Configure failing why?

[Samuel M. Smith]

I am trying to build python2.4.2 on an arm 9 running Debian 3 Sarge

when I run ./configure it fails with

./configure
checking MACHDEP... linux2
checking EXTRAPLATDIR...
checking for --without-gcc... no
checking for --with-cxx=<compiler>... no
checking for c++... c++
checking for C++ compiler default output file name... a.out
checking whether the C++ compiler works... configure: error: cannot  
run C++ compiled pro
grams.
If you meant to cross compile, use `--host'.
See `config.log' for more details.

Inside config.log I find

checking for C++ compiler default output file name
configure:1782: c++    conftest.cc  >&5
configure:1785: $? = 0
configure:1831: result: a.out
configure:1836: checking whether the C++ compiler works
configure:1842: ./a.out
./configure: line 1: ./a.out: Permission denied
configure:1845: $? = 126
configure:1854: error: cannot run C++ compiled programs.
If you meant to cross compile, use `--host'.
See `config.log' for more details.

It appears that for some reason the a.out file that the configure  
script is making
is not getting execute permissions enable by the configure script

I have build python 2.4.2 successfully on Debian 2 and never had this  
problem

Any ideas why this is happening?



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