I confirmed that ParseString has this problem, and uploaded the fixed 
util.cpp to SVN.

string::npos == -1

Comparing unsigned int -1 (0xffffffff) with long unsigned int -1 
(0xffffffffffffffff) results in the unsigned int being promoted to 
64-bit, which is 0x00000000ffffffff != 0xffffffffffffffff.

mmalmi@cc.hut.fi wrote:
> Here's another test run debug.log I got when debugging with gdb. The 
> program started eating memory after the debug line "irc 8" and within a 
> few seconds crashed with "terminate called after throwing an instance of 
> 'std::bad_alloc'".
> 
>> It's in RecvUntil, but I still can't see anything wrong with it.  The
>> only thing I can think of is if the socket is receiving a spew of
>> characters.
>>
>> Try this irc.cpp.  debug.log may grow rapidly so be ready to kill it.
>>
>> mmalmi@cc.hut.fi wrote:
>>> debug.log attached
>>>
>>>> That narrows it down a lot.  It didn't print any IRC activity in
>>>> debug.log, so I guess it couldn't have gotten past the RecvUntil.
>>>> Eyeballing it I don't see anything obvious.  I guess it would have to
>>>> be either in ConnectSocket or RecvUntil.
>>>>
>>>> Try it with the attached irc.cpp and net.cpp and send me the debug.log.
>>>>
>>>> Or you could run it in gdb and step through ThreadIRCSeed
>>>> gdb --args bitcoin [switches]
>>>> b ThreadIRCSeed
>>>> run
>>>> step
>>>> or u to step over and up out of routines.
>>>>
>>>> mmalmi@cc.hut.fi wrote:
>>>>> I get the error regardless of the getinfo. Commenting out   
>>>>> ThreadIRCSeed fixed the problem.
>>>>>
>>>>>> Does it still do it if you didn't do getinfo?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> You could comment out the CreateThreads listed below, then re-enable
>>>>>> them one at a time until it does it again.  Then we would know which
>>>>>> thread the problem is in.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> net.cpp, under // Start threads
>>>>>>   CreateThread(ThreadIRCSeed, NULL)
>>>>>>   CreateThread(ThreadSocketHandler, NULL, true)
>>>>>>   CreateThread(ThreadOpenConnections, NULL)
>>>>>>   CreateThread(ThreadMessageHandler, NULL)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> init.cpp:
>>>>>>   CreateThread(ThreadRPCServer, NULL);
>>>>>>
>>>>>> mmalmi@cc.hut.fi wrote:
>>>>>>> Here goes. I forgot to mention the crash error message:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> terminate called after throwing an instance of 'std::bad_alloc'
>>>>>>> what():  std::bad_alloc
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Could you send me the debug.log?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> mmalmi@cc.hut.fi wrote:
>>>>>>>>> I tried debugging my build of bitcoind with ddd debugger, but 
>>>>>>>>>     didn't have much success yet. It always ends up taking all  
>>>>>>>>> the   system's memory and finally crashes. Could you please  
>>>>>>>>> send me   again  the latest 64 bit build of bitcoind, so I  can 
>>>>>>>>> see if the  problem is  about my build?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
> 
> 
>