When the program below is compiled with -O2, it goes into an endless loop. #include <stdio.h>
int main (void) { int mask; for (mask = 0; (mask & 7) != 4; mask += 0x55555555) { printf ("%x\n", mask & 7); } } The output of gcc -v is Using built-in specs. Target: i486-linux-gnu Configured with: ../src/configure -v --enable-languages=c,c++,fortran,objc,obj-c++,treelang --prefix=/usr --enable-shared --with-system-zlib --libexecdir=/usr/lib --without-included-gettext --enable-threads=posix --enable-nls --with-gxx-include-dir=/usr/include/c++/4.2 --program-suffix=-4.2 --enable-clocale=gnu --enable-libstdcxx-debug --enable-objc-gc --enable-mpfr --enable-targets=all --enable-checking=release --build=i486-linux-gnu --host=i486-linux-gnu --target=i486-linux-gnu Thread model: posix gcc version 4.2.3 (Ubuntu 4.2.3-2ubuntu7) -- Summary: Bad optimization Product: gcc Version: 4.2.3 Status: UNCONFIRMED Severity: normal Priority: P3 Component: c AssignedTo: unassigned at gcc dot gnu dot org ReportedBy: nroets at gmail dot com GCC target triplet: i486-linux-gnu http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=36996