After an aborted or clean build in a directory outside the gcc source tree, "make distclean" is supposed to remove all configuration information. However, that is not the case for at least one target (pdf). Using gcc-4.5.1 in my build directory (as a bash user):
$ cd gcc_build $ ../gcc-4.5.1/configure ... # nothing unusual $ make pdf ... # nothing unusual except pdf target seems to # result in LOTs of extra compilation Come back the next day $ export CC=/usr/local/bin/gcc-4.5.1 $ cd gcc_build $ make distclean $ ls -aCF ./ ../ fixincludes/ $ ../gcc-5.5.1/configure ... # nothing unusual $ make pdf make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/local/src/gcc_build' make[2]: Entering directory `/usr/local/src/gcc_build' make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/local/src/gcc_build' Configuring in ./fixincludes configure: loading cache ./config.cache configure: error: `CC' has changed since the previous run: configure: former value: `gcc' configure: current value: `/usr/local/bin/gcc-4.5.1' configure: error: in `/usr/local/src/gcc_build/fixincludes': configure: error: changes in the environment can compromise the build configure: error: run `make distclean' and/or `rm ./config.cache' and start over make[1]: *** [configure-fixincludes] Error 1 make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/local/src/gcc_build' make: *** [do-pdf] Error 2 -- Summary: "make distclean" Does Not Remove All Local Configuration Data Product: gcc Version: 4.5.1 Status: UNCONFIRMED Severity: normal Priority: P3 Component: other AssignedTo: unassigned at gcc dot gnu dot org ReportedBy: tom dot browder at gmail dot com http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=45503