10.11.6 Mac DNS Server config corrupt

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10.11.6 Mac DNS Server config corrupt

I have a 10.11.6 Mac mini DNS Server (5.2). Starting a few days ago, I get an error message whenever I try to get into the DNS Server administration about the configuration not being able to be read properly and therefore the "Service functionality and administration might be affected".

/Library/Server/named still contains all the DNS entries, configs etc and the service is seemingly still running as it it is properly resolving DNS calls.

It's just that the DNS list is empty when I enter the Mac Server app DNS configuration.

For the moment, the Server is running as-is and untouched. I can work on a clone drive I am able to boot an unconnected Mac mini from. So far I can confirm that neither a restart of the DNS service nor a restart of the whole Server has any affect on the error.

Is there a way to "reconnect" to the existing settings? Since there is also a Kerio Mailserver running on the Mac mini and Apple will slowly reducing Server Services in the long run anyway, I would like to stay on 10.11 for a while. So an update is not really an option. Also, I would greatly appreciate it if I wouldn't have to reenter all DNS entries. Especially without knowing what the error is to begin with.

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6), Mac Server 5.2

Posted on Oct 2, 2018 1:56 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

John Lockwood

Level 6

13,697 points

Oct 8, 2018 3:44 AM in response to Thomas Alt

Server.app is merely a pretty frontend to the BIND aka Named software that runs in the background. It could be that the error you are seeing is only causing a minor if any issue to BIND but Server.app is being a lot more fussy. Hence why it runs in the background but Server.app will not show it properly.

As you found the config files are in /Library/Server/named there will be a 'zone' file per domain. You could make copies of them all to start with so you have a backup and then stop the DNS server, remove all but one and try starting it and see if it is happy. Then add the rest one by one, stopping and starting it each time until you find the one causing a problem.

Once you have found the problem file you need to examine it to find the line in it causing the problem or recreate it via Server.app

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Answer 2

MrHoffman

Level 10

147,671 points

Oct 8, 2018 5:11 AM in response to Thomas Alt

If by “slowly” you mean “all at once” and if you mean “long run” you mean now, sure.

Of all the network services that previous versions of Server.app provided, DNS is one of the easier and more isolated network services to relocate to new software on macOS, or to relocate to another server or network device that’s not running macOS.

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10.11.6 Mac DNS Server config corrupt

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