"extern int errno" is just a really bad idea. diff -Naur mysql-5.1.30.orig/include/my_sys.h mysql-5.1.30/include/my_sys.h --- mysql-5.1.30.orig/include/my_sys.h 2008-11-14 11:34:35.000000000 -0500 +++ mysql-5.1.30/include/my_sys.h 2009-01-13 11:04:15.000000000 -0500 @@ -201,13 +201,8 @@ #define my_afree(PTR) my_free(PTR,MYF(MY_WME)) #endif /* HAVE_ALLOCA */ -#ifndef errno /* did we already get it? */ -#ifdef HAVE_ERRNO_AS_DEFINE #include /* errno is a define */ -#else -extern int errno; /* declare errno */ -#endif -#endif /* #ifndef errno */ + extern char NEAR errbuff[NRERRBUFFS][ERRMSGSIZE]; extern char *home_dir; /* Home directory for user */ extern const char *my_progname; /* program-name (printed in errors) */