okay so here's what i found for my existing libs:
Z:\kJams\External\boost_1_68_0\stage\lib>dumpbin libboost_thread-vc141-mt-gd-x64-1_68.lib /headers | findstr machine
14C machine (x86)
and i'm like... WHAT? this bin file SAYS "x64" in it's name, yet it's geared to an x86 machine?? How is that possible? why would that happen? any idea? that's not something i would have ever thought to question.
Okay so i'm going to rebuild the whole boost kitt'n-kaboodle. fine.
since i'm rebuilding, i'm going with 1.69.
when i build, running the command line tools for VS2017, of course. i'm just doing the default everything, like this:
bootstrap
.\b2
right? i am assuming it's going to build 64bit, am i wrong?
but i see this quite a bit:
c:\python27\include\pymath.h(22): warning C4273: 'round': inconsistent dll linkage
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\include\10.0.17134.0\ucrt\corecrt_math.h(533): note: see previous definition of 'round'
should i be worried?
this build results in the following:
Z:\kJams\External\boost_1_69_0\stage\lib>dumpbin libboost_system-vc141-mt-gd-x64-1_69.lib /headers | findstr machine
8664 machine (x64)
and that seems more like it.
AND HOLY CATS that was the whole problem!!
Thanks everyone for the hints and tips. I hope this topic helps someone in the future!!