copy_to_user count seg-fault

[root]

I am working on a device driver for a 2.4.14 kernel.

In my standard read function I use copy_to_user(buff,&reloc,count);
buff is the buffer passed from the read function, reloc is a char, and 
count is the size_t count paramenter from the read function.

as long as I pass it count it works fine, however if I replace count 
with a constant 1 I get a seg fault.

if I set count=1 I get a seg fault.

and finally and weirdest of all, if I do an if(count==1) I get a seg 
fault.

has anyone seen anything like this before, what could possibly be 
causing this?