On Windows, at least, when I do ./b2 toolset=msvc-8.0 at Boost root, I get error: Name clash for '<pstage\lib>libboost_system-vc80-mt-gd-1_58.lib' error: error: Tried to build the target twice, with property sets having error: these incompatible properties: error: error: - <warnings>all error: - <address-model>32 <architecture>x86 <warnings>on When I add --without-context --without-coroutine, I now get error: Name clash for '<pstage\lib>libboost_system-vc80-mt-1_58.lib' error: error: Tried to build the target twice, with property sets having error: these incompatible properties: error: error: - <asynch-exceptions>off error: - <asynch-exceptions>on So I add --without-test. error: Name clash for '<pstage\lib>libboost_timer-vc80-mt-1_58.lib' error: error: Tried to build the target twice, with property sets having error: these incompatible properties: error: error: - <asynch-exceptions>on <library>object(file-target)@10959 error: - <asynch-exceptions>off <library>object(file-target)@9953 Now where did _that_ come from. :-) Ah. --without-endian. Builds now. This is perhaps old news for some, but it looks like it doesn't play well with our simple build instructions. Or maybe it doesn't occur on the master branch, so we don't care? I haven't checked yet. It's also perhaps an indication of a deeper problem. I can use b2 --with-test and have 'test' built; it builds its dependencies (system, chrono and timer) with <asynch-exceptions>on in bin.v2, and if I use it from within Boost.Build, it will link to them. But if I stage (or install) Boost.Test, and then stage or install Boost.System separately, Boost.System will be built with <asynch-exceptions>off. So the library user who just has headers and binaries will link those, potentially creating a conflict, which may in this case be benign. Or not.