sendmail / mailx

[Richard Woolley]

One of my hp-ux 11 machines wont send mail, i found this is due to a file called nsswitch.conf. However when i fix it and set all the entries to files. It will work until its next reboot (at weekends) and it seems to go back to trying DNS. Has anyone got the steps of how I can keep these settings even after the machine reboots?

[Ian Dennison_1]

This is /etc/nsswitch.conf?

That is really weird; are you sure the reboot is not reconfiguring or re-installing a package?

Share and Enjoy! Ian

[Richard Woolley]

Im not sure about that, how could i check that it is trying to re/install packages?

Its funny because today i have it working but chances are i'll have to mess about with files and stop/start the sendmail daemon again

[Ian Dennison_1]

Get a look at the nsswitch file's date and time stamp after a reboot, then scan through /etc/rc.log to find out what was happening at that particular date/time.

Silly question: Are the changes you made in a valid format, perhaps internet services are rejecting the changes?

Share and Enjoy! Ian

[Ceesjan van Hattum]

Maybe a bit overdone, but are you sure that you configured /etc/mail/sendmail.cf correct?
Most common mistakes are made by incorrect Dj$w (your domain) and DS (relay host).
As far as i know sendmail doest not resolve names using nsswitch.conf whatsoever.

Greetings,
Ceesjan

[T G Manikandan]

Hello,
You have configured your machine to a dns server.As you configure your machine to a DNS server you get a entry in the /etc/resolv.conf file with the
domain name
DNS server ip-add

Then you have the file /etc/nsswitch.conf file to search order for resolving the hostnames.
So if you do not want to use your DNS server then remove the entries from the /etc/resolv.conf file and edit your /etc/nsswitch.conf to use files to resolve your hostname.

Thanks
G Manikandan

[Sanjay_6 · Accepted solution]

Hi Mark,

If you don't want the sendmail to use DNS, edit the file /etc/mail/service.switch. Change the entry for "hosts".

Hope this helps.

Regds

[Richard Woolley]

I shall have to keep my eye on the time/date stamp of the nsswitch.conf file after the reboot this weekend.

sendmail.cf file is correct.
I have been told sendmail will try and use DNS if it is in the nsswitch.conf file (even if it is the 2nd or 3rd entry), so DNS must be removed from this altogether which i have done.
Our unix servers do not use DNS and the nsswitch.conf file is good.

thanks for all your ideas and support everyone. I'll see how it goes on monday.

cheers,

:)