unknown host exception: unknown host

Cause

The user tries to install Sun Directory Services 1.0 using the Java front end. During the installation, an error occurs: unknown host exception: unknown host. Then the Services displays the host name with domain name appended twice.

Action

The user had the following line in /etc/nsswitch.conf: hosts: dns files.

By changing the line to point first to files and then to DNS, hosts: files dns, the problem was resolved.

Other considerations: This error could also happen if you are using a fully qualified host name. Make sure your host name does not have the domain appended. If you use a fully qualified host name, the domain is appended twice. Also, verify that the domain name specified in /etc/resolv.conf is a reachable domain.