C compiler cannot create executables in Ubuntu 12.04

Question

I'm trying to configure cpuminer for litecoins and I get

checking whether the C compiler works... no
configure: error: in `/home/username/cpuminer-2.2.3':
configure: error: C compiler cannot create executables
See `config.log' for more details

This is on Ubuntu 12.04 x64.

I am not sure what can be happening, but I have run updates and I have gcc installed. I read a number of articles, but they seem to be pointing to different things.

The output of the config.log is

This file contains any messages produced by compilers while
running configure, to aid debugging if configure makes a mistake.

It was created by cpuminer configure 2.2.3, which was
generated by GNU Autoconf 2.68.  Invocation command line was

  $ ./configure CFLAGS=-03

## --------- ##
## Platform. ##
## --------- ##

hostname = comanche
uname -m = x86_64
uname -r = 3.5.0-27-generic
uname -s = Linux
uname -v = #46-Ubuntu SMP Mon Mar 25 19:58:17 UTC 2013

/usr/bin/uname -p = unknown
/bin/uname -X     = unknown

/bin/arch              = unknown
/usr/bin/arch -k       = unknown
/usr/convex/getsysinfo = unknown
/usr/bin/hostinfo      = unknown
/bin/machine           = unknown
/usr/bin/oslevel       = unknown
/bin/universe          = unknown

PATH: /usr/local/sbin
PATH: /usr/local/bin
PATH: /usr/sbin
PATH: /usr/bin
PATH: /sbin
PATH: /bin


## ----------- ##
## Core tests. ##
## ----------- ##

configure:2300: checking build system type
configure:2314: result: x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
configure:2334: checking host system type
configure:2347: result: x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
configure:2367: checking target system type
configure:2380: result: x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
configure:2424: checking for a BSD-compatible install
configure:2492: result: /usr/bin/install -c
configure:2503: checking whether build environment is sane
configure:2553: result: yes
configure:2694: checking for a thread-safe mkdir -p
configure:2733: result: /bin/mkdir -p
configure:2746: checking for gawk
configure:2776: result: no
configure:2746: checking for mawk
configure:2762: found /usr/bin/mawk
configure:2773: result: mawk
configure:2784: checking whether make sets $(MAKE)
configure:2806: result: yes
configure:2890: checking whether to enable maintainer-specific portions of Makefiles
configure:2899: result: no
configure:2925: checking for style of include used by make
configure:2953: result: GNU
configure:3024: checking for gcc
configure:3040: found /usr/bin/gcc
configure:3051: result: gcc
configure:3280: checking for C compiler version
configure:3289: gcc --version >&5
gcc (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.7.2-2ubuntu1) 4.7.2
Copyright (C) 2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

configure:3300: $? = 0
configure:3289: gcc -v >&5
Using built-in specs.
COLLECT_GCC=gcc
COLLECT_LTO_WRAPPER=/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/4.7/lto-wrapper
Target: x86_64-linux-gnu
Configured with: ../src/configure -v --with-pkgversion='Ubuntu/Linaro 4.7.2-2ubuntu1' --    with-bugurl=file:///usr/share/doc/gcc-4.7/README.Bugs --enable-    languages=c,c++,go,fortran,objc,obj-c++ --prefix=/usr --program-suffix=-4.7 --enable-shared     --enable-linker-build-id --with-system-zlib --libexecdir=/usr/lib --without-included-gettext     --enable-threads=posix --with-gxx-include-dir=/usr/include/c++/4.7 --libdir=/usr/lib --    enable-nls --with-sysroot=/ --enable-clocale=gnu --enable-libstdcxx-debug --enable-    libstdcxx-time=yes --enable-gnu-unique-object --enable-plugin --enable-objc-gc --disable-    werror --with-arch-32=i686 --with-tune=generic --enable-checking=release --build=x86_64-    linux-gnu --host=x86_64-linux-gnu --target=x86_64-linux-gnu
Thread model: posix
gcc version 4.7.2 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.7.2-2ubuntu1) 
configure:3300: $? = 0
configure:3289: gcc -V >&5
gcc: error: unrecognized command line option '-V'
gcc: fatal error: no input files
compilation terminated.
configure:3300: $? = 4
configure:3289: gcc -qversion >&5
gcc: error: unrecognized command line option '-qversion'
gcc: fatal error: no input files
compilation terminated.
configure:3300: $? = 4
configure:3320: checking whether the C compiler works
configure:3342: gcc -03   conftest.c  >&5
gcc: error: unrecognized command line option '-03'
configure:3346: $? = 1
configure:3384: result: no
configure: failed program was:
| /* confdefs.h */
| #define PACKAGE_NAME "cpuminer"
| #define PACKAGE_TARNAME "cpuminer"
| #define PACKAGE_VERSION "2.2.3"
| #define PACKAGE_STRING "cpuminer 2.2.3"
| #define PACKAGE_BUGREPORT ""
| #define PACKAGE_URL ""
| #define PACKAGE "cpuminer"
| #define VERSION "2.2.3"
| /* end confdefs.h.  */
| 
| int
| main ()
| {
| 
|   ;
|   return 0;
| }
configure:3389: error: in `/home/username/cpuminer-2.2.3':
configure:3391: error: C compiler cannot create executables
See `config.log' for more details

## ---------------- ##
## Cache variables. ##
## ---------------- ##

ac_cv_build=x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
ac_cv_env_CCASFLAGS_set=
ac_cv_env_CCASFLAGS_value=
ac_cv_env_CCAS_set=
ac_cv_env_CCAS_value=
ac_cv_env_CC_set=
ac_cv_env_CC_value=
ac_cv_env_CFLAGS_set=set
ac_cv_env_CFLAGS_value=-03
ac_cv_env_CPPFLAGS_set=
ac_cv_env_CPPFLAGS_value=
ac_cv_env_CPP_set=
ac_cv_env_CPP_value=
ac_cv_env_LDFLAGS_set=
ac_cv_env_LDFLAGS_value=
ac_cv_env_LIBS_set=
ac_cv_env_LIBS_value=
ac_cv_env_build_alias_set=
ac_cv_env_build_alias_value=
ac_cv_env_host_alias_set=
ac_cv_env_host_alias_value=
ac_cv_env_target_alias_set=
ac_cv_env_target_alias_value=
ac_cv_host=x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
ac_cv_path_install='/usr/bin/install -c'
ac_cv_path_mkdir=/bin/mkdir
ac_cv_prog_AWK=mawk
ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_CC=gcc
ac_cv_prog_make_make_set=yes
ac_cv_target=x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu

## ----------------- ##
## Output variables. ##
## ----------------- ##

ACLOCAL='${SHELL} /home/username/cpuminer-2.2.3/missing --run aclocal-1.11'
ALLOCA=''
AMDEPBACKSLASH='\'
AMDEP_FALSE='#'
AMDEP_TRUE=''
AMTAR='$${TAR-tar}'
ARCH_x86_64_FALSE=''
ARCH_x86_64_TRUE=''
ARCH_x86_FALSE=''
ARCH_x86_TRUE=''
AUTOCONF='${SHELL} /home/username/cpuminer-2.2.3/missing --run autoconf'
AUTOHEADER='${SHELL} /home/username/cpuminer-2.2.3/missing --run autoheader'
AUTOMAKE='${SHELL} /home/username/cpuminer-2.2.3/missing --run automake-1.11'
AWK='mawk'
CC='gcc'
CCAS=''
CCASDEPMODE=''
CCASFLAGS=''
CCDEPMODE=''
CFLAGS='-03'
CPP=''
CPPFLAGS=''
CYGPATH_W='echo'
DEFS=''
DEPDIR='.deps'
ECHO_C=''
ECHO_N='-n'
ECHO_T=''
EGREP=''
EXEEXT=''
GREP=''
HAVE_WINDOWS_FALSE=''
HAVE_WINDOWS_TRUE=''
INSTALL_DATA='${INSTALL} -m 644'
INSTALL_PROGRAM='${INSTALL}'
INSTALL_SCRIPT='${INSTALL}'
INSTALL_STRIP_PROGRAM='$(install_sh) -c -s'
JANSSON_LIBS=''
LDFLAGS=''
LIBCURL=''
LIBCURL_CPPFLAGS=''
LIBOBJS=''
LIBS=''
LTLIBOBJS=''
MAINT='#'
MAINTAINER_MODE_FALSE=''
MAINTAINER_MODE_TRUE='#'
MAKEINFO='${SHELL} /home/username/cpuminer-2.2.3/missing --run makeinfo'
MKDIR_P='/bin/mkdir -p'
OBJEXT=''
PACKAGE='cpuminer'
PACKAGE_BUGREPORT=''
PACKAGE_NAME='cpuminer'
PACKAGE_STRING='cpuminer 2.2.3'
PACKAGE_TARNAME='cpuminer'
PACKAGE_URL=''
PACKAGE_VERSION='2.2.3'
PATH_SEPARATOR=':'
PTHREAD_FLAGS=''
PTHREAD_LIBS=''
RANLIB=''
SET_MAKE=''
SHELL='/bin/bash'
STRIP=''
VERSION='2.2.3'
WANT_JANSSON_FALSE=''
WANT_JANSSON_TRUE=''
WS2_LIBS=''
_libcurl_config=''
ac_ct_CC='gcc'
am__EXEEXT_FALSE=''
am__EXEEXT_TRUE=''
am__fastdepCCAS_FALSE=''
am__fastdepCCAS_TRUE=''
am__fastdepCC_FALSE=''
am__fastdepCC_TRUE=''
am__include='include'
am__isrc=''
am__leading_dot='.'
am__nodep='_no'
am__quote=''
am__tar='$${TAR-tar} chof - "$$tardir"'
am__untar='$${TAR-tar} xf -'
bindir='${exec_prefix}/bin'
build='x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu'
build_alias=''
build_cpu='x86_64'
build_os='linux-gnu'
build_vendor='unknown'
datadir='${datarootdir}'
datarootdir='${prefix}/share'
docdir='${datarootdir}/doc/${PACKAGE_TARNAME}'
dvidir='${docdir}'
exec_prefix='NONE'
host='x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu'
host_alias=''
host_cpu='x86_64'
host_os='linux-gnu'
host_vendor='unknown'
htmldir='${docdir}'
includedir='${prefix}/include'
infodir='${datarootdir}/info'
install_sh='${SHELL} /home/username/cpuminer-2.2.3/install-sh'
libdir='${exec_prefix}/lib'
libexecdir='${exec_prefix}/libexec'
localedir='${datarootdir}/locale'
localstatedir='${prefix}/var'
mandir='${datarootdir}/man'
mkdir_p='/bin/mkdir -p'
oldincludedir='/usr/include'
pdfdir='${docdir}'
prefix='NONE'
program_transform_name='s,x,x,'
psdir='${docdir}'
sbindir='${exec_prefix}/sbin'
sharedstatedir='${prefix}/com'
sysconfdir='${prefix}/etc'
target='x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu'
target_alias=''
target_cpu='x86_64'
target_os='linux-gnu'
target_vendor='unknown'

## ----------- ##
## confdefs.h. ##
## ----------- ##

/* confdefs.h */
#define PACKAGE_NAME "cpuminer"
#define PACKAGE_TARNAME "cpuminer"
#define PACKAGE_VERSION "2.2.3"
#define PACKAGE_STRING "cpuminer 2.2.3"
#define PACKAGE_BUGREPORT ""
#define PACKAGE_URL ""
#define PACKAGE "cpuminer"
#define VERSION "2.2.3"

configure: exit 77

Answer 1

It looks like gcc is being called with option -03 instead of -O3, causing it to error out. Check any CFLAGS you may have specified.

Answer 2

I had this same problem as the original poster in building xz-5.0.5.
It wasn't a problem with the CFLAGS arguments. The configure script was attempting to verify that the compiler was c99 compliant.
I needed to add CFLAGS option --std=c99 to enable it to get past this check in the configure script:

./configure CC=gcc CFLAGS="--std=c99 -O3"