Please test the binutils-2.17 project branch

Dimitry Andric dimitry at andric.com
Tue Nov 2 18:47:43 UTC 2010


Hi all,

As you may know, I am working on an update of our in-tree binutils to
2.17.50, the last version that was still under version 2 of the GPL.

I have put this in a project branch, which you can checkout from:

   svn://svn.freebsd.org/base/projects/binutils-2.17

Please try building world and kernel from this tree, and if the machine
in question is expendable (!) installing them.  If you see any clearly
binutils-related issues, you can reply to this list, or mail me directly
if you prefer.

Currently, a make universe of the binutils-2.17 project tree builds to
completion for the following arches:

- amd64     run-time tested by me
- i386      run-time tested by me
- mips      needs run-time testing
- pc98      needs run-time testing
- powerpc   run-time tested by nwhitehorn
- sparc64   needs run-time testing
- sun4v     needs run-time testing

The following arches still have building problems:

- arm

   There is some weird issue that causes the cross-tools ld to segfault
   during buildworld, when linking a binary blob into a .o file:

   ===> usr.sbin/uathload (all)
   cc -O -pipe  -std=gnu99 -Wsystem-headers -Werror -Wall -Wno-format-y2k -W -Wno-unused-parameter -Wstrict-prototypes -Wmissing-prototypes -Wpointer-arith -Wreturn-type -Wcast-qual -Wwrite-strings -Wswitch -Wshadow -Wunused-parameter -Wcast-align -Wchar-subscripts -Winline -Wnested-externs -Wredundant-decls -Wold-style-definition -Wno-pointer-sign -c /home/dim/src/freebsd/binutils-2.17/usr.sbin/uathload/uathload.c
   gzip -cn /home/dim/src/freebsd/binutils-2.17/usr.sbin/uathload/uathload.8 > uathload.8.gz
   ld -b binary -d -warn-common -r -d -o ar5523.o ar5523.bin
   Segmentation fault (core dumped)

   I am investigating this now, any hints welcome. :)

- ia64

   Something in sys/boot/ia64/efi/ldscript.ia64 makes ld complain about
   mixing ordered and unordered sections:

   ===> sys/boot/ia64/efi (all)
   ...
   /usr/obj/ia64.ia64/home/dim/src/freebsd/binutils-2.17/tmp/usr/bin/ld: .data has both ordered [`.IA_64.unwind' in efimd.o] and unordered [`.IA_64.unwind_info' in /usr/obj/ia64.ia64/home/dim/src/freebsd/binutils-2.17/tmp/usr/lib/libstand.a(strlen.o)] sections
   /usr/obj/ia64.ia64/home/dim/src/freebsd/binutils-2.17/tmp/usr/bin/ld: final link failed: Bad value

   I am not sure if this is a bug in binutils, or something in the linker
   script.  My ia64 knowledge is extremely limited, though...

2 bad arches against 7 good ones isn't a bad score, but I would like to
make  sure all of them at least build without any issues, before even
thinking of merging this into head.  So please help out if you can.

Last but not least, be sure to build some ports when the new binutils
are installed in the base system.  There are always some nasty ones out
there that test for specific versions of GNU tools, and die when their
expectations are not met. :)


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