i686-pc-windows-gnu broken for multiple applications

[mcandre]

Checklist

• I've looked through the issues and pull requests for similar reports

Describe your issue

Hi,

I'm able to port my Docker utility application, tuggy, to dozens of platforms using cross. However, the target i686-pc-windows-gnu somehow breaks down, producing strange errors regarding the standard library.

https://github.com/mcandre/tuggy

What target(s) are you cross-compiling for?

i686-pc-windows-gnu

Which operating system is the host (e.g computer cross is on) running?

• macOS
• Windows
• Linux / BSD
• other OS (specify in description)

What architecture is the host?

• x86_64 / AMD64
• arm32
• arm64 (including Mac M1)

What container engine is cross using?

• docker
• podman
• other container engine (specify in description)

cross version

cross 0.2.5 (4e64366 2025-04-04)

Example

Automating cross builds with crit, basically a for loop over most of the available Rust target triples.

1. Clone tuggy.
2. Install crit with make -f install.mk.
3. Remove i686-pc-windows-gnu from the exception list in makefile.
4. Run make port.

Additional information / notes

Sometimes a computer process fails due to memory or disk issues, especially containers. Ran docker system prune -f, no change in behavior. macOS host RAM and host disk stable, with plenty to spare.

[mcandre]

Update:

tinyrick is also effected. https://github.com/mcandre/tinyrick

The breakage appears to coincide with upgrading Rust from 1.91 to 1.92.

[Emilgardis]

Please provide some logs or error messages, hard to get the context without it.

[m-z-b]

Might be seeing the same problem using cargo 1.93.0 and the sample hello program. Here's the error messages:

Cargo: 1.93.0 (083ac5135 2025-12-15)
Rustc: 1.93.0 (254b59607 2026-01-19)
Host: WSL2 on Windows 10.
Error messages:

/mnt/c/projects/Rust$ cargo init hello2
    Creating binary (application) package
note: see more `Cargo.toml` keys and their definitions at https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/manifest.html
/mnt/c/projects/Rust$ cd hello2
/mnt/c/projects/Rust/hello2$ cross run --target i686-pc-windows-gnu
info: syncing channel updates for 'stable-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu'

  stable-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu unchanged - rustc 1.93.0 (254b59607 2026-01-19)

info: checking for self-update
   Compiling hello2 v0.1.0 (/project)
error: linking with `i686-w64-mingw32-gcc` failed: exit status: 1
  |
  = note:  "i686-w64-mingw32-gcc" "-fno-use-linker-plugin" "-Wl,--dynamicbase" "-Wl,--disable-auto-image-base" "-Wl,--large-address-aware" "<sysroot>/lib<sysroot>lib/i686-pc-windows-gnu/lib/rsbegin.o" "/tmp<sysroot>cVLgsgM/symbols.o" "<7 object files omitted>" "-Wl,-Bstatic" "<sysroot>/lib/rustlib/i686-pc-windows-gnu/lib/{libstd-*,libpanic_unwind-*,libobject-*,libmemchr-*,libaddr2line-*,libgimli-*,libcfg_if-*,libwindows_targets-*,librustc_demangle-*,libstd_detect-*,libhashbrown-*,librustc_std_workspace_alloc-*,libminiz_oxide-*,libadler2-*,libunwind-*,liblibc-*,librustc_std_workspace_core-*,liballoc-*,libcore-*,libcompiler_builtins-*}.rlib" "-Wl,-Bdynamic" "-lkernel32" "-lkernel32" "-lkernel32" "-lntdll" "-luserenv" "-lws2_32" "-ldbghelp" "-lgcc_eh" "-l:libpthread.a" "-lmsvcrt" "-lmingwex" "-lmingw32" "-lgcc" "-lmsvcrt" "-lmingwex" "-luser32" "-lkernel32" "-Wl,--nxcompat" "-o" "/target/i686-pc-windows-gnu/debug/deps/hello2-4f920ccef78ddc8a.exe" "-Wl,--gc-sections" "-no-pie" "-nodefaultlibs" "<sysroot>/lib<sysroot>lib/i686-pc-windows-gnu/lib/rsend.o"
  = note: some arguments are omitted. use `--verbose` to show all linker arguments
  = note: Warning: corrupt .drectve at end of def file
          Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:_ZN3std2rt10lang_start17h68d1ce706b4bdc86E ' unrecognized
          Warning: corrupt .drectve at end of def file
          Warning: corrupt .drectve at end of def file
          Warning: corrupt .drectve at end of def file
          Warning: corrupt .drectve at end of def file
          Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN4core3ops8function6FnOnce40call_once$u7b$$u7b$vtable.shim$u7d$$u7d$17h94c0f385060726e9E" ' unrecognized
          Warning: corrupt .drectve at end of def file
          Warning: corrupt .drectve at end of def file
          Warning: corrupt .drectve at end of def file
          /rust/lib/rustlib/i686-pc-windows-gnu/lib/libstd-0d6156b59afe66ef.rlib(std-0d6156b59afe66ef.std.eaaaab74786e30ad-cgu.0.rcgu.o):/rustc/254b59607d4417e9dffbc307138ae5c86280fe4c/library\std\src\sys\net\hostname/windows.rs:15: undefined reference to `GetHostNameW@8'
          collect2: error: ld returned 1 exit status

  = note: some `extern` functions couldn't be found; some native libraries may need to be installed or have their path specified
  = note: use the `-l` flag to specify native libraries to link
  = note: use the `cargo:rustc-link-lib` directive to specify the native libraries to link with Cargo (see https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/build-scripts.html#rustc-link-lib)

error: could not compile `hello2` (bin "hello2") due to 1 previous error
/mnt/c/projects/Rust/hello2$ cargo version
cargo 1.93.0 (083ac5135 2025-12-15)
/mnt/c/projects/Rust/hello2$ rustc --version
rustc 1.93.0 (254b59607 2026-01-19)

[Sytten]

Also seeing this for x86_64 since the update of rust 1.93

Still using very old 2.5 images so this is likely the issue, cant wait for the stable release!

Details

= note: "x86_64-w64-mingw32-gcc" "-Wl,/tmpcd8RDJO/list.def" "-fno-use-linker-plugin" "-Wl,--dynamicbase" "-Wl,--disable-auto-image-base" "-m64" "-Wl,--high-entropy-va" "/tmpcd8RDJO/symbols.o" "<5 object files omitted>" "-Wl,-Bstatic" "/target/x86_64-pc-windows-gnu/release/deps/{libsha2-8d6c0e8e4babf7fd,libmd5-70b61be1357e2296,libsha1-30e5c6c7abc0b289,libcpufeatures-c4b7a63e6e2b4bb2,libdigest-a838be78b3f8180e,libsubtle-849b1be3b0db9a4f,libblock_buffer-4567ea1e43f5371c,libcrypto_common-0e1743b12611ddd7,libgeneric_array-a3a6484c14a87806,libtypenum-d5da30ddecaf370c,librand_core-7b67cdf3b96d0068,libgetrandom-f720adf66f83bfd5,libcfg_if-918a124cd155b940,libthiserror-9197829176ddc450,libpercent_encoding-df6a6660427dfce6,libhex-fe4b5d31e06493d2,libbstr-aa6f8d51e90a885d,libregex_automata-644134db10282830,libaho_corasick-6b349776167a7c81,libregex_syntax-5dc6c8f1ba2189e8,libserde-b2a5707a5598bb69,libmemchr-b2a652e4e7203185,libdata_encoding-bcfa974a20c58c94}.rlib" "/lib/rustlib/x86_64-pc-windows-gnu/lib/{libstd-*,libpanic_unwind-*,libobject-*,libmemchr-*,libaddr2line-*,libgimli-*,libcfg_if-*,libwindows_targets-*,librustc_demangle-*,libstd_detect-*,libhashbrown-*,librustc_std_workspace_alloc-*,libminiz_oxide-*,libadler2-*,libunwind-*,liblibc-*,librustc_std_workspace_core-*,liballoc-*,libcore-*,libcompiler_builtins-*}.rlib" "-Wl,-Bdynamic" "-lbcrypt" "-ladvapi32" "-lkernel32" "-lkernel32" "-lkernel32" "-lntdll" "-luserenv" "-lws2_32" "-ldbghelp" "-lgcc_eh" "-l:libpthread.a" "-lmsvcrt" "-lmingwex" "-lmingw32" "-lgcc" "-lmsvcrt" "-lmingwex" "-luser32" "-lkernel32" "-Wl,--nxcompat" "-o" "/target/x86_64-pc-windows-gnu/release/deps/caido_convert-aa9f279305d825cb.dll" "-Wl,--gc-sections" "-shared" "-Wl,--out-implib=/target/x86_64-pc-windows-gnu/release/deps/libcaido_convert-aa9f279305d825cb.dll.a" "-Wl,-O1" "-Wl,--strip-debug" "-nodefaultlibs" = note: some arguments are omitted. use `--verbose` to show all linker arguments = note: Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN106_$LT$core..iter..adapters..GenericShunt$LT$I$C$R$GT$$u20$as$u20$core..iter..traits..iterator..Iterator$GT$4next17h7e8993bf859a22bdE" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN106_$LT$core..iter..adapters..GenericShunt$LT$I$C$R$GT$$u20$as$u20$core..iter..traits..iterator..Iterator$GT$9size_hint17hbff391ad5a25cf36E" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN110_$LT$generic_array..GenericArray$LT$T$C$N$GT$$u20$as$u20$generic_array..sequence..GenericSequence$LT$T$GT$$GT$8generate17h5f7c99aa34fa1f8aE" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN110_$LT$generic_array..GenericArray$LT$T$C$N$GT$$u20$as$u20$generic_array..sequence..GenericSequence$LT$T$GT$$GT$8generate17h6bdd09f62372124fE" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN110_$LT$generic_array..GenericArray$LT$T$C$N$GT$$u20$as$u20$generic_array..sequence..GenericSequence$LT$T$GT$$GT$8generate17h88011b2a2b8b071fE" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN110_$LT$generic_array..GenericArray$LT$T$C$N$GT$$u20$as$u20$generic_array..sequence..GenericSequence$LT$T$GT$$GT$8generate17hb6c2a8968d3e7790E" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN110_$LT$generic_array..GenericArray$LT$T$C$N$GT$$u20$as$u20$generic_array..sequence..GenericSequence$LT$T$GT$$GT$8generate17hb862a0be1c027458E" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN110_$LT$generic_array..GenericArray$LT$T$C$N$GT$$u20$as$u20$generic_array..sequence..GenericSequence$LT$T$GT$$GT$8generate17hfda0260e659693c6E" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:_ZN4core4iter8adapters11try_process17h474860b590bcd509E ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"anon.edd44b3e9881b4cc03267ceade81eda2.21.llvm.17136760348397306852" ' unrecognized Warning: corrupt .drectve at end of def file Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN102_$LT$core..iter..adapters..map..Map$LT$I$C$F$GT$$u20$as$u20$core..iter..traits..iterator..Iterator$GT$8try_fold17haff9fe77843a62b6E" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN111_$LT$alloc..vec..Vec$LT$T$GT$$u20$as$u20$alloc..vec..spec_from_iter_nested..SpecFromIterNested$LT$T$C$I$GT$$GT$9from_iter17h46e2e6447e7320d6E" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN132_$LT$alloc..vec..Vec$LT$T$C$A$GT$$u20$as$u20$alloc..vec..spec_extend..SpecExtend$LT$$RF$T$C$core..slice..iter..Iter$LT$T$GT$$GT$$GT$11spec_extend17hb79f6ef5a9d0cf83E" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN5alloc3vec16Vec$LT$T$C$A$GT$7reserve17h5fdde36bc9163d09E" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN70_$LT$alloc..vec..Vec$LT$T$C$A$GT$$u20$as$u20$core..ops..drop..Drop$GT$4drop17h277274ebbb04a656E" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN98_$LT$alloc..vec..Vec$LT$T$GT$$u20$as$u20$alloc..vec..spec_from_iter..SpecFromIter$LT$T$C$I$GT$$GT$9from_iter17h1448a9a41c2cc329E" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"anon.39f12d0771ad5928f02ed9bd2f484fc8.3.llvm.10609633162575581371" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"anon.39f12d0771ad5928f02ed9bd2f484fc8.4.llvm.10609633162575581371" ' unrecognized Warning: corrupt .drectve at end of def file Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN101_$LT$core..slice..iter..ChunksExactMut$LT$T$GT$$u20$as$u20$core..iter..traits..iterator..Iterator$GT$24__iterator_get_unchecked17hddb333af7bd04cfeE" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN111_$LT$core..iter..adapters..zip..Zip$LT$A$C$B$GT$$u20$as$u20$core..iter..adapters..zip..ZipImpl$LT$A$C$B$GT$$GT$3new17h1c7a9cda235ce8e9E" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN111_$LT$core..iter..adapters..zip..Zip$LT$A$C$B$GT$$u20$as$u20$core..iter..adapters..zip..ZipImpl$LT$A$C$B$GT$$GT$3new17hf0c7685a4d8ed940E" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:_ZN3hex12encode_upper17h1a8036f8ee0e30e8E ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:_ZN3hex6encode17hd6859d7465272525E ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:_ZN3md57Context7consume17h628d414bbc221764E ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:_ZN4core5slice20copy_from_slice_impl17h61ee326200ffe90bE ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN5alloc7raw_vec20RawVecInner$LT$A$GT$11finish_grow17h0ca5019dbeb4e549E.llvm.12179443535454817761" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN5alloc7raw_vec20RawVecInner$LT$A$GT$15try_allocate_in17hed9030c3d8722c3eE" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN5alloc7raw_vec20RawVecInner$LT$A$GT$7reserve21do_reserve_and_handle17hdc191f5f8b403f2cE" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN77_$LT$alloc..raw_vec..RawVec$LT$T$C$A$GT$$u20$as$u20$core..ops..drop..Drop$GT$4drop17h8df449e7ab9a52f3E" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN95_$LT$alloc..string..String$u20$as$u20$core..iter..traits..collect..FromIterator$LT$char$GT$$GT$9from_iter17hbac94e58ab4a1470E.llvm.12179443535454817761" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"anon.b0f293d7be0c02532ce1eabc20f9ad58.0.llvm.12179443535454817761" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"anon.b0f293d7be0c02532ce1eabc20f9ad58.1.llvm.12179443535454817761" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"anon.b0f293d7be0c02532ce1eabc20f9ad58.2.llvm.12179443535454817761" ' unrecognized Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"anon.b0f293d7be0c02532ce1eabc20f9ad58.3.llvm.12179443535454817761" ' unrecognized Warning: corrupt .drectve at end of def file Warning: .drectve `-exclude-symbols:"_ZN98_$LT$core..iter..adapters..rev..Rev$LT$I$GT$$u20$as$u20$core..iter..traits..iterator..Iterator$GT$8try_fold17hdb3fe6d3d147eee2E" ' unrecognized

.... Thousands of other warnings

      Warning: corrupt .drectve at end of def file
      Warning: corrupt .drectve at end of def file
      /rust/lib/rustlib/x86_64-pc-windows-gnu/lib/libstd-c8d0fbc527175d1d.rlib(std-c8d0fbc527175d1d.std.24564e7b916de01e-cgu.0.rcgu.o):/rustc/254b59607d4417e9dffbc307138ae5c86280fe4c/library\std\src\sys\net\hostname/windows.rs:15: undefined reference to `GetHostNameW'

[mcandre]

It's been years, don't hold your breath.

[justsmth]

aws-lc-rs has also been seeing undefined reference to 'GetHostNameW@8' in our CI for this target for a few weeks now: https://github.com/aws/aws-lc-rs/actions/runs/21905082596/job/63243185228?pr=1035

          /usr/bin/i686-w64-mingw32-ld: /home/runner/.rustup/toolchains/stable-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/lib/rustlib/i686-pc-windows-gnu/lib/libstd-0d6156b59afe66ef.rlib(std-0d6156b59afe66ef.std.eaaaab74786e30ad-cgu.0.rcgu.o):/rustc/254b59607d4417e9dffbc307138ae5c86280fe4c/library\std\src\sys\net\hostname/windows.rs:15: undefined reference to `GetHostNameW@8'