DIG root.hints update failure

[Jim Reid]

>>>>> ">" == G Roderick Singleton <gsingleton at home.com> writes:

    >> So what's your point?

Updating the root.cache file is for the most part pointless. And if it
has to be done - say once every 5 years or so - you should ftp the
file from ftp.rs.internic.net. This is now the third time I've made
that point. Is is clear enough now? Using dig might produce something
usable, but doesn't produce the version information that's in the
comments in the file. That version information is important and
useful, especially to people who have a proper CM procedure
surrounding their DNS administration.

    >> My point is still if it's out-of-date, bind throws errors.

No. It will only throw errors if NONE of the name servers listed in
the file are reachable. This is extremely unlikely unless the file
exclusively consists of lies. The most probable reason why the name
server will complain that it can't find the root servers is no access
to the Internet because the link to your ISP is down. It's hard to
invent another scenario that could explain why queries to all 9 or 13
name servers in the root.cache file would fail or timeout.