I have installed GCC 3.3.2 in /usr/local/gcc-3.3.2 in order to not clobber things in /lib and /usr/lib. I even installed binutils, too. Problem I'm running into now is that I can't shake dependence of /lib/libgcc_s.so.1 . I can compile a simple test c++ program, but it will not run, citing an inability to locate a library, which is both old (why is it trying to find this library?) and there (why can't it find it?). I do not understand this. I have searched around and found that others have run into the same problem, but I have not found that they have found either an explanation or a solution. Therefore, I am committing to document whatever explanation I find, and whatever solution I find, so that I may serve the community that has so beautifully served me. Please help me. I am going quite mad. I will drive beer to you within a 100 mile radius of Austin, TX. Cold beer. First, let us begin with the environment: Here is g++ [ssuehs@ache openh323]$ g++ -v Reading specs from /usr/local/gcc-3.3.2/lib/gcc-lib/i686-pc-linux-gnu/3.3.2/specs Configured with: ../gcc-3.3.2/configure --prefix /usr/local/gcc-3.3.2 Thread model: posix gcc version 3.3.2 The path: [ssuehs@ache openh323]$ echo $PATH /usr/local/gcc-3.3.2/bin:/usr/java/j2sdk1.4.1_02/bin:/usr/kerberos/bin:/usr/local/bin:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin LD_LIBRARY_PATH is not set: [ssuehs@ache openh323]$ printenv | grep LD_ [ssuehs@ache openh323]$ The program: [ssuehs@ache openh323]$ cat > gooftest.cc #include <stdio.h> #include <stdlib.h> int main() { ; return 0; } [ssuehs@ache openh323]$ g++ gooftest.cc [ssuehs@ache openh323]$ ./a.out ./a.out: /lib/libgcc_s.so.1: version `GCC_3.3' not found (required by /usr/local/gcc-3.3.2/lib/libstdc++.so.5) What does the ldd tool say about it? Why, it confirms the problem [ssuehs@ache openh323]$ ldd a.out ./a.out: /lib/libgcc_s.so.1: version `GCC_3.3' not found (required by /usr/local/gcc-3.3.2/lib/libstdc++.so.5) libstdc++.so.5 => /usr/local/gcc-3.3.2/lib/libstdc++.so.5 (0x40034000) libm.so.6 => /lib/i686/libm.so.6 (0x400ef000) libgcc_s.so.1 => /lib/libgcc_s.so.1 (0x40112000) libc.so.6 => /lib/i686/libc.so.6 (0x4011a000) /lib/ld-linux.so.2 => /lib/ld-linux.so.2 (0x40000000) [ssuehs@ache openh323]$ which as /usr/local/bin/as [ssuehs@ache openh323]$ which ld /usr/local/bin/ld [ssuehs@ache openh323]$ which ldd /usr/bin/ldd [ssuehs@ache openh323]$ ls -lh /usr/local/bin/ld lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 23 Dec 3 12:56 /usr/local/bin/ld -> ../binutils-2.14/bin/ld [ssuehs@ache openh323]$ [ssuehs@ache openh323]$ I have added /usr/local/gcc-3.3.2/lib to /etc/ld.so.conf as follows /usr/local/gcc-3.3.2/lib /usr/local/binutils-2.14/lib /usr/local/lib /usr/kerberos/lib /usr/X11R6/lib /usr/lib/sane /usr/lib/qt-1.45/lib /usr/lib/wine /usr/lib/mysql I tried adding them to the bottom, too. Each time, I did run ldconfig as root At work we are required to stay at RedHat 7.2 . Some woes regarding Oracle 8.1.7, and our software and kernel versions, and more grief. [ssuehs@ache openh323]$ cat /etc/redhat-release Red Hat Linux release 7.2 (Enigma)