Cool, the root checks in BIND work Nov 5 22:28:35 clifden named[2072]: [ID 295310 daemon.warning] check_hints: A records for J.ROOT-SERVERS.NET class 1 do not match hint records Nevertheless, BIND 8.X does appear to use the root list returned from the queried name server . 517997 IN NS J.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. ;Cr=auth [192.36.148.17] 517997 IN NS K.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. ;Cr=auth [192.36.148.17] 517997 IN NS L.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. ;Cr=auth [192.36.148.17] 517997 IN NS M.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. ;Cr=auth [192.36.148.17] 517997 IN NS I.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. ;Cr=auth [192.36.148.17] 517997 IN NS E.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. ;Cr=auth [192.36.148.17] 517997 IN NS D.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. ;Cr=auth [192.36.148.17] 517997 IN NS A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. ;Cr=auth [192.36.148.17] 517997 IN NS H.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. ;Cr=auth [192.36.148.17] 517997 IN NS C.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. ;Cr=auth [192.36.148.17] 517997 IN NS G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. ;Cr=auth [192.36.148.17] 517997 IN NS F.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. ;Cr=auth [192.36.148.17] 517997 IN NS B.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. ;Cr=auth [192.36.148.17] J 604397 IN A 192.58.128.30 ;NT=5 Cr=answer [192.36.148.17]