To any one interested:

I have (I hope) figured out one of my most mysterious problems with
SAMBA giving the "server unfriendly" message.  It seems you must have
a address in your name server for "LOCALHOST" with address 127.0.0.1.
This may have been in the documentation somewhere (at least it feels
familiar).

Our problem started when we were having problems with our ISP DNS
server and had INTERNIC change our server addresses.  It took over
three weeks for the information to finally trickle to their database.
When it did, SAMBA forgot how to be friendly.  We had the LOCALHOST
name in the HOSTS file, but that is not used if the RESLVCNF file
exists.  Once we put an entry in the DNS server, SAMBA became very
friendly.  To think we were only out for 5 days.

Anyway, FYI for anyone out there who may get an unfriendly SAMBA some
day.

Rgds
Mel Rees