b2 install fails with boost 1.86

[craffael]

Make sure you completed the following tasks

• I searched the discussions
• I searched the closed and open issues
• I read the contribution guidelines

Environment and version details

• Operating System+version: Windows 11
• Compiler+version: Visual Studio 17.11.0*
• Shell: cmd
• B2 Version: B2 5.2.1 (OS=NT, jobs=24)
• B2 Configuration:
  debug_configuration.txt

Brief problem description

running b2 install --prefix=xxx fails with the errors of the form error: No best alternative for /C:/Users/raffael/Downloads/boost_1_86_0.tar/boost_1_86_0/libs/predef/install with

Steps to reproduce the issue

1. Download and extract boost 1.86: https://archives.boost.io/release/1.86.0/source/boost_1_86_0.tar.bz2
2. bootstrap.bat
3. b2 install --prefix=C:\temp\boost

Actual behavior summary

Note that this blocks the newest releas of boost (1.86.0) from installing to a location

Output of b2 -d2 --debug-configuration install --prefix=C:\temp\boost

notice: found boost-build.jam at C:/Users/raffael/Downloads/boost_1_86_0.tar/boost_1_86_0/boost-build.jam
notice: loading B2 from C:/Users/raffael/Downloads/boost_1_86_0.tar/boost_1_86_0/tools/build/src/build-system.jam
notice: Searching 'C:\WINDOWS' 'C:\Users\raffael' 'C:\Users\raffael' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\build' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\contrib' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\engine' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\options' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\tools' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\util' 'C:/Users/raffael/Downloads/boost_1_86_0.tar/boost_1_86_0/tools/build/src' for site-config configuration file 'site-config.jam'.
notice: Configuration file 'site-config.jam' not found in 'C:\WINDOWS' 'C:\Users\raffael' 'C:\Users\raffael' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\build' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\contrib' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\engine' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\options' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\tools' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\util' 'C:/Users/raffael/Downloads/boost_1_86_0.tar/boost_1_86_0/tools/build/src'.
notice: Searching 'C:\Users\raffael' 'C:\Users\raffael' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\build' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\contrib' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\engine' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\options' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\tools' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\util' 'C:/Users/raffael/Downloads/boost_1_86_0.tar/boost_1_86_0/tools/build/src' for user-config configuration file 'user-config.jam'.
notice: Configuration file 'user-config.jam' not found in 'C:\Users\raffael' 'C:\Users\raffael' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\build' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\contrib' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\engine' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\options' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\tools' 'C:\Users\raffael\Downloads\boost_1_86_0.tar\boost_1_86_0\tools\build\src\util' 'C:/Users/raffael/Downloads/boost_1_86_0.tar/boost_1_86_0/tools/build/src'.
notice: Searching '.' for project-config configuration file 'project-config.jam'.
notice: Loading project-config configuration file 'project-config.jam' from '.'.
notice: [msvc-cfg] msvc-14.3 detected, command: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Professional\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.41.34120\bin\Hostx64\x64\cl.exe'
notice: will use 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Professional\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.41.34120\bin\Hostx64\x64\cl.exe' for msvc, condition <toolset>msvc-14.3
notice: [generate-setup-cmd] 14.41.34120 is 14.3
notice: [generate-setup-cmd] 14.41.34120 is 14.3
notice: [generate-setup-cmd] 14.41.34120 is 14.3
notice: [generate-setup-cmd] 14.41.34120 is 14.3
notice: [generate-setup-cmd] 14.41.34120 is 14.3
notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>x86/<address-model>32', setup: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Professional\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars32.bat'
notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>/<address-model>32', setup: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Professional\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars32.bat'
notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>x86/<address-model>64', setup: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Professional\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars64.bat'
notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>/<address-model>64', setup: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Professional\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars64.bat'
notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>x86/<address-model>', setup: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Professional\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars64.bat'
notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>/<address-model>', setup: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Professional\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars64.bat'
notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>ia64/<address-model>64', setup: 'C:/Program Files/Microsoft Visual Studio/2022/Professional/VC/Auxiliary/Build/vcvarsall.bat'
notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>ia64/<address-model>', setup: 'C:/Program Files/Microsoft Visual Studio/2022/Professional/VC/Auxiliary/Build/vcvarsall.bat'
notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>arm/<address-model>32', setup: 'C:/Program Files/Microsoft Visual Studio/2022/Professional/VC/Auxiliary/Build/vcvarsall.bat'
notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>arm/<address-model>64', setup: 'C:/Program Files/Microsoft Visual Studio/2022/Professional/VC/Auxiliary/Build/vcvarsall.bat'
notice: [openssl] Using pre-installed library
notice: [openssl] Condition
notice: using boost library auto_config <layout>system
notice: [zlib] Using pre-installed library
notice: [zlib] Condition
notice: [bzip2] Using pre-installed library
notice: [bzip2] Condition
notice: [lzma] Using pre-installed library
notice: [lzma] Condition
notice: [zstd] Using pre-installed library
notice: [zstd] Condition
notice: [python-cfg] Configuring python...
notice: [python-cfg] Checking interpreter command "python"...
notice: [python-cfg] running command 'DIR /-C /A:S "C:\Users\raffael\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\python.exe" 2>&1'
notice: [python-cfg] running command 'python -c "from sys import *; print('version=%d.%d\nplatform=%s\nprefix=%s\nexec_prefix=%s\nexecutable=%s' % (version_info[0],version_info[1],platform,prefix,exec_prefix,executable))" 2>&1'
notice: [python-cfg] ...does not invoke a working interpreter
notice: [python-cfg] Python headers and libraries not found.
Performing configuration checks

    - default address-model    : 64-bit (cached) [1]
    - default architecture     : x86 (cached) [1]
    - compiler supports SSE2   : yes (cached) [2]
    - compiler supports SSE4.1 : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_static_assert      : yes (cached) [2]
    - has synchronization.lib  : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_variadic_templates : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_decltype           : yes (cached) [2]
    - GCC libquadmath and __float128 support : no  (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_hdr_ratio          : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_template_aliases   : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_char16_t           : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_char32_t           : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx20_hdr_concepts       : no  (cached) [2]
    - cxx20_hdr_concepts       : no  (cached) [3]
    - has std::atomic_ref      : no  (cached) [2]
    - has statx                : no  (cached) [2]
    - has statx syscall        : no  (cached) [2]
    - has BCrypt API           : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_rvalue_references  : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_scoped_enums       : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_noexcept           : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_nullptr            : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_defaulted_functions : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_defaulted_moves    : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_deleted_functions  : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_function_template_default_args : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_final              : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_override           : yes (cached) [2]
    - has init_priority attribute : no  (cached) [2]
    - has stat::st_blksize     : no  (cached) [2]
    - has stat::st_mtim        : no  (cached) [2]
    - has stat::st_mtimensec   : no  (cached) [2]
    - has stat::st_mtimespec   : no  (cached) [2]
    - has stat::st_birthtim    : no  (cached) [2]
    - has stat::st_birthtimensec : no  (cached) [2]
    - has stat::st_birthtimespec : no  (cached) [2]
    - has fdopendir(O_NOFOLLOW) : no  (cached) [2]
    - has dirent::d_type       : no  (cached) [2]
    - has POSIX *at APIs       : no  (cached) [2]
    - has fallocate            : no  (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_auto_declarations  : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_constexpr          : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_hdr_mutex          : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_hdr_tuple          : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_lambdas            : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_thread_local       : yes (cached) [2]
warning: Graph library does not contain MPI-based parallel components.
note: to enable them, add "using mpi ;" to your user-config.jam.
note: to suppress this message, pass "--without-graph_parallel" to bjam.
    - zlib                     : no  (cached) [2]
    - bzip2                    : no  (cached) [2]
    - lzma                     : no  (cached) [2]
    - zstd                     : no  (cached) [2]
    - has_lzma_cputhreads builds : no  (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_basic_alignas      : yes (cached) [2]
notice: [locale] Search ICU in
notice: [locale] Search ICU in
notice: [locale] Search ICU in
notice: [locale] Search ICU in
    - icu                      : no  (cached) [2]
    - iconv (libc)             : no  (cached) [2]
    - iconv (separate)         : no  (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_hdr_functional     : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_hdr_type_traits    : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_range_based_for    : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_smart_ptr          : yes (cached) [2]
    - native atomic int32 supported : yes (cached) [2]
    - has message compiler     : yes (cached) [2]
    - native syslog supported  : no  (cached) [2]
    - pthread supports robust mutexes : no  (cached) [2]
    - Boost.Regex is header-only : yes (cached) [2]
    - compiler supports SSSE3  : yes (cached) [2]
    - compiler supports AVX2   : yes (cached) [2]
    - gcc visibility           : no  (cached) [2]
    - sfinae_expr              : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_unified_initialization_syntax : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_hdr_initializer_list : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_hdr_chrono         : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_numeric_limits     : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_hdr_array          : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_hdr_atomic         : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_allocator          : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_explicit_conversion_operators : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx14_decltype_auto      : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx14_generic_lambdas    : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx14_return_type_deduction : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx14_variable_templates : yes (cached) [2]
    - long double support      : yes (cached) [2]
warning: skipping optional Message Passing Interface (MPI) library.
note: to enable MPI support, add "using mpi ;" to user-config.jam.
note: to suppress this message, pass "--without-mpi" to bjam.
note: otherwise, you can safely ignore this message.
    - Has Large File Support   : yes (cached) [2]
    - Has attribute init_priority : no  (cached) [2]
warning: No python installation configured and autoconfiguration
note: failed.  See http://www.boost.org/libs/python/doc/building.html
note: for configuration instructions or pass --without-python to
note: suppress this message and silently skip all Boost.Python targets
    - has_icu builds           : no  (cached) [2]
    - std_wstreambuf builds    : yes (cached) [2]
    - std_wstreambuf           : yes (cached) [2]
    - libbacktrace builds      : no  (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_rvalue_references  : yes (cached) [3]
    - libbacktrace builds      : no  (cached) [3]
    - addr2line builds         : no  (cached) [2]
    - addr2line builds         : no  (cached) [3]
    - WinDbg builds            : yes (cached) [2]
    - WinDbg builds            : yes (cached) [3]
    - WinDbgCached builds      : yes (cached) [2]
    - BOOST_COMP_GNUC >= 4.3.0 : no  (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_hdr_thread         : yes (cached) [2]
    - cxx11_hdr_regex          : yes (cached) [2]
error: No best alternative for /C:/Users/raffael/Downloads/boost_1_86_0.tar/boost_1_86_0/libs/predef/install with <abi>ms <address-model>32 <architecture>x86 <asynch-exceptions>off <binary-format>pe <boost.beast.allow-deprecated>on <boost.beast.separate-compilation>on <boost.cobalt.executor>any_io_executor <boost.cobalt.pmr>std <boost.process.fs>boost <context-impl>fcontext <coverage>off <debug-store>object <debug-symbols>on <embed-manifest-via>linker <embed-manifest>on <exception-handling>on <extern-c-nothrow>off <inlining>off <known-warnings>hide <link>static <midl-robust>yes <midl-stubless-proxy>yes <optimization>off <os>NT <pch>on <preserve-test-targets>on <profiling>off <python-debugging>off <rtti>on <runtime-debugging>on <runtime-link>shared <stdlib>native <strip>off <target-os>windows <testing.execute>on <threadapi>win32 <threading>multi <toolset-msvc:version>14.3 <toolset>msvc <variant>debug <vectorize>off <visibility>hidden <warnings-as-errors>off <warnings>on <windows-api>desktop <x-deduced-platform>x86_32
    matched: (empty)
    matched: (empty)
    - compiler supports SSE2   : yes (cached) [4]
    - compiler supports SSE4.1 : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_static_assert      : yes (cached) [4]
    - has synchronization.lib  : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_variadic_templates : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_decltype           : yes (cached) [4]
    - GCC libquadmath and __float128 support : no  (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_hdr_ratio          : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_template_aliases   : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_char16_t           : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_char32_t           : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx20_hdr_concepts       : no  (cached) [4]
    - cxx20_hdr_concepts       : no  (cached) [5]
    - has std::atomic_ref      : no  (cached) [4]
    - has statx                : no  (cached) [4]
    - has statx syscall        : no  (cached) [4]
    - has BCrypt API           : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_rvalue_references  : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_scoped_enums       : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_noexcept           : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_nullptr            : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_defaulted_functions : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_defaulted_moves    : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_deleted_functions  : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_function_template_default_args : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_final              : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_override           : yes (cached) [4]
    - has init_priority attribute : no  (cached) [4]
    - has stat::st_blksize     : no  (cached) [4]
    - has stat::st_mtim        : no  (cached) [4]
    - has stat::st_mtimensec   : no  (cached) [4]
    - has stat::st_mtimespec   : no  (cached) [4]
    - has stat::st_birthtim    : no  (cached) [4]
    - has stat::st_birthtimensec : no  (cached) [4]
    - has stat::st_birthtimespec : no  (cached) [4]
    - has fdopendir(O_NOFOLLOW) : no  (cached) [4]
    - has dirent::d_type       : no  (cached) [4]
    - has POSIX *at APIs       : no  (cached) [4]
    - has fallocate            : no  (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_auto_declarations  : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_constexpr          : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_hdr_mutex          : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_hdr_tuple          : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_lambdas            : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_thread_local       : yes (cached) [4]
    - zlib                     : no  (cached) [4]
    - bzip2                    : no  (cached) [4]
    - lzma                     : no  (cached) [4]
    - zstd                     : no  (cached) [4]
    - has_lzma_cputhreads builds : no  (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_basic_alignas      : yes (cached) [4]
notice: [locale] Search ICU in
notice: [locale] Search ICU in
notice: [locale] Search ICU in
notice: [locale] Search ICU in
notice: [locale] Search ICU in
notice: [locale] Search ICU in
    - icu                      : no  (cached) [4]
    - iconv (libc)             : no  (cached) [4]
    - iconv (separate)         : no  (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_hdr_functional     : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_hdr_type_traits    : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_range_based_for    : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_smart_ptr          : yes (cached) [4]
    - native atomic int32 supported : yes (cached) [4]
    - has message compiler     : yes (cached) [4]
    - native syslog supported  : no  (cached) [4]
    - pthread supports robust mutexes : no  (cached) [4]
    - Boost.Regex is header-only : yes (cached) [4]
    - compiler supports SSSE3  : yes (cached) [4]
    - compiler supports AVX2   : yes (cached) [4]
    - gcc visibility           : no  (cached) [4]
    - sfinae_expr              : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_unified_initialization_syntax : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_hdr_initializer_list : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_hdr_chrono         : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_numeric_limits     : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_hdr_array          : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_hdr_atomic         : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_allocator          : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_explicit_conversion_operators : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx14_decltype_auto      : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx14_generic_lambdas    : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx14_return_type_deduction : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx14_variable_templates : yes (cached) [4]
    - long double support      : yes (cached) [4]
    - Has Large File Support   : yes (cached) [4]
    - Has attribute init_priority : no  (cached) [4]
    - has_icu builds           : no  (cached) [4]
    - std_wstreambuf builds    : yes (cached) [4]
    - std_wstreambuf           : yes (cached) [4]
    - libbacktrace builds      : no  (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_rvalue_references  : yes (cached) [5]
    - libbacktrace builds      : no  (cached) [5]
    - addr2line builds         : no  (cached) [4]
    - addr2line builds         : no  (cached) [5]
    - WinDbg builds            : yes (cached) [4]
    - WinDbg builds            : yes (cached) [5]
    - WinDbgCached builds      : yes (cached) [4]
    - BOOST_COMP_GNUC >= 4.3.0 : no  (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_hdr_thread         : yes (cached) [4]
    - cxx11_hdr_regex          : yes (cached) [4]
error: No best alternative for /C:/Users/raffael/Downloads/boost_1_86_0.tar/boost_1_86_0/libs/predef/install with <abi>ms <address-model>32 <architecture>x86 <asynch-exceptions>off <binary-format>pe <boost.beast.allow-deprecated>on <boost.beast.separate-compilation>on <boost.cobalt.executor>any_io_executor <boost.cobalt.pmr>std <boost.process.fs>boost <context-impl>fcontext <coverage>off <debug-store>object <debug-symbols>off <embed-manifest-via>linker <embed-manifest>on <exception-handling>on <extern-c-nothrow>off <inlining>full <known-warnings>hide <link>static <midl-robust>yes <midl-stubless-proxy>yes <optimization>speed <os>NT <pch>on <preserve-test-targets>on <profiling>off <python-debugging>off <rtti>on <runtime-debugging>off <runtime-link>shared <stdlib>native <strip>off <target-os>windows <testing.execute>on <threadapi>win32 <threading>multi <toolset-msvc:version>14.3 <toolset>msvc <variant>release <vectorize>off <visibility>hidden <warnings-as-errors>off <warnings>on <windows-api>desktop <x-deduced-platform>x86_32
    matched: (empty)
    matched: (empty)
    - compiler supports SSE2   : yes (cached) [6]
    - compiler supports SSE4.1 : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_static_assert      : yes (cached) [6]
    - has synchronization.lib  : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_variadic_templates : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_decltype           : yes (cached) [6]
    - GCC libquadmath and __float128 support : no  (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_hdr_ratio          : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_template_aliases   : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_char16_t           : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_char32_t           : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx20_hdr_concepts       : no  (cached) [6]
    - cxx20_hdr_concepts       : no  (cached) [7]
    - has std::atomic_ref      : no  (cached) [6]
    - has statx                : no  (cached) [6]
    - has statx syscall        : no  (cached) [6]
    - has BCrypt API           : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_rvalue_references  : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_scoped_enums       : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_noexcept           : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_nullptr            : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_defaulted_functions : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_defaulted_moves    : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_deleted_functions  : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_function_template_default_args : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_final              : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_override           : yes (cached) [6]
    - has init_priority attribute : no  (cached) [6]
    - has stat::st_blksize     : no  (cached) [6]
    - has stat::st_mtim        : no  (cached) [6]
    - has stat::st_mtimensec   : no  (cached) [6]
    - has stat::st_mtimespec   : no  (cached) [6]
    - has stat::st_birthtim    : no  (cached) [6]
    - has stat::st_birthtimensec : no  (cached) [6]
    - has stat::st_birthtimespec : no  (cached) [6]
    - has fdopendir(O_NOFOLLOW) : no  (cached) [6]
    - has dirent::d_type       : no  (cached) [6]
    - has POSIX *at APIs       : no  (cached) [6]
    - has fallocate            : no  (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_auto_declarations  : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_constexpr          : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_hdr_mutex          : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_hdr_tuple          : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_lambdas            : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_thread_local       : yes (cached) [6]
    - zlib                     : no  (cached) [6]
    - bzip2                    : no  (cached) [6]
    - lzma                     : no  (cached) [6]
    - zstd                     : no  (cached) [6]
    - has_lzma_cputhreads builds : no  (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_basic_alignas      : yes (cached) [6]
notice: [locale] Search 64 bit ICU in
notice: [locale] Search 64 bit ICU in
notice: [locale] Search 64 bit ICU in
notice: [locale] Search 64 bit ICU in
    - icu                      : no  (cached) [6]
    - iconv (libc)             : no  (cached) [6]
    - iconv (separate)         : no  (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_hdr_functional     : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_hdr_type_traits    : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_range_based_for    : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_smart_ptr          : yes (cached) [6]
    - native atomic int32 supported : yes (cached) [6]
    - has message compiler     : yes (cached) [6]
    - native syslog supported  : no  (cached) [6]
    - pthread supports robust mutexes : no  (cached) [6]
    - Boost.Regex is header-only : yes (cached) [6]
    - compiler supports SSSE3  : yes (cached) [6]
    - compiler supports AVX2   : yes (cached) [6]
    - gcc visibility           : no  (cached) [6]
    - sfinae_expr              : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_unified_initialization_syntax : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_hdr_initializer_list : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_hdr_chrono         : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_numeric_limits     : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_hdr_array          : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_hdr_atomic         : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_allocator          : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_explicit_conversion_operators : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx14_decltype_auto      : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx14_generic_lambdas    : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx14_return_type_deduction : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx14_variable_templates : yes (cached) [6]
    - long double support      : yes (cached) [6]
    - Has Large File Support   : yes (cached) [6]
    - Has attribute init_priority : no  (cached) [6]
    - has_icu builds           : no  (cached) [6]
    - std_wstreambuf builds    : yes (cached) [6]
    - std_wstreambuf           : yes (cached) [6]
    - libbacktrace builds      : no  (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_rvalue_references  : yes (cached) [7]
    - libbacktrace builds      : no  (cached) [7]
    - addr2line builds         : no  (cached) [6]
    - addr2line builds         : no  (cached) [7]
    - WinDbg builds            : yes (cached) [6]
    - WinDbg builds            : yes (cached) [7]
    - WinDbgCached builds      : yes (cached) [6]
    - BOOST_COMP_GNUC >= 4.3.0 : no  (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_hdr_thread         : yes (cached) [6]
    - cxx11_hdr_regex          : yes (cached) [6]
error: No best alternative for /C:/Users/raffael/Downloads/boost_1_86_0.tar/boost_1_86_0/libs/predef/install with <abi>ms <address-model>64 <architecture>x86 <asynch-exceptions>off <binary-format>pe <boost.beast.allow-deprecated>on <boost.beast.separate-compilation>on <boost.cobalt.executor>any_io_executor <boost.cobalt.pmr>std <boost.process.fs>boost <context-impl>fcontext <coverage>off <debug-store>object <debug-symbols>on <embed-manifest-via>linker <embed-manifest>on <exception-handling>on <extern-c-nothrow>off <inlining>off <known-warnings>hide <link>static <midl-robust>yes <midl-stubless-proxy>yes <optimization>off <os>NT <pch>on <preserve-test-targets>on <profiling>off <python-debugging>off <rtti>on <runtime-debugging>on <runtime-link>shared <stdlib>native <strip>off <target-os>windows <testing.execute>on <threadapi>win32 <threading>multi <toolset-msvc:version>14.3 <toolset>msvc <variant>debug <vectorize>off <visibility>hidden <warnings-as-errors>off <warnings>on <windows-api>desktop <x-deduced-platform>x86_64
    matched: (empty)
    matched: (empty)
    - compiler supports SSE2   : yes (cached) [8]
    - compiler supports SSE4.1 : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_static_assert      : yes (cached) [8]
    - has synchronization.lib  : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_variadic_templates : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_decltype           : yes (cached) [8]
    - GCC libquadmath and __float128 support : no  (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_hdr_ratio          : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_template_aliases   : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_char16_t           : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_char32_t           : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx20_hdr_concepts       : no  (cached) [8]
    - cxx20_hdr_concepts       : no  (cached) [9]
    - has std::atomic_ref      : no  (cached) [8]
    - has statx                : no  (cached) [8]
    - has statx syscall        : no  (cached) [8]
    - has BCrypt API           : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_rvalue_references  : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_scoped_enums       : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_noexcept           : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_nullptr            : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_defaulted_functions : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_defaulted_moves    : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_deleted_functions  : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_function_template_default_args : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_final              : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_override           : yes (cached) [8]
    - has init_priority attribute : no  (cached) [8]
    - has stat::st_blksize     : no  (cached) [8]
    - has stat::st_mtim        : no  (cached) [8]
    - has stat::st_mtimensec   : no  (cached) [8]
    - has stat::st_mtimespec   : no  (cached) [8]
    - has stat::st_birthtim    : no  (cached) [8]
    - has stat::st_birthtimensec : no  (cached) [8]
    - has stat::st_birthtimespec : no  (cached) [8]
    - has fdopendir(O_NOFOLLOW) : no  (cached) [8]
    - has dirent::d_type       : no  (cached) [8]
    - has POSIX *at APIs       : no  (cached) [8]
    - has fallocate            : no  (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_auto_declarations  : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_constexpr          : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_hdr_mutex          : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_hdr_tuple          : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_lambdas            : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_thread_local       : yes (cached) [8]
    - zlib                     : no  (cached) [8]
    - bzip2                    : no  (cached) [8]
    - lzma                     : no  (cached) [8]
    - zstd                     : no  (cached) [8]
    - has_lzma_cputhreads builds : no  (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_basic_alignas      : yes (cached) [8]
notice: [locale] Search 64 bit ICU in
notice: [locale] Search 64 bit ICU in
notice: [locale] Search 64 bit ICU in
notice: [locale] Search 64 bit ICU in
notice: [locale] Search 64 bit ICU in
notice: [locale] Search 64 bit ICU in
    - icu                      : no  (cached) [8]
    - iconv (libc)             : no  (cached) [8]
    - iconv (separate)         : no  (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_hdr_functional     : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_hdr_type_traits    : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_range_based_for    : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_smart_ptr          : yes (cached) [8]
    - native atomic int32 supported : yes (cached) [8]
    - has message compiler     : yes (cached) [8]
    - native syslog supported  : no  (cached) [8]
    - pthread supports robust mutexes : no  (cached) [8]
    - Boost.Regex is header-only : yes (cached) [8]
    - compiler supports SSSE3  : yes (cached) [8]
    - compiler supports AVX2   : yes (cached) [8]
    - gcc visibility           : no  (cached) [8]
    - sfinae_expr              : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_unified_initialization_syntax : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_hdr_initializer_list : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_hdr_chrono         : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_numeric_limits     : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_hdr_array          : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_hdr_atomic         : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_allocator          : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_explicit_conversion_operators : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx14_decltype_auto      : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx14_generic_lambdas    : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx14_return_type_deduction : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx14_variable_templates : yes (cached) [8]
    - long double support      : yes (cached) [8]
    - Has Large File Support   : yes (cached) [8]
    - Has attribute init_priority : no  (cached) [8]
    - has_icu builds           : no  (cached) [8]
    - std_wstreambuf builds    : yes (cached) [8]
    - std_wstreambuf           : yes (cached) [8]
    - libbacktrace builds      : no  (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_rvalue_references  : yes (cached) [9]
    - libbacktrace builds      : no  (cached) [9]
    - addr2line builds         : no  (cached) [8]
    - addr2line builds         : no  (cached) [9]
    - WinDbg builds            : yes (cached) [8]
    - WinDbg builds            : yes (cached) [9]
    - WinDbgCached builds      : yes (cached) [8]
    - BOOST_COMP_GNUC >= 4.3.0 : no  (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_hdr_thread         : yes (cached) [8]
    - cxx11_hdr_regex          : yes (cached) [8]
error: No best alternative for /C:/Users/raffael/Downloads/boost_1_86_0.tar/boost_1_86_0/libs/predef/install with <abi>ms <address-model>64 <architecture>x86 <asynch-exceptions>off <binary-format>pe <boost.beast.allow-deprecated>on <boost.beast.separate-compilation>on <boost.cobalt.executor>any_io_executor <boost.cobalt.pmr>std <boost.process.fs>boost <context-impl>fcontext <coverage>off <debug-store>object <debug-symbols>off <embed-manifest-via>linker <embed-manifest>on <exception-handling>on <extern-c-nothrow>off <inlining>full <known-warnings>hide <link>static <midl-robust>yes <midl-stubless-proxy>yes <optimization>speed <os>NT <pch>on <preserve-test-targets>on <profiling>off <python-debugging>off <rtti>on <runtime-debugging>off <runtime-link>shared <stdlib>native <strip>off <target-os>windows <testing.execute>on <threadapi>win32 <threading>multi <toolset-msvc:version>14.3 <toolset>msvc <variant>release <vectorize>off <visibility>hidden <warnings-as-errors>off <warnings>on <windows-api>desktop <x-deduced-platform>x86_64
    matched: (empty)
    matched: (empty)

[1] msvc-14.3
[2] msvc-14.3/debug/x86_32/link-static/threadapi-win32/threading-multi/visibility-hidden
[3] msvc-14.3/debug/x86_32/build-no/link-static/threadapi-win32/threading-multi/visibility-hidden
[4] msvc-14.3/release/x86_32/link-static/threadapi-win32/threading-multi/visibility-hidden
[5] msvc-14.3/release/x86_32/build-no/link-static/threadapi-win32/threading-multi/visibility-hidden
[6] msvc-14.3/debug/x86_64/link-static/threadapi-win32/threading-multi/visibility-hidden
[7] msvc-14.3/debug/x86_64/build-no/link-static/threadapi-win32/threading-multi/visibility-hidden
[8] msvc-14.3/release/x86_64/link-static/threadapi-win32/threading-multi/visibility-hidden
[9] msvc-14.3/release/x86_64/build-no/link-static/threadapi-win32/threading-multi/visibility-hidden

Component configuration:

    - atomic                   : building
    - charconv                 : building
    - chrono                   : building
    - cobalt                   : building
    - container                : building
    - context                  : building
    - contract                 : building
    - coroutine                : building
    - date_time                : building
    - exception                : building
    - fiber                    : building
    - filesystem               : building
    - graph                    : building
    - graph_parallel           : building
    - headers                  : building
    - iostreams                : building
    - json                     : building
    - locale                   : building
    - log                      : building
    - math                     : building
    - mpi                      : building
    - nowide                   : building
    - process                  : building
    - program_options          : building
    - python                   : building
    - random                   : building
    - regex                    : building
    - serialization            : building
    - stacktrace               : building
    - system                   : building
    - test                     : building
    - thread                   : building
    - timer                    : building
    - type_erasure             : building
    - url                      : building
    - wave                     : building
    - predef                   : building

...patience...
...patience...
...patience...
...patience...
...patience...
...patience...
...found 62941 targets...

[grisumbras]

This is either a bug in Predef or (more likely) in Boost superproject. You can try to work around it by adding --without-predef flag to your b2 invocation.

[craffael]

Adding --without-predef works :) Should I file an issue with Boost Predef?

[grafikrobot]

It's not a problem with Predef. It's either B2 or boost_install or the boost-root/Jamroot. I've been investigating what the problem is exactly for a couple days. Still working on it.

[grafikrobot]

The problem appears to be a combination of the changes to boost-root/Jamroot to support modular building that went into the release and the lack of the corresponding changes in boost_install (boostorg/boost_install#69). Those boost_install changes has logic to avoid using install and stage extra targets if the library doesn't have appropriate install/stage targets.

Not sure how we can proceed here. The next Boost release will almost certainly have the boost_install change and work correctly. And there's a work-around with the --without-predef option. But a hot patch is also possible by disabling the auto install line in the jamroot (https://github.com/boostorg/boost/blob/boost-1.86.0/Jamroot#L427).