It looks a lot like the problem I was having was caused by constness. To be clear, I was doing: template<class Archive> void serialize(Archive & ar, const Jrs::SmartPtr<D2::Message>& g, const unsigned int version) { //... } Now I'm doing: template<class Archive> void serialize(Archive & ar, Jrs::SmartPtr<D2::Message>& g, const unsigned int version) { // ... } The new version does compile, but as I am having problems building boost (from CVS), it doesn't link because the libraries don't exist. It compiles with the CVS version, but still does not compile under 1.32. As to building, I am trying to use the version of bjam I built to build 1.32, running it from the place it was built to: mt@penfold /cygdrive/c/new_boost/boost $ /cygdrive/c/boost_1_32_0/tools/build/jam_src/bin.ntx86/bjam.exe But this cannot create files or directories. Any suggestions?