Multi-thread debugging with gdb on RedHat 9.0

I am trying to get a version of gdb that will debug multi-threaded applications - running under RH 9. I have scoured the web and found the information on "info threads" and "thread 1" - and as described, these commands are ignored or error our. I also get the signature "Program received signal SIG32, Real-time event 32." error each time a new thread is created.

I downloaded the source for 5.3 and built it and added some debug statements. I initially saw that /lib/tls/libthread_db.so.1 was being loaded and had an "undefined symbol: ps_get_thread_area". I then tried removing that version of libthread_db.so.1 - so that /lib/libthread_db.so.1 gets loaded without errors. Even once I forced this, and verified that the library loaded correctly, gdb still exhibited the same problems as before.

Is there something I am missing? Is there a problem with RH9 that forever prevents this? Any help would be wonderful!