problem starting apache server on linode

Your system hasn't been assigned a hostname yet. You must do that prior to starting Apache. Type

hostname your-hostname

and put your-hostname in /etc/hostname.

Here is what I get from /var/log/apache/error

mod_unique_id: unable to gethostbyname("node.tribalsage.com")

If i type hostname: node.tribalsage.com

Apache still wont start

Apache can't resolve the IP address that matches your host name.

You need to put at least this in your /etc/hosts: 127.0.0.1 localhost aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd hostname.domain.tld hostname

Im sure that would have fixed it. But as soons as the DNS info propogated apache managed to start up.

Thanks =)

@Apache Documentation:

don't configure Apache in such a way that it relies on DNS resolution for parsing of the configuration files
Check this out - httpd.apache.org/docs-2.0/dns-caveats - to avoid reliability problems (e.g. http server fails to start if DNS query times out during config file parsing) and possible DoS vulnerabilities with Apache.

Putting your own IP and host in /etc/hosts is the best way round this.