http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=49191
--- Comment #10 from Steve Ellcey <sje at cup dot hp.com> 2011-06-08 18:12:40 UTC --- How about compiling this with -Wcast-align and looking for a warning message: char *y; typedef char __attribute__ ((__aligned__(__BIGGEST_ALIGNMENT__))) c; c *z; void foo(void) { z = (c *) y; } I get a warning on IA64 but none on X86. The warning is coming from c-typeck.c. x.c: In function 'foo': x.c:6:13: warning: cast increases required alignment of target type [-Wcast-align]