If I try and run javac with classes that have been statically instrumented for use with javac, I can reliably get the following crash:

#
# A fatal error has been detected by the Java Runtime Environment:
#
# SIGSEGV (0xb) at pc=0x01085c64, pid=29783, tid=3078806384
#
# JRE version: 7.0-b147
# Java VM: Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (21.0-b17 mixed mode linux-x86 )
# Problematic frame:
# V [libjvm.so+0x9ac64] BiasedLocking::revoke_and_rebias(Handle, bool, Thread*)+0x24
#


There are two known workarounds:
1, suggested by jcov team, set option -Xms30m (actually, -Xms20m works for me)
2, suggested by Kumar, set -XX:-UseBiasedLocking


Additionally, Andrey Titov, from the jcov team, writes:
JCov needs to create long[1 000 000] array at very beginnig of VM initialization. It's 8mb of memory and it seems that VM under javac at this point just doesn't have such memory. VM crashes exactly on array creation. That's all I found while I was investigating this problem.


I'm getting the crash on Ubuntu 10.04 on MacBookPro+VMWare. The jcov team report the same problem on "sparc system only".


I can probably provide reproducible test case if needed. Likewise jcov team.
Here is the crashing call stack from hs_err_pid21472.log:

Stack: [0x00007f7945af9000,0x00007f7945bfa000], sp=0x00007f7945bf7af0, free space=1018k
Native frames: (J=compiled Java code, j=interpreted, Vv=VM code, C=native code)
V [libjvm.so+0x288bc3] BiasedLocking::revoke_and_rebias(Handle, bool, Thread*)+0x33
V [libjvm.so+0x82a382] ObjectSynchronizer::fast_enter(Handle, BasicLock*, bool, Thread*)+0x42
V [libjvm.so+0x5287f2] instanceRefKlass::acquire_pending_list_lock(BasicLock*)+0x72
V [libjvm.so+0x8a3903] VM_GC_Operation::doit_prologue()+0x23
V [libjvm.so+0x8ab45b] VMThread::execute(VM_Operation*)+0x15b
V [libjvm.so+0x75dcf6] ParallelScavengeHeap::mem_allocate(unsigned long, bool*)+0x196
V [libjvm.so+0x878127] typeArrayKlass::allocate_common(int, bool, Thread*)+0x2f7
V [libjvm.so+0x543fc8] InterpreterRuntime::newarray(JavaThread*, BasicType, int)+0x28
j com.sun.tdk.jcov.runtime.Collect.enableCounts()V+2
j com.sun.tdk.jcov.runtime.Collect.<clinit>()V+20
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
V [libjvm.so+0x54def5] JavaCalls::call_helper(JavaValue*, methodHandle*, JavaCallArguments*, Thread*)+0x355
V [libjvm.so+0x54ca18] JavaCalls::call(JavaValue*, methodHandle, JavaCallArguments*, Thread*)+0x28
V [libjvm.so+0x5102aa] instanceKlass::call_class_initializer(Thread*)+0xca
V [libjvm.so+0x510504] instanceKlass::initialize_impl(instanceKlassHandle, Thread*)+0x234
V [libjvm.so+0x51094a] instanceKlass::initialize(Thread*)+0x6a
V [libjvm.so+0x6663d6] LinkResolver::resolve_static_call(CallInfo&, KlassHandle&, Symbol*, Symbol*, KlassHandle, bool, bool, Thread*)+0x116
V [libjvm.so+0x666536] LinkResolver::resolve_invokestatic(CallInfo&, constantPoolHandle, int, Thread*)+0xe6
V [libjvm.so+0x547635] InterpreterRuntime::resolve_invoke(JavaThread*, Bytecodes::Code)+0x165
j java.lang.String.<clinit>()V+3
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
V [libjvm.so+0x54def5] JavaCalls::call_helper(JavaValue*, methodHandle*, JavaCallArguments*, Thread*)+0x355
V [libjvm.so+0x54ca18] JavaCalls::call(JavaValue*, methodHandle, JavaCallArguments*, Thread*)+0x28
V [libjvm.so+0x5102aa] instanceKlass::call_class_initializer(Thread*)+0xca
V [libjvm.so+0x510504] instanceKlass::initialize_impl(instanceKlassHandle, Thread*)+0x234
V [libjvm.so+0x51094a] instanceKlass::initialize(Thread*)+0x6a
V [libjvm.so+0x864c2a] Threads::create_vm(JavaVMInitArgs*, bool*)+0x42a
V [libjvm.so+0x55f9f4] JNI_CreateJavaVM+0x74
C [libjli.so+0x337e] JavaMain+0x9e

Java frames: (J=compiled Java code, j=interpreted, Vv=VM code)
j com.sun.tdk.jcov.runtime.Collect.enableCounts()V+2
j com.sun.tdk.jcov.runtime.Collect.<clinit>()V+20
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
j java.lang.String.<clinit>()V+3
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
Here is the crashing call stack from hs_err_pid11199.log:

Stack: [0xf6bee000,0xf6c3f000], sp=0xf6c3cce8, free space=315kNative frames: (J=compiled Java code, j=interpreted, Vv=VM code, C=native code)V [libjvm.so+0xa3834] BiasedLocking::revoke_and_rebias(Handle, bool, Thread*)+0x24V [libjvm.so+0x429593] ObjectSynchronizer::fast_enter(Handle, BasicLock*, bool, Thread*)+0x43
V [libjvm.so+0x261905] instanceRefKlass::acquire_pending_list_lock(BasicLock*)+0x55
V [libjvm.so+0x48e904] VM_GC_Operation::doit_prologue()+0x14V [libjvm.so+0x4975e1] VMThread::execute(VM_Operation*)+0x161V [libjvm.so+0x177918] GenCollectorPolicy::mem_allocate_work(unsigned int, bool, bool*)+0x1c8
V [libjvm.so+0x220452] GenCollectedHeap::mem_allocate(unsigned int, bool*)+0x22
V [libjvm.so+0x469865] typeArrayKlass::allocate_common(int, bool, Thread*)+0x225V [libjvm.so+0x3983f3] oopFactory::new_typeArray(BasicType, int, Thread*)+0x23V [libjvm.so+0x270ef3] InterpreterRuntime::newarray(JavaThread*, BasicType, in
t)+0x33j com.sun.tdk.jcov.runtime.Collect.enableCounts()V+2
j com.sun.tdk.jcov.runtime.Collect.<clinit>()V+20v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
V [libjvm.so+0x27a5f5] JavaCalls::call_helper(JavaValue*, methodHandle*, JavaC
allArguments*, Thread*)+0x315V [libjvm.so+0x39fb59] os::os_exception_wrapper(void (*)(JavaValue*, methodHan
dle*, JavaCallArguments*, Thread*), JavaValue*, methodHandle*, JavaCallArguments*, Thread*)+0x19
V [libjvm.so+0x27940f] JavaCalls::call(JavaValue*, methodHandle, JavaCallArgum
ents*, Thread*)+0x2f
V [libjvm.so+0x250fc2] instanceKlass::call_class_initializer(Thread*)+0xc2V [libjvm.so+0x251a25] instanceKlass::initialize_impl(instanceKlassHandle, Thr
ead*)+0x1c5V [libjvm.so+0x251e0b] instanceKlass::initialize(Thread*)+0x5b
V [libjvm.so+0x335aba] LinkResolver::resolve_static_call(CallInfo&, KlassHandle&, Symbol*, Symbol*, KlassHandle, bool, bool, Thread*)+0xfaV [libjvm.so+0x335c04] LinkResolver::resolve_invokestatic(CallInfo&, constantP
oolHandle, int, Thread*)+0xc4V [libjvm.so+0x273c67] InterpreterRuntime::resolve_invoke(JavaThread*, Bytecod
es::Code)+0x157
j java.util.Vector.<init>()V+3j java.lang.ClassLoader.<clinit>()V+14
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
V [libjvm.so+0x27a5f5] JavaCalls::call_helper(JavaValue*, methodHandle*, JavaCallArguments*, Thread*)+0x315
V [libjvm.so+0x39fb59] os::os_exception_wrapper(void (*)(JavaValue*, methodHan
dle*, JavaCallArguments*, Thread*), JavaValue*, methodHandle*, JavaCallArguments*, Thread*)+0x19
V [libjvm.so+0x27940f] JavaCalls::call(JavaValue*, methodHandle, JavaCallArgum
ents*, Thread*)+0x2f
V [libjvm.so+0x250fc2] instanceKlass::call_class_initializer(Thread*)+0xc2
V [libjvm.so+0x251a25] instanceKlass::initialize_impl(instanceKlassHandle, Thr
ead*)+0x1c5
V [libjvm.so+0x251e0b] instanceKlass::initialize(Thread*)+0x5b
V [libjvm.so+0x335aba] LinkResolver::resolve_static_call(CallInfo&, KlassHandl
e&, Symbol*, Symbol*, KlassHandle, bool, bool, Thread*)+0xfa
V [libjvm.so+0x279f98] JavaCalls::call_static(JavaValue*, KlassHandle, Symbol*, Symbol*, Handle, Handle, Thread*)+0x88
V [libjvm.so+0x381c6d] NativeLookup::lookup_style(methodHandle, char*, char const*, int, bool, bool&, Thread*)+0x2dd
V [libjvm.so+0x381d38] NativeLookup::lookup_entry(methodHandle, bool&, Thread*)+0x68
V [libjvm.so+0x382221] NativeLookup::lookup_base(methodHandle, bool&, Thread*)
+0x41V [libjvm.so+0x382307] NativeLookup::lookup(methodHandle, bool&, Thread*)+0x47
V [libjvm.so+0x270fcb] InterpreterRuntime::prepare_native_call(JavaThread*, methodOopDesc*)+0x7b
j java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Ljava/security/PrivilegedAction;)
Ljava/lang/Object;+0
j java.lang.reflect.AccessibleObject.<clinit>()V+19v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
V [libjvm.so+0x27a5f5] JavaCalls::call_helper(JavaValue*, methodHandle*, JavaCallArguments*, Thread*)+0x315V [libjvm.so+0x39fb59] os::os_exception_wrapper(void (*)(JavaValue*, methodHandle*, JavaCallArguments*, Thread*), JavaValue*, methodHandle*, JavaCallArguments*, Thread*)+0x19
V [libjvm.so+0x27940f] JavaCalls::call(JavaValue*, methodHandle, JavaCallArguments*, Thread*)+0x2f
V [libjvm.so+0x250fc2] instanceKlass::call_class_initializer(Thread*)+0xc2
V [libjvm.so+0x251a25] instanceKlass::initialize_impl(instanceKlassHandle, Thread*)+0x1c5
V [libjvm.so+0x251e0b] instanceKlass::initialize(Thread*)+0x5b
V [libjvm.so+0x251c79] instanceKlass::initialize_impl(instanceKlassHandle, Thread*)+0x419
V [libjvm.so+0x251e0b] instanceKlass::initialize(Thread*)+0x5b
V [libjvm.so+0x251c79] instanceKlass::initialize_impl(instanceKlassHandle, Thread*)+0x419
V [libjvm.so+0x251e0b] instanceKlass::initialize(Thread*)+0x5b
V [libjvm.so+0x45772d] initialize_class(Symbol*, Thread*)+0x3d
V [libjvm.so+0x460a2b] Threads::create_vm(JavaVMInitArgs*, bool*)+0x6fb
V [libjvm.so+0x28c1ec] JNI_CreateJavaVM+0x5c
C [libjli.so+0x2a71] JavaMain+0xa1
C [libpthread.so.0+0x6d25] start_thread+0xc5

Java frames: (J=compiled Java code, j=interpreted, Vv=VM code)
j com.sun.tdk.jcov.runtime.Collect.enableCounts()V+2
j com.sun.tdk.jcov.runtime.Collect.<clinit>()V+20
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
j java.util.Vector.<init>()V+3
j java.lang.ClassLoader.<clinit>()V+14
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
j java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Ljava/security/PrivilegedAction;)Ljava/lang/Object;+0
j java.lang.reflect.AccessibleObject.<clinit>()V+19
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub