Index: includes/path.inc
===================================================================
--- includes/path.inc
+++ includes/path.inc
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 
   // Use $count to avoid looking up paths in subsequent calls if there simply are no aliases
   if (!isset($count)) {
-    $count = db_result(db_query('SELECT COUNT(pid) FROM {url_alias}'));
+    $count = db_result(db_query('SELECT 1 FROM {url_alias}'));
   }
 
   if ($action == 'wipe') {
Index: includes/locale.inc
===================================================================
--- includes/locale.inc
+++ includes/locale.inc
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@
 function locale_languages_predefined_form_validate($form, &$form_state) {
   $langcode = $form_state['values']['langcode'];
 
-  if ($duplicate = db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {languages} WHERE language = '%s'", $langcode)) != 0) {
+  if ($duplicate = db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {languages} WHERE language = '%s'", $langcode)) != 0) {
     form_set_error('langcode', t('The language %language (%code) already exists.', array('%language' => $form_state['values']['name'], '%code' => $langcode)));
   }
 
Index: modules/system/system.module
===================================================================
--- modules/system/system.module
+++ modules/system/system.module
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@
 function system_admin_theme_submit($form, &$form_state) {
   // If we're changing themes, make sure the theme has its blocks initialized.
   if ($form_state['values']['admin_theme'] && $form_state['values']['admin_theme'] != variable_get('admin_theme', '0')) {
-    $result = db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {blocks} WHERE theme = '%s'", $form_state['values']['admin_theme']));
+    $result = db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {blocks} WHERE theme = '%s' LIMIT 1", $form_state['values']['admin_theme']));
     if (!$result) {
       system_initialize_theme_blocks($form_state['values']['admin_theme']);
     }
@@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@
  */
 function system_initialize_theme_blocks($theme) {
   // Initialize theme's blocks if none already registered.
-  if (!(db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {blocks} WHERE theme = '%s'", $theme)))) {
+  if (!(db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {blocks} WHERE theme = '%s' LIMIT 1", $theme)))) {
     $default_theme = variable_get('theme_default', 'garland');
     $regions = system_region_list($theme);
     $result = db_query("SELECT * FROM {blocks} WHERE theme = '%s'", $default_theme);
Index: modules/book/book.install
===================================================================
--- modules/book/book.install
+++ modules/book/book.install
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
     }
 
     // Determine whether there are any existing nodes in the book hierarchy.
-    if (db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {book}"))) {
+    if (db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {book}"))) {
       // Temporary table for the old book hierarchy; we'll discard revision info.
       $schema['book_temp'] = array(
         'fields' => array(
Index: modules/menu/menu.admin.inc
===================================================================
--- modules/menu/menu.admin.inc
+++ modules/menu/menu.admin.inc
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@
   $menu = $form['#menu'];
   $form_state['redirect'] = 'admin/build/menu';
   // System-defined menus may not be deleted - only menus defined by this module.
-  if (in_array($menu['menu_name'], menu_list_system_menus())  || !db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {menu_custom} WHERE menu_name = '%s'", $menu['menu_name']))) {
+  if (in_array($menu['menu_name'], menu_list_system_menus())  || !db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {menu_custom} WHERE menu_name = '%s' LIMIT 1", $menu['menu_name']))) {
     return;
   }
   // Reset all the menu links defined by the system via hook_menu.
Index: modules/node/node.admin.inc
===================================================================
--- modules/node/node.admin.inc
+++ modules/node/node.admin.inc
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@
   $result = pager_query(db_rewrite_sql('SELECT n.*, u.name FROM {node} n '. $filter['join'] .' INNER JOIN {users} u ON n.uid = u.uid '. $filter['where'] .' ORDER BY n.changed DESC'), 50, 0, NULL, $filter['args']);
 
   // Enable language column if locale is enabled or if we have any node with language
-  $count = db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {node} n WHERE language != ''"));
+  $count = db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {node} n WHERE language != '' LIMIT 1"));
   $multilanguage = (module_exists('locale') || $count);
 
   $form['options'] = array(
Index: modules/node/node.module
===================================================================
--- modules/node/node.module
+++ modules/node/node.module
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@
 function node_type_save($info) {
   $is_existing = FALSE;
   $existing_type = !empty($info->old_type) ? $info->old_type : $info->type;
-  $is_existing = db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {node_type} WHERE type = '%s'", $existing_type));
+  $is_existing = db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {node_type} WHERE type = '%s'", $existing_type));
   if (!isset($info->help)) {
     $info->help = '';
   }
@@ -2175,9 +2175,7 @@
       $grants_sql = 'AND ('. implode(' OR ', $grants) .')';
     }
 
-    $sql = "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {node_access} WHERE nid = 0 $grants_sql AND grant_view >= 1";
-    $result = db_query($sql);
-    $access = db_result($result);
+    $access = db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {node_access} WHERE nid = 0 $grants_sql AND grant_view >= 1 LIMIT 1"));
   }
 
   return $access;
@@ -2735,7 +2733,7 @@
 }
 
 function node_assign_owner_action_validate($form, $form_state) {
-  $count = db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {users} WHERE name = '%s'", $form_state['values']['owner_name']));
+  $count = db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {users} WHERE name = '%s'", $form_state['values']['owner_name']));
   if (intval($count) != 1) {
     form_set_error('owner_name', t('Please enter a valid username.'));
   }
Index: modules/path/path.module
===================================================================
--- modules/path/path.module
+++ modules/path/path.module
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@
       case 'validate':
         if (isset($node->path)) {
           $node->path = trim($node->path);
-          if (db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(dst) FROM {url_alias} WHERE dst = '%s' AND src != '%s' AND language = '%s'", $node->path, "node/$node->nid", $language))) {
+          if (db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {url_alias} WHERE dst = '%s' AND src != '%s' AND language = '%s'", $node->path, "node/$node->nid", $language))) {
             form_set_error('path', t('The path is already in use.'));
           }
         }
Index: modules/path/path.admin.inc
===================================================================
--- modules/path/path.admin.inc
+++ modules/path/path.admin.inc
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
   // Add the filter form above the overview table.
   $output = drupal_get_form('path_admin_filter_form', $keys);
   // Enable language column if locale is enabled or if we have any alias with language
-  $count = db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {url_alias} WHERE language != ''"));
+  $count = db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {url_alias} WHERE language != '' LIMIT 1"));
   $multilanguage = (module_exists('locale') || $count);
 
   if ($keys) {
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@
   // Language is only set if locale module is enabled, otherwise save for all languages.
   $language = isset($form_state['values']['language']) ? $form_state['values']['language'] : '';
 
-  if (db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(dst) FROM {url_alias} WHERE pid != %d AND dst = '%s' AND language = '%s'", $pid, $dst, $language))) {
+  if (db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {url_alias} WHERE pid != %d AND dst = '%s' AND language = '%s'", $pid, $dst, $language))) {
     form_set_error('dst', t('The alias %alias is already in use in this language.', array('%alias' => $dst)));
   }
   $item = menu_get_item($src);
Index: modules/ping/ping.module
===================================================================
--- modules/ping/ping.module
+++ modules/ping/ping.module
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
   if (variable_get('site_name', 0)) {
     $cron_last = variable_get('cron_last', time());
     // Query changed first since usually changed >= created.
-    if (db_result(db_query('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {node} WHERE status = 1 AND changed > %d', $cron_last)) || db_result(db_query('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {node} WHERE status = 1 AND created > %d', $cron_last))) {
+    if (db_result(db_query('SELECT 1 FROM {node} WHERE status = 1 AND changed > %d LIMIT 1', $cron_last)) || db_result(db_query('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {node} WHERE status = 1 AND created > %d', $cron_last))) {
       _ping_notify(variable_get('site_name', ''), $base_url);
     }
   }
Index: modules/profile/profile.module
===================================================================
--- modules/profile/profile.module
+++ modules/profile/profile.module
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@
     return TRUE;
   }
   else {
-    return user_edit_access($account) && db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {profile_fields} WHERE category = '%s' AND visibility <> %d", $category, PROFILE_HIDDEN));
+    return user_edit_access($account) && db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {profile_fields} WHERE category = '%s' AND visibility <> %d LIMIT 1", $category, PROFILE_HIDDEN));
   }
 }
 
Index: modules/profile/profile.pages.inc
===================================================================
--- modules/profile/profile.pages.inc
+++ modules/profile/profile.pages.inc
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@
  */
 function profile_autocomplete($field, $string) {
   $matches = array();
-  if (db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {profile_fields} WHERE fid = %d AND autocomplete = 1", $field))) {
+  if (db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {profile_fields} WHERE fid = %d AND autocomplete = 1 LIMIT 1", $field))) {
     $result = db_query_range("SELECT value FROM {profile_values} WHERE fid = %d AND LOWER(value) LIKE LOWER('%s%%') GROUP BY value ORDER BY value ASC", $field, $string, 0, 10);
     while ($data = db_fetch_object($result)) {
       $matches[$data->value] = check_plain($data->value);
Index: modules/user/user.module
===================================================================
--- modules/user/user.module
+++ modules/user/user.module
@@ -1592,7 +1592,7 @@
     if ($error = user_validate_name($edit['name'])) {
       form_set_error('name', $error);
     }
-    else if (db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {users} WHERE uid != %d AND LOWER(name) = LOWER('%s')", $uid, $edit['name'])) > 0) {
+    else if (db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {users} WHERE uid != %d AND LOWER(name) = LOWER('%s')", $uid, $edit['name'])) > 0) {
       form_set_error('name', t('The name %name is already taken.', array('%name' => $edit['name'])));
     }
     else if (drupal_is_denied('user', $edit['name'])) {
@@ -1604,7 +1604,7 @@
   if ($error = user_validate_mail($edit['mail'])) {
     form_set_error('mail', $error);
   }
-  else if (db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {users} WHERE uid != %d AND LOWER(mail) = LOWER('%s')", $uid, $edit['mail'])) > 0) {
+  else if (db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {users} WHERE uid != %d AND LOWER(mail) = LOWER('%s')", $uid, $edit['mail'])) > 0) {
     form_set_error('mail', t('The e-mail address %email is already registered. <a href="@password">Have you forgotten your password?</a>', array('%email' => $edit['mail'], '@password' => url('user/password'))));
   }
   else if (drupal_is_denied('mail', $edit['mail'])) {
Index: modules/user/user.admin.inc
===================================================================
--- modules/user/user.admin.inc
+++ modules/user/user.admin.inc
@@ -668,12 +668,12 @@
 function user_admin_role_validate($form, &$form_state) {
   if ($form_state['values']['name']) {
     if ($form_state['values']['op'] == t('Save role')) {
-      if (db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {role} WHERE name = '%s' AND rid != %d", $form_state['values']['name'], $form_state['values']['rid']))) {
+      if (db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {role} WHERE name = '%s' AND rid != %d", $form_state['values']['name'], $form_state['values']['rid']))) {
         form_set_error('name', t('The role name %name already exists. Please choose another role name.', array('%name' => $form_state['values']['name'])));
       }
     }
     else if ($form_state['values']['op'] == t('Add role')) {
-      if (db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {role} WHERE name = '%s'", $form_state['values']['name']))) {
+      if (db_result(db_query("SELECT 1 FROM {role} WHERE name = '%s'", $form_state['values']['name']))) {
         form_set_error('name', t('The role name %name already exists. Please choose another role name.', array('%name' => $form_state['values']['name'])));
       }
     }