So it turns out that ld hanging on the backtrace is actually glibc bug https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=16159 getting tickled. Setting the MALLOC_CHECK_ environment variable causes it not to hang, by not trying to emit the back trace and deadlocking on reacquiring the malloc lock:
$ MALLOC_CHECK_=2 gcc -o /tmp/conftest -fPIE -pie -static conftest.c collect2: error: ld terminated with signal 6 [Aborted], core dumped /usr/bin/ld: BFD (GNU Binutils for Ubuntu) 2.24 assertion fail ../../bfd/elflink.c:13053 /usr/bin/ld: BFD (GNU Binutils for Ubuntu) 2.24 assertion fail ../../bfd/elflink.c:13053 /usr/bin/ld: BFD (GNU Binutils for Ubuntu) 2.24 assertion fail ../../bfd/elflink.c:13053 /usr/bin/ld: BFD (GNU Binutils for Ubuntu) 2.24 assertion fail ../../bfd/elflink.c:13053 /usr/bin/ld: BFD (GNU Binutils for Ubuntu) 2.24 assertion fail ../../bfd/elflink.c:13053 ** Also affects: eglibc (Ubuntu) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Bug watch added: Sourceware.org Bugzilla #16159 http://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=16159 ** Also affects: eglibc via http://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=16159 Importance: Unknown Status: Unknown -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Desktop Bugs, which is subscribed to evolution-data-server in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1266492 Title: ld:i386 crashes with -static -fPIE -pie To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/eglibc/+bug/1266492/+subscriptions -- desktop-bugs mailing list desktop-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs