Strange exception using JDK1.4 and Xerces-J-1_4_4

Hi,

I am getting a strange exception while introducing the Xerces-1_4_4 
"xerces.jar" in my CLASSPATH on Windows NT using JDK1.4. The following 
output is produced:

Unexpected Signal : EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION occurred at PC=0x6D35DDFE
Function=JVM_DisableCompiler+0x874C
Library=C:\Apps\j2sdk1.4.0\jre\bin\client\jvm.dll

Current Java thread:
        at java.lang.Throwable.fillInStackTrace(Native Method)
        - locked <02B282C8> (a java.lang.AbstractMethodError)
        at java.lang.Throwable.<init>(Throwable.java:180)
        at java.lang.Error.<init>(Error.java:37)
        at java.lang.LinkageError.<init>(LinkageError.java:26)
        at 
java.lang.IncompatibleClassChangeError.<init>(IncompatibleClassChange
Error.java:26)
        at 
java.lang.AbstractMethodError.<init>(AbstractMethodError.java:27)

The problem doesn't occur when I switch to JDK1.3.

If I remove the Xerces-1_4_4 version of "xerces.jar" and put back in the 
jdom-b7 version the problem disappears.

I'm also using jdom-b7 libraries but I've made sure that jdom uses the 
1.4.4 xerces library rather than jdom's version as other API's depend on 
it (e.g. the exolab's castor API). That seems to be no problem using JDK 
1.3 but it apparently is for JDK 1.4.

Has anyone encountered similar problems? Eventually we want to do away 
with jdom and stick to Xerces-1.4.4. However, we still have to support 
code written against the jdom API.

Any tips or suggestions are most welcome.

TIA

Paul van Hagen