FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
> java -version
java version "1.6.0_24"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_24-b07)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 19.1-b02, mixed mode, sharing)

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


A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
When creating a "minimal distribution" (in this use case: putting required parts of the JDK under version control for reproducability while not checking in 100 MB of data, just the required files), I found a problem.

> javac
Error occurred during initialization of VM
Unable to load native library: Can't find dependent libraries

The error message really should give me information about WHICH LIBRARY couldn't load and WHICH DEPENDENT LIBRARY is missing.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
mkdir foo
mkdir foo/bin
cp $JDK_HOME/bin/javac foo/bin/
Then run
foo/bin/javac
and copy the missing files to foo/ until you get the error message.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
The expected result is that the process of starting with foo/bin/javac.exe and copying files to the foo/bin/ directory until foo/bin/javac.exe runs successfully works to create a minimal distribution for a particular use case.

ACTUAL -
This does not work because at some point the JDK / JRE gives error messages which no longer help in solving the problem.

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
Error occurred during initialization of VM
Unable to load native library: Can't find dependent libraries


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
no satisfying workaround found