FORMERR-Format error issue

[Scott Richardson]

Hello,

-I have been troubleshooting a format error in BIND 9 for about a week 
at this point.

-The symptoms:

-I am unable to resolve members.nmar.com.

-The nslookup output from a client to OUR private recursive DNS server 
is as follows:

> members.nmar.com
Server:  [100.101.0.10]
Address:  100.101.0.10

*** [100.101.0.10] can't find members.nmar.com: Server failed

-Our DNS server log output follows:

Jan 26 13:48:00 dns1 named[1609]: FORMERR resolving 
'members.nmar.com/A/IN': 216.40.47.26#53
Jan 26 13:48:00 dns1 named[1609]: FORMERR resolving 
'members.nmar.com/A/IN': 64.98.148.13#53

-It works with Cloudfare and Goole however:

> server 8.8.8.8
Default Server:  dns.google
Address:  8.8.8.8

> members.nmar.com
Server:  dns.google
Address:  8.8.8.8

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    public.west.us.memberzone.org
Address:  172.170.249.2
Aliases:  members.nmar.com

-If I dig this from one of our other server it fails as well unless I 
add the +norec option which DOES work.

-If I perform an nslookup to their authoritative DNS servers I get a 
referral to the root name server list:

Server:  ns1.hover.com
Address:  216.40.47.26

Name:    nmar.com
Address:  20.25.91.29

> members.nmar.com
Server:  ns1.hover.com
Address:  216.40.47.26

Non-authoritative answer:
Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    members.nmar.com
Served by:
- a.root-servers.net


- b.root-servers.net


- c.root-servers.net


- d.root-servers.net


- e.root-servers.net


- f.root-servers.net


- g.root-servers.net


- h.root-servers.net


- i.root-servers.net


- j.root-servers.net

-I am not sure if this is an issue with us or them or I need to adjust 
my configuration somehow to accommodate a problem on their server.  I am 
not sure why other DNS is working but ours is failing.

-This is tested with our server firewall disabled.

-I have disabled firewall rules within our network to confirm NO 
firewall issues are causing this.

-I have checked the DNS with our upstream and they are resolving this 
url correctly; therefore I don't suspect firewall issues within their 
network.

-We are not using IPV6 at all at this time.

-This is occurring with both of our redundant DNS servers and I fired up 
a test server with Bind 9.16 and it is giving me the same result.

-Any thoughts or suggestions would be very helpful and much appreciated!

Regards,


Scott