[] = update_sql("UPDATE {" . $table . "} SET $column = $default_val");
-    }
-    $ret[] = update_sql("ALTER TABLE {" . $table . "} ALTER $column SET NOT NULL");
-  }
-}
-
-/**
- * Change a column definition using syntax appropriate for PostgreSQL.
- * Save result of SQL commands in $ret array.
- *
- * Remember that changing a column definition involves adding a new column
- * and dropping an old one. This means that any indices, primary keys and
- * sequences from serial-type columns are dropped and might need to be
- * recreated.
- *
- * @param $ret
- *   Array to which results will be added.
- * @param $table
- *   Name of the table, without {}
- * @param $column
- *   Name of the column to change
- * @param $column_new
- *   New name for the column (set to the same as $column if you don't want to change the name)
- * @param $type
- *   Type of column
- * @param $attributes
- *   Additional optional attributes. Recognized attributes:
- *     not null => TRUE|FALSE
- *     default  => NULL|FALSE|value (with or without '', it won't be added)
- * @return
- *   nothing, but modifies $ret parameter.
- */
-function db_change_column(&$ret, $table, $column, $column_new, $type, $attributes = array()) {
-  if (array_key_exists('not null', $attributes) and $attributes['not null']) {
-    $not_null = 'NOT NULL';
-  }
-  if (array_key_exists('default', $attributes)) {
-    if (is_null($attributes['default'])) {
-      $default_val = 'NULL';
-      $default = 'default NULL';
-    }
-    elseif ($attributes['default'] === FALSE) {
-      $default = '';
-    }
-    else {
-      $default_val = "$attributes[default]";
-      $default = "default $attributes[default]";
-    }
-  }
-
-  $ret[] = update_sql("ALTER TABLE {" . $table . "} RENAME $column TO " . $column . "_old");
-  $ret[] = update_sql("ALTER TABLE {" . $table . "} ADD $column_new $type");
-  $ret[] = update_sql("UPDATE {" . $table . "} SET $column_new = " . $column . "_old");
-  if ($default) {
-    $ret[] = update_sql("ALTER TABLE {" . $table . "} ALTER $column_new SET $default");
-  }
-  if ($not_null) {
-    $ret[] = update_sql("ALTER TABLE {" . $table . "} ALTER $column_new SET NOT NULL");
-  }
-  $ret[] = update_sql("ALTER TABLE {" . $table . "} DROP " . $column . "_old");
-}
-
 /**
  * Disable anything in the {system} table that is not compatible with the
  * current version of Drupal core.