diff --git a/help_function/config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_usmnone.xml b/help_function/config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_usmnone.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..09184a0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/help_function/config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_usmnone.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+
+<test driverID="test_help" name="TEMPLATE">
+    <description>test help function cases with usm switch on </description>
+    <files>
+        <file path="src/${testName}.cpp" />
+    </files>
+    <rules>
+        <optlevelRule excludeOptlevelNameString="usmnone" />
+        <optlevelRule excludeOptlevelNameString="cuda_backend" />
+    </rules>
+</test>
diff --git a/help_function/help_function.xml b/help_function/help_function.xml
index 9bb4021c..b4ae3938 100644
--- a/help_function/help_function.xml
+++ b/help_function/help_function.xml
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@
     <test testName="onedpl_test_count_if" configFile="config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_cuda_backend.xml" />
     <test testName="onedpl_test_device_new_delete" configFile="config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_cuda_backend.xml" />
     <test testName="onedpl_test_device_ptr" configFile="config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_cuda_backend.xml" />
+    <test testName="onedpl_test_device_malloc_free" configFile="config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_usmnone.xml" />
     <test testName="onedpl_test_discard_iterator" configFile="config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_cuda_backend.xml" />
     <test testName="onedpl_test_equal_range" configFile="config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_cuda_backend.xml" />
     <test testName="onedpl_test_exclusive_scan" configFile="config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_cuda_backend.xml" />
@@ -149,7 +150,7 @@
     <!-- <test testName="onedpl_test_group_load" configFile="config/TEMPLATE_help_function.xml" /> -->
     <test testName="onedpl_test_transform_reduce" configFile="config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_double.xml"  splitGroup="double" />
     <test testName="onedpl_test_translate_key" configFile="config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_double.xml"  splitGroup="double" />
-    <test testName="onedpl_test_uninitialized_fill" configFile="config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_cuda_backend.xml" />
+    <test testName="onedpl_test_uninitialized_fill" configFile="config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_usmnone.xml" />
     <test testName="onedpl_test_unique_by_key_copy" configFile="config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_cuda_backend.xml" />
     <test testName="onedpl_test_unique_by_key" configFile="config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_cuda_backend.xml" />
     <test testName="onedpl_test_unique_count" configFile="config/TEMPLATE_help_function_skip_cuda_backend.xml" />
diff --git a/help_function/src/onedpl_test_copy_if.cpp b/help_function/src/onedpl_test_copy_if.cpp
index 386bd31a..54336f79 100644
--- a/help_function/src/onedpl_test_copy_if.cpp
+++ b/help_function/src/onedpl_test_copy_if.cpp
@@ -226,11 +226,8 @@ int main() {
     // dcpt::copy_if with device_vector
 
     {
-        // **FAILS AT RUNTIME**
 
         // create src and dst device_vector
-        dpct::device_vector<int> src_dv(8);
-        dpct::device_vector<int> dst_dv(8);
         std::vector<int> src_vec(8);
         std::vector<int> dst_vec(8);
 
@@ -239,17 +236,8 @@ int main() {
             dst_vec[i] = 0;
         }
 
-        //copy from src_vec to src_dv
-        dpct::get_default_queue().submit([&](sycl::handler& h) {
-            h.memcpy(src_dv.data(), src_vec.data(), 8 * sizeof(int));
-        });
-        dpct::get_default_queue().wait();
-
-        //copy from dst_vec to dst_dv
-        dpct::get_default_queue().submit([&](sycl::handler& h) {
-            h.memcpy(dst_dv.data(), dst_vec.data(), 8 * sizeof(int));
-        });
-        dpct::get_default_queue().wait();
+        dpct::device_vector<int> src_dv(src_vec);
+        dpct::device_vector<int> dst_dv(dst_vec);
 
         // src_dv: { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 }
         // dst_dv: { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 }
@@ -269,22 +257,16 @@ int main() {
             );
         }
 
-        dpct::get_default_queue().submit([&](sycl::handler& h) {
-            // copy from dst_dv back to dst_vec
-            h.memcpy(dst_vec.data(), dst_dv.data(), 8 * sizeof(int));
-        });
-        dpct::get_default_queue().wait();
-
         std::string test_name = "copy_if with device_vector";
 
         // expected dst_vec: { 5, 7, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 }
         for (int i = 0; i != 8; ++i) {
             if (i == 0)
-                num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dst_vec[i], 5);
+                num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dst_dv[i], 5);
             else if (i == 1)
-                num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dst_vec[i], 7);
+                num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dst_dv[i], 7);
             else
-                num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dst_vec[i], 0);
+                num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dst_dv[i], 0);
         }
 
         failed_tests += test_passed(num_failing, test_name);
diff --git a/help_function/src/onedpl_test_exclusive_scan.cpp b/help_function/src/onedpl_test_exclusive_scan.cpp
index 5dbfd068..985f7450 100644
--- a/help_function/src/onedpl_test_exclusive_scan.cpp
+++ b/help_function/src/onedpl_test_exclusive_scan.cpp
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ int main(){
     int failed_tests = 0;
     int num_failing = 0;
 
+
+    // These tests assume USM is available, disable when it isn't
+#ifndef DPCT_USM_LEVEL_NONE
     {
         // Test One, test normal call to std::exclusive_scan with std::plus<> and USM allocations
         // create queue
@@ -100,6 +103,7 @@ int main(){
         failed_tests += test_passed(num_failing, test_name);
         num_failing = 0;
     }
+#endif //DPCT_USM_LEVEL_NONE
 
     {
         // Test Two, test normal call to std::exclusive_scan with std::plus<> with overlapping source and destination
diff --git a/help_function/src/onedpl_test_fill.cpp b/help_function/src/onedpl_test_fill.cpp
index b7fb4b32..db896a2f 100644
--- a/help_function/src/onedpl_test_fill.cpp
+++ b/help_function/src/onedpl_test_fill.cpp
@@ -253,7 +253,9 @@ int main() {
     }
 
     // Third 3 tests: Testing call to std::fill using device_pointer<T>
-
+    
+    // These tests assume USM is available, disable when it isn't
+#ifndef DPCT_USM_LEVEL_NONE 
     {
         // test 1/3
 
@@ -420,19 +422,17 @@ int main() {
         failed_tests += test_passed(num_failing, test_name);
         num_failing = 0;
     }
+#endif //DPCT_USM_LEVEL_NONE
 
     {
         // test 2/2: call to std::fill_n using device_vector<T>
 
         // create device_vector and src vector
-        dpct::device_vector<int> dv(8);
         std::vector<int> src(8);
 
         iota_vector(src, 0, 8);
+        dpct::device_vector<int> dv(src);
 
-        dpct::get_default_queue().submit([&](sycl::handler& h) {
-            h.memcpy(dv.data(), src.data(), 8 * sizeof(int));
-        });
         dpct::get_default_queue().wait();
 
         {
@@ -440,18 +440,12 @@ int main() {
             std::fill_n(oneapi::dpl::execution::make_device_policy(dpct::get_default_queue()), dv.begin(), 4, 10);
         }
 
-        dpct::get_default_queue().submit([&](sycl::handler& h) {
-            // copy dv back to src
-            h.memcpy(src.data(), dv.data(), 8 * sizeof(int));
-        });
-        dpct::get_default_queue().wait();
-
         std::string test_name = "std::fill_n with device_pointer<T> 2/2";
         for (int i = 0; i != 8; ++i) {
             if (i < 4)
-                num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, src[i], 10);
+                num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dv[i], 10);
             else
-                num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, src[i], i);
+                num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dv[i], i);
         }
 
         failed_tests += test_passed(num_failing, test_name);
diff --git a/help_function/src/onedpl_test_for_each.cpp b/help_function/src/onedpl_test_for_each.cpp
index 5efdc593..c8629581 100644
--- a/help_function/src/onedpl_test_for_each.cpp
+++ b/help_function/src/onedpl_test_for_each.cpp
@@ -366,17 +366,11 @@ int main() {
         // test 1/1
 
         // create device_vector and src vector
-        dpct::device_vector<int> dv(8);
         std::vector<int> src(8);
 
         src[0] = -3; src[1] = -2; src[2] = 1; src[3] = 0; src[4] = -1; src[5] = -4; src[6] = 2; src[7] = 3;
         // src: { -3, -2, 1, 0, -1, -4, 2, 3 }
-
-        // copy from src to dv
-        dpct::get_default_queue().submit([&](sycl::handler& h) {
-            h.memcpy(dv.data(), src.data(), 8 * sizeof(int));
-        });
-        dpct::get_default_queue().wait();
+        dpct::device_vector<int> dv(src);
 
         {
             // call algorithm on dv
@@ -389,24 +383,18 @@ int main() {
             );
         }
 
-        dpct::get_default_queue().submit([&](sycl::handler& h) {
-            // copy dv back to src
-            h.memcpy(src.data(), dv.data(), 8 * sizeof(int));
-        });
-        dpct::get_default_queue().wait();
-
         // check that src is now { 3, 2, 1, 0, -1, -4, 2, 3 }
         // actual result is no change in src elements
         test_name = "std::for_each using device_vector";
 
-        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, src[0], 3);
-        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, src[1], 2);
-        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, src[2], 1);
-        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, src[3], 0);
-        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, src[4], -1);
-        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, src[5], -4);
-        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, src[6], 2);
-        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, src[7], 3);
+        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dv[0], 3);
+        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dv[1], 2);
+        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dv[2], 1);
+        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dv[3], 0);
+        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dv[4], -1);
+        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dv[5], -4);
+        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dv[6], 2);
+        num_failing += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, dv[7], 3);
 
         failed_tests += test_passed(num_failing, test_name);
         num_failing = 0;
diff --git a/help_function/src/onedpl_test_sort_by_key.cpp b/help_function/src/onedpl_test_sort_by_key.cpp
index a0429591..0ca06fad 100644
--- a/help_function/src/onedpl_test_sort_by_key.cpp
+++ b/help_function/src/onedpl_test_sort_by_key.cpp
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@ int main() {
         }
     }
 
+    // These tests assume USM is available, disable when it isn't
+#ifndef DPCT_USM_LEVEL_NONE
     {
     // Test One, call to dpct::sort using USM allocations
         // create queue
@@ -199,6 +201,7 @@ int main() {
         failed_tests += test_passed(num_failing, test_name);
         num_failing = 0;
     }
+#endif //DPCT_USM_LEVEL_NONE
 
     {
     // Test Two, test calls to dpct::sort using device vectors
@@ -274,6 +277,8 @@ int main() {
         }
     }
 
+    // These tests assume USM is available, disable when it isn't
+#ifndef DPCT_USM_LEVEL_NONE
     {
     // Test Three, call to dpct::stable_sort using USM allocations
         // create queue
@@ -331,6 +336,7 @@ int main() {
         failed_tests += test_passed(num_failing, test_name);
         num_failing = 0;
     }
+#endif // DPCT_USM_LEVEL_NONE
 
     { // Test Four, test calls to dpct::stable_sort with duplicate key values
         sycl::buffer<int, 1> keys_buf{ sycl::range<1>(16) };
diff --git a/help_function/src/onedpl_test_transform_reduce.cpp b/help_function/src/onedpl_test_transform_reduce.cpp
index 890c6a27..5e8c0cce 100644
--- a/help_function/src/onedpl_test_transform_reduce.cpp
+++ b/help_function/src/onedpl_test_transform_reduce.cpp
@@ -50,59 +50,45 @@ int main() {
     auto dev = myQueue.get_device();
     auto ctxt = myQueue.get_context();
 
-    // create host and device arrays
-    double hostArray[8];
-    double *deviceArray = (double*) malloc_device(8 * sizeof(double), dev, ctxt);
+    // create host and device vectors
+    std::vector<double> host_vec(8);
 
-    // hostArray = { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 }
+    // host_vec = { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 }
     for (int i = 0; i != 8; ++i) {
-        hostArray[i] = i;
+        host_vec[i] = i;
     }
 
-    myQueue.submit([&](sycl::handler& h) {
-        // copy hostArray to deviceArray
-        h.memcpy(deviceArray, hostArray, 8 * sizeof(double));
-    });
-    myQueue.wait();
 
     {
-        auto dptr_begin = dpct::device_pointer<double>(deviceArray);
-        auto dptr_end = dpct::device_pointer<double>(deviceArray + 4);
+        dpct::device_vector<double> dev_vec(host_vec);
 
         // call algorithm
-        auto result = std::transform_reduce(oneapi::dpl::execution::dpcpp_default, dptr_begin, dptr_end, 0., std::plus<double>(), square());
+        auto result = std::transform_reduce(oneapi::dpl::execution::dpcpp_default, dev_vec.begin(), dev_vec.begin()+4, 0., std::plus<double>(), square());
 
-        test_name = "transform_reduce with USM allocation";
+        test_name = "transform_reduce with device_vector";
         failed_tests += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, result, 14);
     }
 
     // test 2/2
 
-    bool hostArray2[8];
-    bool *deviceArray2 = (bool*) malloc_device(8 * sizeof(bool), dev, ctxt);
+    std::vector<bool> host_vec2(8);
 
-    // hostArray2 = { 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0 }
+    // host_vec2 = { 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0 }
     for (int i = 0; i != 8; ++i) {
         if (i < 4)
-            hostArray2[i] = 1;
+            host_vec2[i] = 1;
         else
-            hostArray2[i] = 0;
+            host_vec2[i] = 0;
     }
 
-    myQueue.submit([&](sycl::handler& h) {
-        // copy hostArray2 to deviceArray2
-        h.memcpy(deviceArray2, hostArray2, 8 * sizeof(bool));
-    });
-    myQueue.wait();
-
     {
-        auto dptr_begin = dpct::device_pointer<bool>(deviceArray2 + 4);
-        auto dptr_end = dpct::device_pointer<bool>(deviceArray2 + 8);
+        dpct::device_vector<bool> dev_vec2(host_vec2);
+
 
         // call algorithm
-        auto result = std::transform_reduce(oneapi::dpl::execution::dpcpp_default, dptr_begin, dptr_end, 0, std::plus<bool>(), oneapi::dpl::identity());
+        auto result = std::transform_reduce(oneapi::dpl::execution::dpcpp_default, dev_vec2.begin()+4, dev_vec2.end(), 0, std::plus<bool>(), oneapi::dpl::identity());
 
-        test_name = "transform_reduce with USM allocation 2";
+        test_name = "transform_reduce with device_vector 2";
         failed_tests += ASSERT_EQUAL(test_name, result, 0);
 
     }