I got a stack back trace using gdb:
stran@educ236:/usr/local/src/openldap_2.3.x_20050808/servers/slapd/.libs
$ sudo gdb ./slapd
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This GDB was configured as "i386-linux"...Using host libthread_db
library "/lib/tls/libthread_db.so.1".
(gdb) set width 70
(gdb) run -d 0 -f /etc/openldap/slapd.conf
Starting
program: /usr/local/src/openldap_2.3.x_20050808/servers/slapd/.libs/slapd -d 0 -f /etc/openldap/slapd.conf
[Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled]
[New Thread 1078075520 (LWP 3347)]
/etc/openldap/slapd.conf: line 178: warning: cannot assess the validity
of the ACL scope within backend naming context
/etc/openldap/slapd.conf: line 207: warning: cannot assess the validity
of the ACL scope within backend naming context
/etc/openldap/slapd.conf: line 244: warning: cannot assess the validity
of the ACL scope within backend naming context
[New Thread 1088740272 (LWP 3350)]
[New Thread 1097128880 (LWP 3351)]
slapd: ch_malloc.c:122: ch_strdup: Assertion `0' failed.
Program received signal SIGABRT, Aborted.
[Switching to Thread 1097128880 (LWP 3351)]
0x402fd83b in raise () from /lib/tls/libc.so.6
(gdb) bt full
#0 0x402fd83b in raise () from /lib/tls/libc.so.6
No symbol table info available.
#1 0x402fefa2 in abort () from /lib/tls/libc.so.6
No symbol table info available.
#2 0x402f72df in __assert_fail () from /lib/tls/libc.so.6
No symbol table info available.
#3 0x080852af in ch_strdup (string=0x0) at ch_malloc.c:122
new = 0x0
#4 0x081225bf in slapi_int_modifications2ldapmods (
pmodlist=0x82565cc) at slapi_utils.c:2723