FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.4.2_08"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.4.2_08-b03)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.4.2_08-b03, mixed mode)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
calling the DateFormatSymbols constructor (directly or indirectly) from the constructor of a ClassLoader that is specified as the java.system.class.loader gives the following exception and JVM termination:

Error occurred during initialization of VM
java.lang.Error: java.lang.IllegalStateException: recursive invocation


STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
The following class can be used to reproduce this error:

package tests;

import java.text.DateFormatSymbols;

public class BrokenClassLoader extends ClassLoader
{
  public BrokenClassLoader(ClassLoader parent)
  {
    super(parent);
    try
    {
      new DateFormatSymbols();
    }
    catch (RuntimeException e)
    {
      e.printStackTrace();
      throw e;
    }
  }
  
  public static void main(String[] args)
  {
    System.out.println("hello");
  }
}

call using the following command:
java -Djava.system.class.loader=tests.BrokenClassLoader tests.BrokenClassLoader

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
I excepted it to not throw an exception
ACTUAL -
It threw an exception

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
On 1.4.2.09 and 1.5.0.05 -

java.lang.IllegalStateException: recursive invocation
at java.lang.ClassLoader.initSystemClassLoader(ClassLoader.java:1139)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.getSystemClassLoader(ClassLoader.java:1122)
at java.util.ResourceBundle.getLoader(ResourceBundle.java:398)
at java.util.ResourceBundle.getBundle(ResourceBundle.java:579)
at sun.text.resources.LocaleData$1.run(LocaleData.java:113)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at sun.text.resources.LocaleData.getBundle(LocaleData.java:111)
at sun.text.resources.LocaleData.getLocaleElements(LocaleData.java:99)
at java.text.DateFormatSymbols.cacheLookup(DateFormatSymbols.java:417)
at java.text.DateFormatSymbols.initializeData(DateFormatSymbols.java:468)
at java.text.DateFormatSymbols.<init>(DateFormatSymbols.java:90)
at tests.BrokenClassLoader.<init>(BrokenClassLoader.java:12)
at sun.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.java:39)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.java:27)
at java.lang.reflect.Constructor.newInstance(Constructor.java:274)
at java.lang.SystemClassLoaderAction.run(ClassLoader.java:1853)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.initSystemClassLoader(ClassLoader.java:1147)
at java.lang.ClassLoader.getSystemClassLoader(ClassLoader.java:1122)
Error occurred during initialization of VM
java.lang.Error: java.lang.IllegalStateException: recursive invocation

On Mustang Build 53
Error occurred during initialization of VM
java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError
       at java.util.ResourceBundle.getLoader(ResourceBundle.java:411)
       at java.util.ResourceBundle.getBundle(ResourceBundle.java:816)
       at sun.util.resources.LocaleData$1.run(LocaleData.java:127)
       at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
       at sun.util.resources.LocaleData.getBundle(LocaleData.java:125)

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
package tests;

import java.text.DateFormatSymbols;

public class BrokenClassLoader extends ClassLoader
{
  public BrokenClassLoader(ClassLoader parent)
  {
    super(parent);
    try
    {
      new DateFormatSymbols();
    }
    catch (RuntimeException e)
    {
      e.printStackTrace();
      throw e;
    }
  }
  
  public static void main(String[] args)
  {
    System.out.println("hello");
  }
}

---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Avoid using DateFormatSymbols() or anything that calls it. Unfortunately, this includes avoiding java.util.Date.toString()