From:

http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc-4.6.4/gcc/Optimize-Options.html#index-fomit_002dframe_002dpointer-692

Starting with GCC version 4.6, the default setting (when not optimizing for size) for 32-bit Linux x86 and 32-bit Darwin x86 targets has been changed to -fomit-frame-pointer. The default can be reverted to -fno-omit-frame-pointer by configuring GCC with the --enable-frame-pointer configure option.

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If you build hotspot with gcc 4.6+ stack walking is broken. This is mostly easily seen by enabling Native Memory Tracking. Even "java -XX:NativeMemoryTracking=detail -version" crashes

#37 <signal handler called>
#38 0xf6d4054c in os::is_first_C_frame(frame*) ()
   from /export/users/dh198349/hotspot-testing/images/j2sdk-image/jre/lib/i386/server/libjvm.so
#39 0xf6d4e568 in os::current_frame() ()
   from /export/users/dh198349/hotspot-testing/images/j2sdk-image/jre/lib/i386/server/libjvm.so
#40 0xf6d51acf in os::get_caller_pc(int) ()
   from /export/users/dh198349/hotspot-testing/images/j2sdk-image/jre/lib/i386/server/libjvm.so
#41 0xf6a47141 in CHeapObj<(unsigned short)1792>::operator new(unsigned int, unsigned char*) [clone .constprop.92] ()
   from /export/users/dh198349/hotspot-testing/images/j2sdk-image/jre/lib/i386/server/libjvm.so
#42 0xf6a47272 in Events::init() ()
   from /export/users/dh198349/hotspot-testing/images/j2sdk-image/jre/lib/i386/server/libjvm.so
#43 0xf6ae176f in vm_init_globals() ()
   from /export/users/dh198349/hotspot-testing/images/j2sdk-image/jre/lib/i386/server/libjvm.so
#44 0xf6e79a2c in Threads::create_vm(JavaVMInitArgs*, bool*) ()
   from /export/users/dh198349/hotspot-testing/images/j2sdk-image/jre/lib/i386/server/libjvm.so
#45 0xf6b613b5 in JNI_CreateJavaVM ()

Debug build shows an assertion failure for a null PC.

Hotspot relies on the frame pointer being present so we will need to explicitly enable it.