I've to say I downloaded lcc32.exe and just compiled the code above and ran on my XP. Perfectly fine. { I do not want you guys to assume the following as part of my argument, nor me as almighty:-), but I've to say GCC is one of the most horrible source code I've seen for a compiler. Every thing in it is if and else statements, sharing global variables from one end to another; I felt I had to say grow up kid. One time I compiled a gcc for Linux using GCC. This I'm saying as a person who uses GCC for living from time to time (I use it to get compile warnings which Diab-CC or LINT does not give appropriately). I've source code for another compiler I bought for $10; excellent state machines, small and neat! The compiler is called PCCOMPILER and is the first full blown compiler written by anybody based on K&R's semantics at the end of the book). I'll compile that compiler first in MSDEV and then compile our lovely code and let you know. I worry it might produce a binary for 16-bit MSDOS, in which case it will be an invalid test. } } If I compile the code using gcc in XP for XP I feel it should crash.