2.5.27-28-29 linker error: "undefined reference to local symbols in discarded section .text.exit"

[jeff millar]

ld fails to build vmlinux for all the recent v2.5 kernels.  ld complains
about

    In function `parport_ieee1284_epp_write_data':
    /usr/src/v2.5.29/include/asm/io.h:400:
    undefined reference to `local symbols in discarded section .text.exit'

The machine is Redhat 7.3 on an Athlon, most of the recent Redhat updates.
It's up to date with .../Documentation/Changes
I've tried make mrproper
I've tried switching between modules and compiled-in, modules get further
=========================================
$tail /usr/src/linux/make.out
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/v2.5.28/init'
  ld -m elf_i386 -T arch/i386/vmlinux.lds -e stext arch/i386/kernel/head.o
arch/i386/kernel/init
_task.o init/init.o --start-group arch/i386/kernel/kernel.o
arch/i386/mm/mm.o kernel/kernel.o mm
/mm.o fs/fs.o ipc/ipc.o security/built-in.o
/usr/src/v2.5.28/arch/i386/lib/lib.a lib/lib.a /usr/
src/v2.5.28/arch/i386/lib/lib.a drivers/built-in.o sound/sound.o
arch/i386/pci/pci.o net/network
.o --end-group -o vmlinux
drivers/built-in.o(.data+0x5174): undefined reference to `local symbols in
discarded section .te
xt.exit'
make: *** [vmlinux] Error 1