gcc gives an internal error when compiling a source file which contains _lots_ of stars '*' (pointer of pointer of pointer etc.) The source file looks admitedly silly but it should not cause gcc to segfault.
This bug was filed in Ubuntu bug database: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gcc-4.1/+bug/172326 Steps to reproduce bug: 1/ download test-case-crash-gcc.c (stand alone, no #include files) $ wget http://dominique.pelle.free.fr/test-case-crash-gcc.c 2/ compile it and observe an internal error, segfault: $ gcc test-case-crash-gcc.c gcc: Internal error: Segmentation fault (program cc1) Please submit a full bug report. See <URL:http://gcc.gnu.org/bugs.html> for instructions. For Debian GNU/Linux specific bug reporting instructions, see <URL:file:///usr/share/doc/gcc-4.1/README.Bugs>. $ gcc -V 4.2 test-case-crash-gcc.c i486-linux-gnu-gcc-4.2: Internal error: Segmentation fault (program cc1) Please submit a full bug report. See <URL:http://gcc.gnu.org/bugs.html> for instructions. For Debian GNU/Linux specific bug reporting instructions, see <URL:file:///usr/share/doc/gcc-4.2/README.Bugs>. I could reproduce this bug with 2 versions of gcc that I have on my Ubunto laptop: gcc-4.1.3 and gcc-4.2.1: $ gcc --version gcc (GCC) 4.1.3 20070929 (prerelease) (Ubuntu 4.1.2-16ubuntu2) Copyright (C) 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc. This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. $ gcc -V 4.2 --version i486-linux-gnu-gcc-4.2 (GCC) 4.2.1 (Ubuntu 4.2.1-5ubuntu4) Copyright (C) 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. I'm using Linux-2.6.20 (x86) (Ubuntu Gutsy). -- Summary: gcc internal error (seg fault) (program cc1) with ill formed foo.c Product: gcc Version: 4.2.1 Status: UNCONFIRMED Severity: normal Priority: P3 Component: c AssignedTo: unassigned at gcc dot gnu dot org ReportedBy: dominique dot pelle at free dot fr http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=34308