Never saw this in last 3 years

I'm a programmer not a linux guy but still know enough to get a linux box working for my testing env.

I just installed fedora core RHL and I'm getting problem in DNS configration.

I use a domain name "local" and hosts like "goethe.local" in my testing env. I did this many time and never got any problem.

my linux box hostname is "goethe" and IP is "192.168.0.3"

here is my "/etc/named.custom" file
## named.custom - custom configuration for bind
#
# Any changes not currently supported by redhat-config-bind should be put
# in this file.
#

zone "." {
type hint;
file "named.ca";
};

options {
directory "/var/named/";
};

and "/etc/named.conf" file

// generated by named-bootconf.pl

options {
directory "/var/named";
/*
* If there is a firewall between you and nameservers you want
* to talk to, you might need to uncomment the query-source
* directive below. Previous versions of BIND always asked
* questions using port 53, but BIND 8.1 uses an unprivileged
* port by default.
*/
// query-source address * port 53;
};

//
// a caching only nameserver config
//
controls {
inet 127.0.0.1 allow { localhost; } keys { rndckey; };
};

zone "local" IN {
type master;
file "local.zone";
};

zone "." IN {
type hint;
file "named.ca";
};

zone "localhost" IN {
type master;
file "localhost.zone";
allow-update { none; };
};

zone "0.0.127.in-addr.arpa" IN {
type master;
file "named.local";
allow-update { none; };
};

include "/etc/rndc.key";


I place my zone files in "/var/named/"

• 
  localhost.zone
  local.zone
  named.local
  named.ca

"/var/named/localhost.zone"
$TTL 86400
$ORIGIN localhost.
@ 1D IN SOA @ root (
42 ; serial (d. adams)
3H ; refresh
15M ; retry
1W ; expiry
1D ) ; minimum

1D IN NS @
1D IN A 127.0.0.1

"/var/named/local.zone"

$TTL 86400
$ORIGIN local.
@ IN SOA goethe postmaster (
2003081302 ; serial (d. adams)
3H ; refresh
15M ; retry
1W ; expiry
1D) ; minimum
NS goethe
MX 15 mail
A 192.168.0.3
goethe A 192.168.0.3
mysql A 192.168.0.3



and the result of dig mysql.local OR dig goethe.local
; <<>> DiG 9.2.2-P3 <<>> mysql.local
;; global options: printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NXDOMAIN, id: 63322
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 1, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;mysql.local. IN A

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
. 9271 IN SOA A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. NSTLD.VERISIGN-GRS.COM. 2004050400 1800 900 604800 86400

;; Query time: 4 msec
;; SERVER: 192.168.0.3#53(192.168.0.3)
;; WHEN: Tue May 4 23:11:31 2004
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 104

now seeking a GURU to help me out of it

fedora huh? I think perhaps those files aren't even being used. Make the following command on linux:

locate named.conf

If you get more than one result, show the results to me. If it's just one, then read the sticky topic in this forum and scroll down to the linux BIND configuration post. Follow the instructions to get your domain setup. If you have specific problems, then ask.