using latest VS2010 and llvm/clang 10.0.0 release (10.0.1 is a litte bit more recent but no windows builds available) compiler set to 2017 microsoft-cl in VS2017: libboost_serialization-vc141-mt-gd-x32-1_74.lib compiler set to clang-cl in VS2017: libboost_serialization-clangw10-mt-gd-x32-1_74.lib that behavior is new to 1.74 - older boosts versions 1.69..1.73 would use the vc141 libs what makes sense because clang-cl is the microsoft-cl compatible replacement normaly there is no need to switch any external libs when using clang-cl instead of microsoft-cl