By default, or if the option --exceptions is specified, the image can contain exception tables. Exception tables are discarded silently if no code throws an exception. However, if the option --no_exceptions is specified, the linker generates an error if any exceptions tables are present after unused sections have been eliminated.

You can use the --no_exceptions option to ensure that your code is exceptions free. The linker generates an error message to highlight that exceptions have been found and does not produce a final image.

However, you can use the --no_exceptions option with the --diag_warning option to downgrade the error message to a warning. The linker produces a final image but also generates a message to warn you that exceptions have been found.