problem with history

[Philippe Errembault]

Configuration Information [Automatically generated, do not change]:
Machine: i686
OS: linux-gnu
Compiler: gcc
Compilation
CFLAGS: -DPROGRAM='bash' -DCONF_HOSTTYPE='i686' -DCONF_OSTYPE='linux-gnu' 
-DCONF_MACHTYPE='i686-pc-linux-gnu' -DCONF_VENDOR='pc' -DL
OCALEDIR='//share/locale' -DPACKAGE='bash' -DSHELL -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I. -I. 
-I./include -I./lib -g -O2
uname output: Linux Nestor 2.4.18-14 #1 Wed Sep 4 13:35:50 EDT 2002 i686 i686 
i386 GNU/Linux
Machine Type: i686-pc-linux-gnu
Bash Version: 3.0
Patch Level: 0
Release Status: release
Description:
    when you look for the previous command in the history, the command you 
leaves overwrite the top of history command.
Repeat-By:
    type a few dummy commands (e.g. "echo 1" to "echo 5")
    begin to type a new command (let's say "ls /blah")
    then just to check how you wrote a previous command, scroll four lines up 
the "echo 2" command.
    Now go back to continue typing your "ls /blah..." command and...
    oh surprise, it has been overwritten with the "echo 3" command,
    -> you may now retype it all.