[Mingw-users] gcc4.0/gcj/binutils - .exe "not a valid win32 application."

[Rutger O. <ov...@us...>]

I am experiencing a strange problem with binutils and gcc 4 on win32.

It does not seem to happen with gcc 3.4, nor on linux with 4.0. I'm
just guessing that it is a binutils problem at this point in
combination with something that gcj 4.0 is doing at -O1 and above but
I'm not able to figure out what is truly going on.

I have tried a self-compiled gcc4, as well as the gcc 4 from:
http://www.thisiscool.com/gcc_mingw.htm
http://www.thisiscool.net/gcc40-20050324.tar.bz2

I am using gcj, but I assume the same would happen with gcc if I could
figure out how to create a testcase in C.

The problem is that at -O1 or above, my apps are not seen by windows
as valid executables. When compiled at -O0, they work fine. They are
big apps. Simple test apps work fine at any -O level.

I peeked into the resulting .exe, and the only thing that I notice to
be different at -O1 and above is that the .rdata section has many
entries.

In a hex viewer, the .exe shows the .rdata section and a sequence of
numbers:  .rdata ... /4 ... /21 ... /38 .. /55 ...

When this sequence of numbers exceeds /1500 or so, the .exe is no
longer valid.  Maybe I am on the wrong track, but it is consistent.
What are these entries?

Here is a sample test app: big.java (18k)

http://s22.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1F8U0JOGB40PS26OXGDLEOAR6S

Compile it with thisiscool gcj:

/thisiscool-gcc/gcc-4.0/bin/gcj -O1 --main=big big.java -o big.java
[] big
big.exe is not a valid Win32 application.

It is just a bunch of strings of increasing length. This seems to fill
up the .rdata section. With less than 150 strings it works.  At -O0 it
works. More than 175 and -O1 or above and the .exe becomes invalid.

I've tried many different versions of as/ld including the latest
snapshot (2005/07/01).

Hints or tips on what the problem might be (and a solution) would be
greatly appreciated. Is it gcc, or binutils or something else? I'm
stumped. Thanks!