After I closed the creash window it had more to say and then crashed again. Here is the complete text of what running the command from the command line gives:

# kbuildsycoca
Warning: kbuildsycoca is unable to register with DCOP.
kbuildsycoca running...
Link points to "/tmp/ksocket-root"
Link points to "/tmp/kde-root"
kbuildsycoca running...
KCrash: Application 'kbuildsycoca' crashing...
kdeinit: Shutting down running client.
---------------------------------
It looks like dcopserver is already running. If you are sure
that it is not already running, remove /root/.DCOPserver_lemix.tmcaz.com__0
and start dcopserver again.
---------------------------------

KCrash: Application 'kbuildsycoca' crashing...
kdeinit: Communication error with launcher. Exiting!
DCOP aborting (delayed) call from 'kded' to 'klauncher'
---------------------------------
It looks like dcopserver is already running. If you are sure
that it is not already running, remove /root/.DCOPserver_lemix.tmcaz.com__0
and start dcopserver again.
---------------------------------

KDE Daemon (kded) already running.

can you please compile from source or get fedora debuginfo packages?

Paul, this one is likely distro-specific, so it would be a good idea to report this to bugzilla.redhat.com too (and mention *this* bug)

I installed the debuginfo packages for kde:
# kbuildsycoca
Warning: kbuildsycoca is unable to register with DCOP.
kbuildsycoca running...
Link points to "/tmp/ksocket-root"
Link points to "/tmp/kde-root"
kbuildsycoca running...
KCrash: Application 'kbuildsycoca' crashing...
kdeinit: Shutting down running client.
---------------------------------
It looks like dcopserver is already running. If you are sure
that it is not already running, remove /root/.DCOPserver_lemix.tmcaz.com__0
and start dcopserver again.
---------------------------------

KCrash: Application 'kbuildsycoca' crashing...
kdeinit: Communication error with launcher. Exiting!
DCOP aborting (delayed) call from 'kded' to 'klauncher'
---------------------------------
It looks like dcopserver is already running. If you are sure
that it is not already running, remove /root/.DCOPserver_lemix.tmcaz.com__0
and start dcopserver again.
---------------------------------

KDE Daemon (kded) already running.
#

PRODUCES:


Using host libthread_db library "/lib/libthread_db.so.1".
`shared object read from target memory' has disappeared; keeping its symbols.
[Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled]
[New Thread -1208583376 (LWP 24984)]
[KCrash handler]
#6  0x068bf075 in ?? ()
#7  0x00f87433 in QGDictIterator::toFirst ()
   from /usr/lib/qt-3.3/lib/libqt-mt.so.3
#8  0x00f8975c in QGDictIterator::QGDictIterator$base ()
   from /usr/lib/qt-3.3/lib/libqt-mt.so.3
#9  0x0011e93e in VFolderMenu::excludeItems (this=0x88130c0, 
    items1=0x88128f0, items2=0x8a31144) at /usr/lib/qt-3.3/include/qdict.h:104
#10 0x001224b4 in VFolderMenu::mergeMenu (this=0x88130c0, menu1=0x88128c8, 
    menu2=0x8a31100, reversePriority=false) at vfolder_menu.cpp:190
#11 0x00125b25 in VFolderMenu::processMenu (this=0x88130c0, 
    docElem=@0xbfe870b0, pass=0) at vfolder_menu.cpp:1401
#12 0x00129b92 in VFolderMenu::parseMenu (this=0x88130c0, file=@0xbfe871a8, 
    forceLegacyLoad=true) at vfolder_menu.cpp:1611
#13 0x0011308e in KBuildSycoca::build (this=0x81e8888) at kbuildsycoca.cpp:384
#14 0x001138c0 in KBuildSycoca::recreate (this=0x81e8888)
    at kbuildsycoca.cpp:519
#15 0x00114136 in kdemain (argc=1, argv=0xbfe87664) at kbuildsycoca.cpp:924
#16 0x0090b4ff in __libc_start_main () from /lib/libc.so.6
#17 0x080483e9 in _start ()

After upgrading to kdelibs-3.5.2-0.1.fc5, this is no longer a problem for me. 

Ok. I upgraded to FC5 in hopes that this would solve this problem. Actually I was planning on upgrading anyway but that is besides the point. Much to my disapointment the error persists:

# uname -a
Linux lemix.tmcaz.com 2.6.16-1.2096_FC5smp #1 SMP Wed Apr 19 05:31:55 EDT 2006 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux


Using host libthread_db library "/lib/libthread_db.so.1".
`shared object read from target memory' has disappeared; keeping its symbols.
[Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled]
[New Thread -1208505488 (LWP 5714)]
[KCrash handler]
#6  0x04c547d1 in QGDictIterator::toFirst ()
   from /usr/lib/qt-3.3/lib/libqt-mt.so.3
#7  0x04c5485a in QGDictIterator::QGDictIterator$base ()
   from /usr/lib/qt-3.3/lib/libqt-mt.so.3
#8  0x00164ff6 in VFolderMenu::excludeItems (this=0x9348f98, 
    items1=0x9349e10, items2=0x96d609c) at /usr/lib/qt-3.3/include/qdict.h:104
#9  0x0016ad1f in VFolderMenu::mergeMenu (this=0x9348f98, menu1=0x9349de8, 
    menu2=0x96d6058, reversePriority=false) at vfolder_menu.cpp:190
#10 0x0016c9fe in VFolderMenu::processMenu (this=0x9348f98, 
    docElem=@0xbfd9a0c0, pass=0) at vfolder_menu.cpp:1401
#11 0x001730d5 in VFolderMenu::parseMenu (this=0x9348f98, file=@0xbfd9a1a8, 
    forceLegacyLoad=true) at vfolder_menu.cpp:1611
#12 0x00176299 in KBuildSycoca::build (this=0x8b7f570) at kbuildsycoca.cpp:384
#13 0x00176802 in KBuildSycoca::recreate (this=0x8b7f570)
    at kbuildsycoca.cpp:519
#14 0x00177194 in kdemain (argc=2, argv=0x8b5b320) at kbuildsycoca.cpp:924
#15 0x0014f544 in kdeinitmain (argc=2, argv=0x8b5b320)
    at kbuildsycoca_dummy.cpp:3
#16 0x0804e3ff in launch (argc=2, _name=0x8b5b5a4 "kbuildsycoca", 
    args=0x8b5b5be "", cwd=0x0, envc=0, envs=0x8b5b5c3 "", reset_env=false, 
    tty=0x0, avoid_loops=false, startup_id_str=0x8b5b5c7 "") at kinit.cpp:639
#17 0x0804eb49 in handle_launcher_request (sock=8) at kinit.cpp:1205
#18 0x0804f048 in handle_requests (waitForPid=0) at kinit.cpp:1406
#19 0x0804f8ec in main (argc=2, argv=0xbfd9adb4, envp=0xbfd9adc0)
    at kinit.cpp:1850
#20 0x00a2d7e4 in __libc_start_main () from /lib/libc.so.6
#21 0x0804b7e1 in _start ()

Does this occur for all users, or just one in particular?

I am the only user of the box but I don't think that is what you are asking. I always login as a non-privilaged user. It always crashes when I boot and KDE starts my desktop. It will also occasionally crash during a "yum" update when I am su'ed to root.

Does this answer your question??

No.  For example, does it occur if you login as root too? 

I had to have a stern conversation with KDE but finally convinced it to allow me to login as root. When I did, it came up without error. When I logged out and logged in as myself I get the error.

After a suggestion was made on the Fedora list, I tried copying /etc/xdg/menu from a clean install of FC5 in place of what was there and the problem was recitifed. 

This is clearly a bypass to the problem and not a real solution. 

Though the poll is small in number, this may be a problem connected with an installation of crossover office.

$ diff -r  working_menus not_working_menus/
Only in not_working_menus/applications-merged: cxlegacy.menu
Only in working_menus: gnome-screensavers.menu
Only in not_working_menus/kde-applications-merged: cxlegacy.menu
Only in working_menus/preferences-post-merged: gnome-screensaver-hide-xscreensaver.menu

$ cat cxlegacy.menu
<!DOCTYPE Menu PUBLIC "-//freedesktop//DTD Menu 1.0//EN" "http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/menu-spec/1.0/menu.dtd">
<!-- File Created by CrossOver Office cxmenu -->
<Menu>
  <Name>Applications</Name>
<LegacyDir>/opt/cxoffice/support/xdg-legacy-menus</LegacyDir></Menu>

It has been confirmed:

/etc/xdg/menus/applications-merged/cxlegacy.menu
is the one causing the problem. It is missing a <Menu> node wrapped around 
the <LegacyDir> tags

I am fine with this being the resolution but I am not the developer. Were I the developer, I think I would want my code to do something more responsible than crashing without any footprint as to why I crashed. Armed with the cause of the failure I would know where to look and could probably fix it so that it did not crash pretty easily. ;-)

*** Bug 127916 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Maybe here (line 190):

#3  0x00cdee1f in VFolderMenu::mergeMenu (this=0x9ce2ed8, menu1=0x9ce3fb8,
    menu2=0x9ec4210, reversePriority=false) at vfolder_menu.cpp:190
190           excludeItems(&(menu1->items), &(menu2->excludeItems));
(gdb) list
185           includeItems(&(menu1->excludeItems), &(menu2->excludeItems));
186        }
187        else
188        {
189           // Merge menu1 with menu2, menu2 takes precedent
190           excludeItems(&(menu1->items), &(menu2->excludeItems));
191           includeItems(&(menu1->items), &(menu2->items));
192           includeItems(&(menu1->excludeItems), &(menu2->excludeItems));
193           menu1->isDeleted = menu2->isDeleted;
194        }

We need a check that menu2->excludeItems is not empty?  Maybe earlier in processMenu?

In my case it's a non-existent directory:

.config/menus/applications-merged/cxlegacy.menu:
<!DOCTYPE Menu PUBLIC "-//freedesktop//DTD Menu 1.0//EN" "http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/menu-spec/1.0/menu.dtd">
<!-- File Created by CrossOver Office cxmenu -->
<Menu>
  <Name>Applications</Name>
<LegacyDir>/export/home/orion/cxoffice/support/xdg-legacy-menus</LegacyDir></Menu>

/export/home/orion/cxoffice/ no longer exists.

Clearly, a check for referenced, but non-existent menu (legacy)dirs is warranted, Confirming.

*** Bug 142798 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Any news about this bug being on KDE4 too ? Thanks

Fairly certain latest kde4 has this squashed.