This all sounds very much like a common problem with Squeak on linux: getting the right order byte/word ordering. Check past emails for references to DOUBLE_WORD_ORDER.

Cheers,
Bob

On Sat, 30 Aug 2003 14:16:10 -0400 alangrimes at starpower.net wrote:
>ACTIONS: 
>
>1. Latest VM snapshot downloaded from public FTP and placed in
>"experamental" directory.
>2. Image updated with today's patches via "load code updates".
>3. Packages VMMaker and Baloon3D downloaded individually from Squeak
>Map.
>4. Fresh VM generated from latest sources. 
>5. Image run with fresh VM. 
>6. Object Catalog > 3D > Cube3D selected. 
>7. "Red Box" instead of expected 3D morph, pluss the following errors. 
>
>30 August 2003 2:10:57 pm
>
>VM: unix - Squeak3.6beta of '4 July 2003' [latest update: #5411]
>Image: Squeak3.6beta [latest update: #5411]
>
>Float(Object)>>error:
>	Receiver: NaN
>	Arguments and temporary variables: 
>		aString: 	'Error: sqrt is invalid for x < 0'
>	Receiver's instance variables: