Index: tools/bootImageRunner/ppc/libvm.c
===================================================================
--- tools/bootImageRunner/ppc/libvm.c	(revision 15406)
+++ tools/bootImageRunner/ppc/libvm.c	(working copy)
@@ -1116,7 +1116,7 @@
 
 
 int
-createVM(int vmInSeparateThread)
+createVM(void)
 {
     // don't buffer trace or error message output
     //
@@ -1384,46 +1384,22 @@
         fprintf(SysTraceFile, "Done testing faulting-address location\n");
 #endif
 
-    // execute vm startup thread
-    //
-    if (vmInSeparateThread) {
-        /* Try starting the VM in a separate pthread.  We need to synchronize
-           before exiting. */
-        startupRegs[0] = jtoc;
-        startupRegs[1] = tr;
-        startupRegs[2] = tid;
-        startupRegs[3] = fp;
-
-        // clear flag for synchronization
-        bootRecord.bootCompleted = 0;
-
-        pthread_create(&vm_pthreadid, NULL, bootThreadCaller, NULL);
-
-        // wait for the JNIStartUp code to set the completion flag before returning
-        while (!bootRecord.bootCompleted) {
-#if (_AIX43 || RVM_FOR_LINUX || RVM_FOR_OSX)
-            sched_yield();
-#else
-            pthread_yield();
-#endif
-        }
-
-        return 0;
+    if (setjmp(primordial_jb)) {
+        *(int*)(tr + RVMThread_execStatus_offset) = RVMThread_TERMINATED;
+        // cannot return or else the process will exit.  this is how pthreads
+        // work on the platforms I've tried (OS X and Linux).  So, when the
+        // primordial thread is done, we just have it idle.  When the process
+        // is supposed to exit, it'll call exit().
+        for (;;) pause();
     } else {
-        if (setjmp(primordial_jb)) {
-            *(int*)(tr + RVMThread_execStatus_offset) = RVMThread_TERMINATED;
-            // cannot return or else the process will exit
-            for (;;) pause();
-        } else {
-            if (lib_verbose) {
-                fprintf(SysTraceFile, "%s: calling boot thread: jtoc = " FMTrvmPTR
-                        "   tr = " FMTrvmPTR "   tid = %d   fp = " FMTrvmPTR "\n",
-                        Me, rvmPTR_ARG(jtoc), rvmPTR_ARG(tr), tid, rvmPTR_ARG(fp));
-            }
-            bootThread(jtoc, tr, tid, fp);
-            fprintf(SysErrorFile, "Unexpected return from bootThread\n");
-            return 1;
+        if (lib_verbose) {
+            fprintf(SysTraceFile, "%s: calling boot thread: jtoc = " FMTrvmPTR
+                    "   tr = " FMTrvmPTR "   tid = %d   fp = " FMTrvmPTR "\n",
+                    Me, rvmPTR_ARG(jtoc), rvmPTR_ARG(tr), tid, rvmPTR_ARG(fp));
         }
+        bootThread(jtoc, tr, tid, fp);
+        fprintf(SysErrorFile, "Unexpected return from bootThread\n");
+        return 1;
     }
 
 }
Index: tools/bootImageRunner/bootImageRunner.h
===================================================================
--- tools/bootImageRunner/bootImageRunner.h	(revision 15406)
+++ tools/bootImageRunner/bootImageRunner.h	(working copy)
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@
 extern int verboseBoot;
 
 /* Defined in libvm.C; used in RunBootImage.C */
-extern int createVM(int);
+extern int createVM(void);
 /* Used in libvm.C; Defined in sys.C */
 extern int getArrayLength(void* ptr);
 
Index: tools/bootImageRunner/ia32/libvm.c
===================================================================
--- tools/bootImageRunner/ia32/libvm.c	(revision 15406)
+++ tools/bootImageRunner/ia32/libvm.c	(working copy)
@@ -960,7 +960,7 @@
 
 /* Returns 1 upon any errors.   Never returns except to report an error. */
 int
-createVM(int UNUSED vmInSeparateThread)
+createVM(void)
 {
     /* don't buffer trace or error message output */
     setbuf (SysErrorFile, 0);
@@ -1181,7 +1181,10 @@
     // setup place that we'll return to when we're done
     if (setjmp(primordial_jb)) {
 	*(int*)(tr + RVMThread_execStatus_offset) = RVMThread_TERMINATED;
-	// cannot return or else the process will exit
+        // cannot return or else the process will exit.  this is how pthreads
+        // work on the platforms I've tried (OS X and Linux).  So, when the
+        // primordial thread is done, we just have it idle.  When the process
+        // is supposed to exit, it'll call exit().
 	for (;;) pause();
     } else {
 	sp-=4;
Index: tools/bootImageRunner/RunBootImage.C
===================================================================
--- tools/bootImageRunner/RunBootImage.C	(revision 15406)
+++ tools/bootImageRunner/RunBootImage.C	(working copy)
@@ -489,7 +489,7 @@
     (void) mach_timebase_info(&timebaseInfo);
 #endif
 
-    int ret = createVM(0);
+    int ret = createVM();
     if (ret == 1) {
 	fprintf(SysErrorFile, "%s: Could not create the virtual machine; goodbye\n", Me);
 	exit(EXIT_STATUS_MISC_TROUBLE);