diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index c092a1f..576d5a9 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,23 @@
 
 export LINUX_VERSION="6.12.1"
 
+# Backup the native environment
+export BUILD_CC="$BUILD_CC"
+export CC_native="$CC"
+export CXX_native="$CXX"
+export AS_native="$AS"
+export LD_native="$LD"
+export AR_native="$AR"
+export RANLIB_native="$RANLIB"
+export STRIP_native="$STRIP"
+export OBJDUMP_native="$OBJDUMP"
+export READELF_native="$READELF"
+export CFLAGS_native="$CFLAGS_native"
+export CPPFLAGS_native="$CPPFLAGS"
+export LDFLAGS_native="$LDFLAGS"
+export LD_LIBRARY_PATH_native="$LD_LIBRARY_PATH"
+export PKG_CONFIG_LIBDIR_native="$PKG_CONFIG_LIBDIR"
+
 # Function to handle errors
 error_handler() {
     local exit_code=$?
@@ -46,24 +63,7 @@ if [ ! -d "$LFS_TGT" ]; then
     echo "Target rootfs set to '$LFS_TGT'. You can override this by setting the LFS_TGT env var."
 fi
 
-# test bash
-bash --version
-echo ""
-
-# test rsync
-rsync --version
-echo ""
-
-# test clang
-clang --version
-echo ""
-
-# test lld
-ld --version
-echo ""
-
-make --version
-echo ""
+bash version-check.sh
 
 export BUILD_MACHINE_TRIPLET=$(gcc -dumpmachine)
 export TARGET_MACHINE_TRIPLET=$LFS_TGT
@@ -83,17 +83,54 @@ export PATH="$LFS_TOOLS/bin/:$PATH"
 unset CFLAGS
 unset LDFLAGS
 
+setup_toolchain() {
+    export BUILD_CC=gcc
+    export CC="$LFS_TGT-gcc"
+    export CXX="$LFS_TGT-g++"
+    export AS="$LFS_TGT-as"
+    export LD="$LFS_TGT-ld"
+    export AR="$LFS_TGT-ar"
+    export RANLIB="$LFS_TGT-ranlib"
+    export STRIP="$LFS_TGT-strip"
+    export OBJDUMP="$LFS_TGT-objdump"
+    export READELF="$LFS_TGT-readelf"
+    export CFLAGS="   -U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -O2 -L$LFS_TOOLS/lib -L$LFS/usr/lib -I$LFS_TOOLS/include -I$LFS_TOOLS/$LFS_TGT/include"
+    export CPPFLAGS=" -U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -O2 -L$LFS_TOOLS/lib -L$LFS/usr/lib -I$LFS_TOOLS/include -I$LFS_TOOLS/$LFS_TGT/include -I$LFS_TOOLS/$LFS_TGT/include/c++/14.2.0/ -I$LFS_TOOLS/$LFS_TGT/include/c++/14.2.0/$LFS_TGT"
+    export LDFLAGS="  -L$LFS/usr/lib -L$LFS_TOOLS/lib"
+    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH_old="$LD_LIBRARY_PATH"
+    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$LFS_TOOLS/lib $LFS/usr/lib"
+    export PKG_CONFIG_LIBDIR="$LFS_TOOLS/lib $LFS/usr/lib"
+    export SYSROOT="$LFS"
+    #unset LD_LIBRARY_PATH
+}
+
+host_toolchain() {
+    export BUILD_CC="$BUILD_CC_native"
+    export CC="$CC_native"
+    export CXX="$CXX_native"
+    export AS="$AS_native"
+    export LD="$LD_native"
+    export AR="$AR_native"
+    export RANLIB="$RANLIB_native"
+    export STRIP="$STRIP_native"
+    export OBJDUMP="$OBJDUMP_native"
+    export READELF="$READELF_native"
+    export CFLAGS="$CFLAGS_native"
+    export CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS_native"
+    export LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS_native"
+    export PKG_CONFIG_LIBDIR="$PKG_CONFIG_LIBDIR_native"
+    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$LD_LIBRARY_PATH_native"
+}
+
 # Create a directory layout
 if [ ! -d "$LFS/etc" ]; then
     mkdir -pv $LFS/{etc,var} $LFS/usr/{bin,lib,sbin}
 
+    mkdir -pv $LFS/{dev,proc,sys,run,tmp}
+
     for i in bin lib sbin; do
         ln -sv usr/$i $LFS/$i
     done
-
-    #case $ARCH in
-    #    x86_64) mkdir -pv $LFS/lib64 ;;
-    #esac
 fi
 
 # Build binutils
@@ -124,12 +161,12 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/binutils" ]; then
         --enable-plugins                \
         --enable-deterministic-archives \
         --enable-default-hash-style=gnu
-    #make configure-host
+
     make -j 32
     make -j 32 install
 
     cd "$BASE_DIR"
-    #rm -rf "$LFS_BUILD/binutils"
+    rm -rf "$LFS_BUILD/binutils"
     touch "$STEPS_DIR/binutils"
 fi
 
@@ -155,14 +192,6 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/gcc-step1" ]; then
     bash unpack-gcc.sh "$LFS_BUILD/"
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/gcc/"
 
-#    # On x86_64 hosts, set the default directory name for 64-bit libraries to “lib”
-#    case $(uname -m) in
-#    x86_64)
-#        sed -e '/m64=/s/lib64/lib/' \
-#            -i.orig gcc/config/i386/t-linux64
-#    ;;
-#    esac
-
     mkdir -vp build-step1
     cd        build-step1
 
@@ -288,12 +317,6 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/glibc" ]; then
         -o $LFS/usr/lib/libc.so
     touch $LFS/usr/include/gnu/stubs.h
 
-    #export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$LD_LIBRARY_PATH_old"
-
-    #make DESTDIR=$LFS install
-    #make install_root="$pkgdir"/usr/$_target install
-    #sed '/RTLDLIST=/s@/usr@@g' -i $LFS/usr/bin/ldd
-
     cd "$BASE_DIR"
     #rm -rf "$LFS_BUILD/glibc"
     touch "$STEPS_DIR/glibc"
@@ -308,8 +331,8 @@ unset RANLIB
 unset STRIP
 unset OBJDUMP
 export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$LD_LIBRARY_PATH_old"
-export CFLAGS="-static "
-export LDFLAGS="-Bstatic "
+export CFLAGS="-U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -O2 -static "
+export LDFLAGS="-U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -O2 -Bstatic "
 
 if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/gcc-step2" ]; then
     bash unpack-gcc.sh "$LFS_BUILD/"
@@ -394,8 +417,8 @@ fi
 #unset RANLIB
 #unset OBJDUMP
 #export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$LD_LIBRARY_PATH_old"
-export CFLAGS="-static "
-export LDFLAGS="-Bstatic "
+export CFLAGS="-U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -O2  -static "
+export LDFLAGS="-U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -O2  -Bstatic "
 
 # build the rest of gcc
 if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/gcc-step3" ]; then
@@ -433,23 +456,12 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/gcc-step3" ]; then
     touch "$STEPS_DIR/gcc-step3"
 fi
 
-# Use the new toolchain
-export BUILD_CC=gcc
-export CC="$LFS_TGT-gcc"
-export CXX="$LFS_TGT-g++"
-export AS="$LFS_TGT-as"
-export LD="$LFS_TGT-ld"
-export AR="$LFS_TGT-ar"
-export RANLIB="$LFS_TGT-ranlib"
-export STRIP="$LFS_TGT-strip"
-export OBJDUMP="$LFS_TGT-objdump"
-export READELF="$LFS_TGT-readelf"
-# remove hardening options for building libraries
-export CFLAGS="-U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -O2   -L$LFS_TOOLS/lib -L$LFS/usr/lib -I$LFS_TOOLS/include -I$LFS_TOOLS/$LFS_TGT/include"
-export CPPFLAGS="-U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -O2 -L$LFS_TOOLS/lib -L$LFS/usr/lib -I$LFS_TOOLS/include -I$LFS_TOOLS/$LFS_TGT/include -I$LFS_TOOLS/$LFS_TGT/include/c++/14.2.0/ -I$LFS_TOOLS/$LFS_TGT/include/c++/14.2.0/$LFS_TGT"
-export LDFLAGS="-L$LFS/usr/lib -L$LFS_TOOLS/lib"
-export LD_LIBRARY_PATH_old="$LD_LIBRARY_PATH"
-unset LD_LIBRARY_PATH
+## finish the host toolchain
+#host_toolchain
+#bash "build-host-tools.sh"
+
+# From now on use the new toolchain
+setup_toolchain
 
 # test the cross toolchain
 which -- $LFS_TGT-as || echo $LFS_TGT-as is not in the PATH
@@ -470,8 +482,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/m4" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/m4"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     echo "rootsbindir=/usr/sbin" > configparms
 
@@ -483,7 +495,7 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/m4" ]; then
     make -j 32
     make DESTDIR=$LFS install
 
-    "$LFS_TGT-strip" --strip-unneeded $LFS/bin/m4
+    "$LFS_TGT-strip" --strip-unneeded $LFS/usr/bin/m4
 
     cd "$BASE_DIR"
     rm -rf "$LFS_BUILD/m4"
@@ -498,8 +510,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/attr" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/attr"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     echo "rootsbindir=/usr/sbin" > configparms
 
@@ -524,8 +536,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/zlib" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/zlib"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     "../configure"                        \
         --prefix=$LFS
@@ -547,8 +559,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/ncurses" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/ncurses"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     #  --build=${CLFS_HOST} \
     "../configure"                       \
@@ -579,8 +591,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/bash" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/bash"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     #  --build=${CLFS_HOST} \
     "../configure"                       \
@@ -630,8 +642,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/check" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/check"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     "../configure"                       \
         --prefix=$LFS                    \
@@ -655,8 +667,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/coreutils" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/coreutils"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     "../configure"                        \
         --prefix=$LFS                     \
@@ -681,8 +693,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/diffutils" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/diffutils"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     "../configure"                        \
         --prefix=$LFS                     \
@@ -707,8 +719,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/file" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/file"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     "../configure"                        \
         --prefix=$LFS                     \
@@ -732,8 +744,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/findutils" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/findutils"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     echo "gl_cv_func_wcwidth_works=yes" > config.cache
     echo "ac_cv_func_fnmatch_gnu=yes" >> config.cache
@@ -760,8 +772,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/gawk" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/gawk"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     "../configure"                       \
         --prefix=$LFS                    \
@@ -787,8 +799,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/grep" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/grep"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     "../configure"                       \
         --prefix=$LFS                    \
@@ -815,8 +827,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/gzip" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/gzip"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     "../configure"                       \
         --prefix=$LFS                    \
@@ -842,8 +854,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/make" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/make"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     "../configure"                       \
         --prefix=$LFS                    \
@@ -867,8 +879,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/libiconv" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/libiconv"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     "../configure"                       \
         --prefix=/usr                    \
@@ -897,8 +909,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/patch" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/patch"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     "../configure"                       \
         --prefix=$LFS/usr                \
@@ -922,8 +934,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/sed" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/sed"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     "../configure"                       \
         --prefix=$LFS                    \
@@ -950,8 +962,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/tar" ]; then
     export LDFLAGS_old="$LDFLAGS"
     export LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -liconv"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
 #    cat > config.cache << EOF
 #gl_cv_func_wcwidth_works=yes
@@ -981,6 +993,44 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/tar" ]; then
     touch "$STEPS_DIR/tar"
 fi
 
+## build the rest of gcc
+#if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/gcc-final" ]; then
+#    bash unpack-gcc.sh "$LFS_BUILD/"
+#    cd "$LFS_BUILD/gcc/"
+#    
+#    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+#    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
+#
+#    "../configure"                       \
+#        --target=$LFS_TGT                \
+#        --host=${BUILD_MACHINE_TRIPLET}  \
+#        --build=${LFS_TGT}               \
+#        --prefix=$LFS                    \
+#        --with-glibc-version=2.40        \
+#        --with-sysroot=$LFS              \
+#        --enable-c99                     \
+#        --enable-long-long               \
+#        --enable-default-pie             \
+#        --enable-default-ssp             \
+#        --disable-nls                    \
+#        --disable-multilib               \
+#        --disable-libgomp                \
+#        --disable-libquadmath            \
+#        --disable-libquadmath-support    \
+#        --disable-decimal-float          \
+#        --enable-languages=c,c++
+#
+#    # Reebuild everything now that we have bootstrapped an initial gcc and glibc 
+#    make -j 32 # if build fails add --disable-libsanitizer
+#    make -j 32 install
+#
+#    cd "$BASE_DIR"
+#    rm -rf "$LFS_BUILD/gcc"
+#    touch "$STEPS_DIR/gcc-step3"
+#fi
+#exit 0
+
+
 # build gettext
 if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/gettext" ]; then
     if [ ! -d "$LFS_BUILD/gettext" ]; then
@@ -989,10 +1039,10 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/gettext" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/gettext"
 
-    EMACS="no" autoreconf -fi
+    #EMACS="no" autoreconf -fi
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     EMACS="no" "../configure"             \
         --prefix=$LFS                     \
@@ -1000,8 +1050,10 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/gettext" ]; then
         --build=${BUILD_MACHINE_TRIPLET}  \
         --disable-shared                  \
         --libdir=$LFS/usr/lib             \
+        --with-sysroot=$SYSROOT           \
+        --enable-curses                   \
         --cache-file=config.cache
-    
+
 
     make -j 32
     make -j 32 install
@@ -1019,8 +1071,8 @@ if [ ! -f "$STEPS_DIR/texinfo" ]; then
     fi
     cd "$LFS_BUILD/texinfo"
 
-    mkdir -vp build
-    cd        build
+    mkdir -vp build-$LFS_TGT
+    cd        build-$LFS_TGT
 
     PERL=/usr/bin/perl                   \
     "../configure"                       \