hostname doesn't stick

[jdow]

From: "Tim" <ignored_mailbox at yahoo.com.au>
> Tim:
>>> 127.0.0.1  localhost.localdomain  localhost
>>> 
>>> For some reason, Fedora likes to put the machine name into the 127.0.0.1
>>> line, sometimes, despite all the problems that it can cause.
> 
> jdow:
>> Did you do something silly like modify /etc/sysconfig/network? What
>> does it currently say? It should say:
>> NETWORKING=yes
>> HOSTNAME=localhost.localdomain
>> 
>> If not you did something to modify it and you have localhost being
>> renamed. Otherwise you may have nasty little spirits camping out
>> digitally on your machine.
> 
> Nup, nothing like that.  I've seen quite a few machines that have the
> machine name inserted there, by the routines that configure the network
> settings for you on a freshly installed machine.
> 
> Usually, the first time around, your machine is localhost.localdomain,
> but sometimes if you've entered a hostname, even if you have a NIC, the
> hostname is inserted into the local loopback address details.  Usually,
> *before* the localhost.localdomain details (of all the worst places to
> do so).

Given what the hosts file is for the ORDER does not matter. But the
127.0.0.1 line MUST be present.

The hosts file is merely used for looking up names on the local network
if you do not have the local network defined in an active DNS server.

(With 40 odd (and some even {O,o}) gadgets and computers on the network
here local DNS AND DHCP really makes it happen.)

{^_^}