Strange linker problem after updating binutils and gcc

[Jan Pohanka <xhpohanka at gmail dot com>]

Hello,
I'm using gcc with binutils in Rowley Crossworks for ARM 1.7 IDE for
arm development. Unfortunately there is very old version of gcc
(4.1.1) and binutils (2.17) in this IDE, so I decided to upgrade to
gcc 4.4.4 and binutils 20.20.51 (I tried more versions but all are
affected)

Unfortunately there is a problem with linking in new version.
In first try, linker generated warning "dot moved backwards before..."
so I solved it with proper ordering of sections in ld script,
unfortunately there is still an error because the generated elf file
is wrong - some data are written in high addresses, resulting bin file
has size of 500MB instead of 500kB.

ld is invoked with following params:

ld -X -nostdlib -ereset_handler --omagic --fatal-warnings -EL
-Te:/_dev/_kamera/JR1_git/_tmp_JR615 Flash Debug/JR615 Flash
Debug.1.8.23.2.h263.ld -Map _JR615 Flash Debug//JR615 Flash
Debug.1.8.23.2.h263.map -u_vectors -o _JR615 Flash Debug//JR615 Flash
Debug.1.8.23.2.h263.elf --start-group ...

and ld script:
MEMORY
{
  UNPLACED_SECTIONS (wx) : ORIGIN = 0x100000000, LENGTH = 0
  SDRAM (wx) : ORIGIN = 0x20000000, LENGTH = 0x02000000
  Reserved (wx) : ORIGIN = 0x90000000, LENGTH = 0x60000000
  SRAM1 (wx) : ORIGIN = 0x00300000, LENGTH = 0x00001000
  SRAM0 (wx) : ORIGIN = 0x00200000, LENGTH = 0x00001000
}

INTERNAL_SRAM_START_ADDRESS = 0x00200000;
SDRAM_START_ADDRESS = 0x20000000;
SDRAM_LENGTH = 0x02000000;

SECTIONS
{
  __SDRAM_segment_start__ = 0x20000000;
  __SDRAM_segment_end__ = 0x22000000;
  __Reserved_segment_start__ = 0x90000000;
  __Reserved_segment_end__ = 0xf0000000;
  __SRAM1_segment_start__ = 0x00300000;
  __SRAM1_segment_end__ = 0x00301000;
  __SRAM0_segment_start__ = 0x00200000;
  __SRAM0_segment_end__ = 0x00201000;

  __STACKSIZE__ = 512000;
  __STACKSIZE_IRQ__ = 128000;
  __STACKSIZE_FIQ__ = 4096;
  __STACKSIZE_SVC__ = 4096;
  __STACKSIZE_ABT__ = 4096;
  __STACKSIZE_UND__ = 4096;
  __HEAPSIZE__ = 4000000;

  __vectors_ram_load_start__ = 0x00200000;
  .vectors_ram 0x00200000 (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __vectors_ram_start__ = .;
    *(.vectors_ram)
    . = MAX(__vectors_ram_start__ + 0x3C , .);
  }
  __vectors_ram_end__ = __vectors_ram_start__ + SIZEOF(.vectors_ram);

  . = ASSERT(__vectors_ram_end__ >= __SRAM0_segment_start__ &&
__vectors_ram_end__ <= (__SRAM0_segment_start__ + 0x00001000) ,
"error: .vectors_ram is too large to fit in SRAM0 memory segment");

  __sram_noninit_data_load_start__ = 0x00200040;
  .sram_noninit_data 0x00200040 (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __sram_noninit_data_start__ = .;
    *(.sram_noninit_data)
    . = MAX(__sram_noninit_data_start__ + 0xbb8 , .);
  }
  __sram_noninit_data_end__ = __sram_noninit_data_start__ +
SIZEOF(.sram_noninit_data);

  . = ASSERT(__sram_noninit_data_end__ >= __SRAM0_segment_start__ &&
__sram_noninit_data_end__ <= (__SRAM0_segment_start__ + 0x00001000) ,
"error: .sram_noninit_data is too large to fit in SRAM0 memory
segment");

  . = ASSERT(__vectors_ram_end__ <= __sram_noninit_data_start__ ,
"error: section .vectors_ram overlaps absolute placed section
.sram_noninit_data");

  __reserved_debug_handler_load_start__ = 0x00200c00;
  .reserved_debug_handler 0x00200c00 (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __reserved_debug_handler_start__ = .;
    *(.reserved_debug_handler)
    . = MAX(__reserved_debug_handler_start__ + 0x400 , .);
  }
  __reserved_debug_handler_end__ = __reserved_debug_handler_start__ +
SIZEOF(.reserved_debug_handler);

  __SRAM0_segment_used_end__ = 0x00200c00 + SIZEOF(.reserved_debug_handler);

  . = ASSERT(__reserved_debug_handler_end__ >= __SRAM0_segment_start__
&& __reserved_debug_handler_end__ <= (__SRAM0_segment_start__ +
0x00001000) , "error: .reserved_debug_handler is too large to fit in
SRAM0 memory segment");

  . = ASSERT(__sram_noninit_data_end__ <=
__reserved_debug_handler_start__ , "error: section .sram_noninit_data
overlaps absolute placed section .reserved_debug_handler");

  __reserved_mmu_load_start__ = ALIGN(__SDRAM_segment_start__ , 4);
  .reserved_mmu ALIGN(__SDRAM_segment_start__ , 4) (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __reserved_mmu_start__ = .;
    *(.reserved_mmu)
    . = ALIGN(MAX(__reserved_mmu_start__ + 0x4000 , .), 4);
  }
  __reserved_mmu_end__ = __reserved_mmu_start__ + SIZEOF(.reserved_mmu);

  . = ASSERT(__reserved_mmu_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ &&
__reserved_mmu_end__ <= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) ,
"error: .reserved_mmu is too large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __boot_load_start__ = __reserved_mmu_end__;
  .boot __reserved_mmu_end__ :
  {
    __boot_start__ = .;
    *(.boot)
    . = MAX(__boot_start__ + 0x80e8 , .);
  }
  __boot_end__ = __boot_start__ + SIZEOF(.boot);

  . = ASSERT(__boot_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ && __boot_end__
<= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error: .boot is too large
to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __vectors_load_start__ = ALIGN(__boot_end__ , 4);
  .vectors ALIGN(__boot_end__ , 4) :
  {
    __vectors_start__ = .;
    *(.vectors .vectors.*)
    . = ALIGN(MAX(__vectors_start__ + 0x108 , .), 4);
  }
  __vectors_end__ = __vectors_start__ + SIZEOF(.vectors);

  . = ASSERT(__vectors_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ &&
__vectors_end__ <= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error:
.vectors is too large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __localization_load_start__ = __vectors_end__;
  .localization __vectors_end__ :
  {
    __localization_start__ = .;
    *(.localization)
    . = MAX(__localization_start__ + 0x40f8 , .);
  }
  __localization_end__ = __localization_start__ + SIZEOF(.localization);

  . = ASSERT(__localization_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ &&
__localization_end__ <= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) ,
"error: .localization is too large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __init_load_start__ = ALIGN(__localization_end__ , 4);
  .init ALIGN(__localization_end__ , 4) :
  {
    __init_start__ = .;
    *(.init .init.*)
  }
  __init_end__ = __init_start__ + SIZEOF(.init);

  . = ASSERT(__init_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ && __init_end__
<= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error: .init is too large
to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __text_load_start__ = ALIGN(__init_end__ , 4);
  .text ALIGN(__init_end__ , 4) :
  {
    __text_start__ = .;
    *(.text .text.* .glue_7t .glue_7 .gnu.linkonce.t.*)
  }
  __text_end__ = __text_start__ + SIZEOF(.text);

  . = ASSERT(__text_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ && __text_end__
<= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error: .text is too large
to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __dtors_load_start__ = ALIGN(__text_end__ , 4);
  .dtors ALIGN(__text_end__ , 4) :
  {
    __dtors_start__ = .;
    KEEP (*(SORT(.dtors.*))) KEEP (*(.dtors))
  }
  __dtors_end__ = __dtors_start__ + SIZEOF(.dtors);

  . = ASSERT(__dtors_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ && __dtors_end__
<= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error: .dtors is too
large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __ctors_load_start__ = ALIGN(__dtors_end__ , 4);
  .ctors ALIGN(__dtors_end__ , 4) :
  {
    __ctors_start__ = .;
    KEEP (*(SORT(.ctors.*))) KEEP (*(.ctors))
  }
  __ctors_end__ = __ctors_start__ + SIZEOF(.ctors);

  . = ASSERT(__ctors_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ && __ctors_end__
<= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error: .ctors is too
large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __fast_load_start__ = ALIGN(__ctors_end__ , 4);
  .fast ALIGN(__SRAM1_segment_start__ , 4) : AT(ALIGN(__ctors_end__ , 4))
  {
    __fast_start__ = .;
    *(.fast .fast.*)
  }
  __fast_end__ = __fast_start__ + SIZEOF(.fast);

  __fast_load_end__ = __fast_load_start__ + SIZEOF(.fast);

  . = ASSERT((__fast_load_start__ + SIZEOF(.fast)) >=
__SDRAM_segment_start__ && (__fast_load_start__ + SIZEOF(.fast)) <=
(__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error: .fast is too large to
fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  .fast_run ALIGN(__SRAM1_segment_start__ , 4) (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __fast_run_start__ = .;
    . = MAX(__fast_run_start__ + SIZEOF(.fast), .);
  }
  __fast_run_end__ = __fast_run_start__ + SIZEOF(.fast_run);

  __SRAM1_segment_used_end__ = ALIGN(__SRAM1_segment_start__ , 4) +
SIZEOF(.fast_run);

  . = ASSERT(__fast_run_end__ >= __SRAM1_segment_start__ &&
__fast_run_end__ <= (__SRAM1_segment_start__ + 0x00001000) , "error:
.fast_run is too large to fit in SRAM1 memory segment");

  __data_load_start__ = ALIGN(__fast_load_start__ + SIZEOF(.fast) , 4);
  .data ALIGN(__fast_load_start__ + SIZEOF(.fast) , 4) :
  {
    __data_start__ = .;
    *(.data .data.* .gnu.linkonce.d.*)
  }
  __data_end__ = __data_start__ + SIZEOF(.data);

  . = ASSERT(__data_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ && __data_end__
<= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error: .data is too large
to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __rodata_load_start__ = ALIGN(__data_end__ , 4);
  .rodata ALIGN(__data_end__ , 4) :
  {
    __rodata_start__ = .;
    *(.rodata .rodata.* .gnu.linkonce.r.*)
  }
  __rodata_end__ = __rodata_start__ + SIZEOF(.rodata);

  . = ASSERT(__rodata_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ &&
__rodata_end__ <= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error:
.rodata is too large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __bss_load_start__ = ALIGN(__rodata_end__ , 4);
  .bss ALIGN(__rodata_end__ , 4) (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __bss_start__ = .;
    *(.bss .bss.* .gnu.linkonce.b.*) *(COMMON)
  }
  __bss_end__ = __bss_start__ + SIZEOF(.bss);

  . = ASSERT(__bss_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ && __bss_end__ <=
(__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error: .bss is too large to
fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __text_user_load_start__ = ALIGN(__bss_end__ , 4);
  .text_user ALIGN(__bss_end__ , 4) (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __text_user_start__ = .;
    *(.text_user)
  }
  __text_user_end__ = __text_user_start__ + SIZEOF(.text_user);

  . = ASSERT(__text_user_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ &&
__text_user_end__ <= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error:
.text_user is too large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __non_init_load_start__ = ALIGN(__text_user_end__ , 4);
  .non_init ALIGN(__text_user_end__ , 4) (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __non_init_start__ = .;
    *(.non_init .non_init.*)
  }
  __non_init_end__ = __non_init_start__ + SIZEOF(.non_init);

  . = ASSERT(__non_init_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ &&
__non_init_end__ <= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error:
.non_init is too large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __heap_load_start__ = ALIGN(__non_init_end__ , 4);
  .heap ALIGN(__non_init_end__ , 4) (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __heap_start__ = .;
    *(.heap)
    . = ALIGN(MAX(__heap_start__ + __HEAPSIZE__ , .), 4);
  }
  __heap_end__ = __heap_start__ + SIZEOF(.heap);

  . = ASSERT(__heap_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ && __heap_end__
<= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error: .heap is too large
to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __stack_load_start__ = ALIGN(__heap_end__ , 4);
  .stack ALIGN(__heap_end__ , 4) (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __stack_start__ = .;
    *(.stack)
    . = ALIGN(MAX(__stack_start__ + __STACKSIZE__ , .), 4);
  }
  __stack_end__ = __stack_start__ + SIZEOF(.stack);

  . = ASSERT(__stack_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ && __stack_end__
<= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error: .stack is too
large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __stack_irq_load_start__ = ALIGN(__stack_end__ , 4);
  .stack_irq ALIGN(__stack_end__ , 4) (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __stack_irq_start__ = .;
    *(.stack_irq)
    . = ALIGN(MAX(__stack_irq_start__ + __STACKSIZE_IRQ__ , .), 4);
  }
  __stack_irq_end__ = __stack_irq_start__ + SIZEOF(.stack_irq);

  . = ASSERT(__stack_irq_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ &&
__stack_irq_end__ <= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error:
.stack_irq is too large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __stack_fiq_load_start__ = ALIGN(__stack_irq_end__ , 4);
  .stack_fiq ALIGN(__stack_irq_end__ , 4) (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __stack_fiq_start__ = .;
    *(.stack_fiq)
    . = ALIGN(MAX(__stack_fiq_start__ + __STACKSIZE_FIQ__ , .), 4);
  }
  __stack_fiq_end__ = __stack_fiq_start__ + SIZEOF(.stack_fiq);

  . = ASSERT(__stack_fiq_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ &&
__stack_fiq_end__ <= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error:
.stack_fiq is too large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __stack_svc_load_start__ = ALIGN(__stack_fiq_end__ , 4);
  .stack_svc ALIGN(__stack_fiq_end__ , 4) (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __stack_svc_start__ = .;
    *(.stack_svc)
    . = ALIGN(MAX(__stack_svc_start__ + __STACKSIZE_SVC__ , .), 4);
  }
  __stack_svc_end__ = __stack_svc_start__ + SIZEOF(.stack_svc);

  . = ASSERT(__stack_svc_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ &&
__stack_svc_end__ <= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error:
.stack_svc is too large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __stack_abt_load_start__ = ALIGN(__stack_svc_end__ , 4);
  .stack_abt ALIGN(__stack_svc_end__ , 4) (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __stack_abt_start__ = .;
    *(.stack_abt)
    . = ALIGN(MAX(__stack_abt_start__ + __STACKSIZE_ABT__ , .), 4);
  }
  __stack_abt_end__ = __stack_abt_start__ + SIZEOF(.stack_abt);

  . = ASSERT(__stack_abt_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ &&
__stack_abt_end__ <= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error:
.stack_abt is too large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __stack_und_load_start__ = ALIGN(__stack_abt_end__ , 4);
  .stack_und ALIGN(__stack_abt_end__ , 4) (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __stack_und_start__ = .;
    *(.stack_und)
    . = ALIGN(MAX(__stack_und_start__ + __STACKSIZE_UND__ , .), 4);
  }
  __stack_und_end__ = __stack_und_start__ + SIZEOF(.stack_und);

  . = ASSERT(__stack_und_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ &&
__stack_und_end__ <= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error:
.stack_und is too large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  __exceptions_log_load_start__ = 0x21eff000;
  .exceptions_log 0x21eff000 (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __exceptions_log_start__ = .;
    *(.exceptions_log)
    . = MAX(__exceptions_log_start__ + 0x1000 , .);
  }
  __exceptions_log_end__ = __exceptions_log_start__ + SIZEOF(.exceptions_log);

  . = ASSERT(__exceptions_log_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ &&
__exceptions_log_end__ <= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) ,
"error: .exceptions_log is too large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  . = ASSERT(__stack_und_end__ <= __exceptions_log_start__ , "error:
section .stack_und overlaps absolute placed section .exceptions_log");

  __nocache_load_start__ = 0x21f00000;
  .nocache 0x21f00000 (NOLOAD) :
  {
    __nocache_start__ = .;
    *(.nocache)
  }
  __nocache_end__ = __nocache_start__ + SIZEOF(.nocache);

  __SDRAM_segment_used_end__ = 0x21f00000 + SIZEOF(.nocache);

  . = ASSERT(__nocache_end__ >= __SDRAM_segment_start__ &&
__nocache_end__ <= (__SDRAM_segment_start__ + 0x02000000) , "error:
.nocache is too large to fit in SDRAM memory segment");

  . = ASSERT(__exceptions_log_end__ <= __nocache_start__ , "error:
section .exceptions_log overlaps absolute placed section .nocache");

}

Could anyone please give me any hint how to solve this problem?

best regards
Jan