[comp.sys.next] NeXT mail wont work

markad@blake.acs.washington.edu (Mark Donnell) (03/30/90)

We have 2 NeXTs in our lab which we (read: I) have been using
quite happily since 0.8. But, recently one of them developed
a mail problem which we cannot cure. Now the other one has
it. Its getting a little annoying. HELP!

The primary symptom is that mail will return with 'Host Unknown'
anytime we try to mail to someone with a full internet machine
name. It mails fine if mailed to an abbreviated machine name.
ie:  mail to markad@isdl.ee.washington.edu bounces
     mail to markad@isdl works
     mail to markad works

It does not affect anything but mail, and it affects all mail 
programs.  We are not on a NeXT network. It doesn't matter
where we mail it (even to the same machine).

When this initially occured on the first machine, I diff'ed
all files I could come up with that might be related to mail
between it and the other machine (which worked fine). No
difference, but I copied 'em over anyway to make sure. Didn't
fix it. We ignored it for a while but it didn't go away.
Now, about a week ago, the second machine did the same thing.

It is a real hassle having to rlogin to another machine and 
mail when we have a neat little interface to do it for us. 

If you have any suggestions or have had similar problems,
clue me in.

Thanks ahead of time. 
Mark
markad@isdl.ee.washington.edu