FP: "Cannot Determine Local Host Name" Error Starting PWS

• Microsoft FrontPage for Windows, version 1.0
• Microsoft FrontPage Personal Web Server, version 1.0

SYMPTOMS

When you start the FrontPage Personal Web Server or when you try to open a web page in the FrontPage Explorer, you receive the following error message

   HTTPD: Cannot determine local host name.

   Use ServerName to set it manually.

CAUSE

The Personal Web Server cannot identify the host name of your computer or the host name is not fully qualified. A fully qualified domain name consists of the host name (name of your computer) and a domain name (such as microsoft.com) separated by a period. This error message occurs when either of the following conditions exist:

• Your TCP/IP configuration does not have DNS enabled.
• Your TCP/IP configuration includes a host name, but no domain name, or your configuration has a domain name, but no host name.

   ARTICLE-ID: Q164294
   TITLE     : FP: How to Change FrontPage Personal Web Server ServerName

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use the appropriate method for your situation:

Method 1: If DNS is not enabled for your TCP/IP installation

Run the configuration utility for your TCP/IP stack and enable DNS. You will need to enter a host name and a domain name for your computer. If you are on a TCP/IP network or use a service provider for Internet access, your network administrator or service provider can give you a host name and domain name as well as the address of a DNS server. If you are not on a network, you can use any name for your host and create a domain name for your computer, such as Mypc.com. These fabricated names will not be valid if your computer is connected to the Internet, but they will allow the Personal Web Server to run locally.

Method 2: If your computer does not have a host name

If your computer does not have a host name or if DNS is not enabled, work around the problem by using the following steps:

1. Using a text editor, such as Notepad, open the Httpd.cnf file. This file in FrontPage 1.0 is located in the c:\vermeer\httpd\conf subdirectory.

   In FrontPage 1.1, this file is located in the c:\FrontPage Webs\

1. Locate the section which describes the ServerName directive. It looks like this:

         # ServerName allows you to set a host name which is sent back to
         # clients for your server. If it's different than the one the program
         # would get (i.e. use "www" instead of the host's real name). Make
         # sure your DNS is set up to alias the name to your system!
         #
         # Format: ServerName <domain_name>
         #
         # no default
   

2. Add the following line:

         ServerName <domain_name>
   

   where <domain_name> is the name of your domain.

   NOTE: If your computer does not have DNS enabled and your TCP/IP stack supports it, you can use "localhost" (without the quotation marks) as your computer name. You will also be able to specify "localhost" if your computer has a host name that is not fully qualified. To determine if your TCP/IP stack supports this configuration, run the FrontPage TCP/IP test.

3. Save and close the file.

4. Start the Personal Web Server. It will run minimized and be in an idle state.