Incorrect namerservers, errors changing them.

D

Dannik

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Jan 7, 2009
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Netherlands
Hi,

I am running 2 servers using DirectAdmin. As the hardware of the first server is getting old and the second one is new I want to transfer all account from server 1 to server 2. I'm doing this by making admin backups on server 1 and restoring them on server 2.
Server 2 uses different nameservers. Let's say the namerservers on server 1 are ns1. and ns2.mydomain.tld and on server 2 they are ns3. and ns4.mydomain.tld. These settings are done in both admin and reseller levels where appropriate.

After restoring I needed to change some DNS-setting, on user-level, like the nameservers. All DNS information is correct and works as expected. So no problem here (I used user-level because some accounts contain multiple domains and this works faster).

However, I noticed not al settings were changed correctly! When I edit the transferred accounts (reseller-lever, list users, click one) I can see all settings for these account, including the nameservers. However, these are incorrect! It still shows ns1. and ns2. instead of ns3. and ns4.
How is this possible?

Second thing (and this is even worse): when I want to change these setting I get an ugly error (copied from the system log):
Unable to save zone domain.tld: named-zonecheck returned:
loading "domain.tld" from "/var/named/domain.tld.db.temp" class "IN"
dns_master_load: /var/named/domain.tld.db.temp:18: empty label
zone domain.tld/IN: loading from master file /var/named/domain.tld.db.temp failed: empty label
zone domain.tld/IN: not loaded due to errors.

Fortunately the information appears to be updated when reloading the user information.
When playing around with it I discovered the error only appears when nameserver1 is changed. When changing only nameserver2 it says ok. Also, it keeps giving the errors when editing for a second of third time.
What makes it really strange: when I entered the DNS settings (on admin level) I noticed the nameservers were quite a bit of a mess (multiple namerservers, old and new). After correcting this (leaving only 1 nameserver) and returning to the user information, I could change the nameservers without any error and DNS information now keeps correct! So somehow some setttings seem to bee blocked or something?

When I restore a backup and directly change only the nameservers in the account-information screen everything seems to work without errors.

Danny
 
If I understand you correctly, then...

This has been discussed previously. When you're using Multi-Server Option and restoring sites from one of the servers to another, you first need to turn off Multi-Server Option.

Are you removing the first machine from server? When I move everything from one machine to another I usually just point the old nameserver names to the new nameserver IP#s; that way my clients don't have to go to their registrars to change their nameservers.

Jeff
 
Hi Jeff,

No, I'm not using multiserver. Otherwise I would have understand it.
Both servers are not linked and the only thing they have in common is one domain on which the nameservers are set, but different for each server.

The workaround (delete the first namerserver through DNS settings on admin level, then correct both nameservers in the user-account) solves it for me, but I don't think it is ment this way.

I myself am the registrar so my clients don't have to do anything. It is indeed a lot of work this way, but there are several reasons for doing this. For example: the scripts on some domains require some rewriting and this consumes too mucht time to do them all at once.

Danny
 
I really don't have a good enough understanding of the problem to risk guessing. But if you're writing about the new server, and you're having a problem with DNS records not changing after the site is restored on the new server, then it may be a problem with you templates being used to write the DNS on the new server (they may be not be using variables).

Without logging in and studying the problem, I just don't know.

I and others on these forums offer commercial administration services. If you're interested in commercial administration services feel free to send me an email at the address below in my siglines.

Jeff
 
Thanks for the offer, but like I said I found a workaround to solve this. Also I noticed I have to change the nameservers on the user account before I change anything else in the dns on userlevel.

After starting this thread I noticed that restoring with local nameservers was not checked in the admin-backup. I haven't transferred any account yet with this option set on, but I think this also will prevent my issue :)

One question though, you mention "the new service". What do you mean by that?

Danny
 
I should have written the new server. I've edited my post.

Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Jeff
 
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