HOSTS file not being read

**muzikool** · December 6th, 2005

I've got entries in my HOSTS file that resolve NETBIOS names on the network here. I can't ping the names but I can ping the IP addresses. Also, the sites I have blocked (going to localhost) are loading fine in my browser. So, I've determined that the HOSTS file is not being read for some reason.

Things I've tried:

*Rebooting
*releasing and renewing my IP
*flushing the DNS cache

Any ideas?

**kcnychief** · December 6th, 2005

Stand alone machine, or part of a network?

When did this start happening?

**muzikool** · December 6th, 2005

Part of a network (at work).

It happened after I cleared the HOSTS file (to only localhost) to test some things. I then put the original HOSTS file back in, and since then I've had trouble.

The MS KB suggested the same things I've already tried.

**Mastershakes** · December 6th, 2005

Is it known as hosts.txt or hosts?

Go to cmd prompt, make sure.

type in this, if it gives no errors, your host file should start working again.

rename hosts.txt hosts (press enter)

**muzikool** · December 6th, 2005

hosts

There is no file extension.

**kcnychief** · December 6th, 2005

Yeah the hosts file doesn't have an extension.

It's possible it's a file that is configured through the network, is it possible to copy it from another PC?

EDIT: Also, can you delete it, let Windows re-create the file, then alter the content?

**Mastershakes** · December 6th, 2005

When you swapped it out, it gained that .txt extention... my guess anyways... still looking.

**muzikool** · December 6th, 2005

Nope, no .txt extension. It even has the generic file icon.

I tried removing all entries again, saving, adding, resaving, rebooting, flushing dns cache again. Ugh.

I'm going to delete it altogether and let Windows recreate it.

**muzikool** · December 6th, 2005

Problem solved.

I deleted the HOSTS file altogether and rebooted. Windows did not recreate one after the reboot, but adding it back in manually worked.

Not sure why all this happened. Not sure why Microsoft's suggestions didn't work either.

**Grandmaster** · December 6th, 2005

Windows has a habit of not working when you need it, and then working again later

**muzikool** · December 6th, 2005

Yeah, I remember that now.

**Mastershakes** · December 6th, 2005

Cool - only other thing I could think of was this - verifying that the registry is pointing to your hosts file. Glad you fixed it. Hate those ads

«HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters»

Value should be "%SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc"

**muzikool** · December 6th, 2005

It would have been strange if that entry had been modified. Sometimes Windows has a mind of its own.

**kcnychief** · December 9th, 2005

Originally Posted by Mastershakes

Cool - only other thing I could think of was this - verifying that the registry is pointing to your hosts file. Glad you fixed it. Hate those ads

«HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters»

Value should be "%SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc"

that's a hot find

Muzikool, I believe (although I could be wrong), the hosts file won't auto-recreate until you try to access the internet. When you say that Windows didn't recreate it, did you check right after boot, before utilizing your internet connection?

**muzikool** · December 9th, 2005

Originally Posted by kcnychief

that's a hot find

Muzikool, I believe (although I could be wrong), the hosts file won't auto-recreate until you try to access the internet. When you say that Windows didn't recreate it, did you check right after boot, before utilizing your internet connection?

I browsed around a bit before looking for it. It never showed up.

Claud1o · January 30th, 2009

Originally Posted by muzikool

Problem solved.

I deleted the HOSTS file altogether and rebooted. Windows did not recreate one after the reboot, but adding it back in manually worked.

Not sure why all this happened. Not sure why Microsoft's suggestions didn't work either.

Thank you so much, I guess it's the first thing I should have tried. I've wasted so much time on this one it's unbelievable. I'm so sick of Windows and all of this nonsense one has to put up with in order to keep it working. I messed up a demo and made a pathetic impression being unable to access my virtual hosts. This might just have been the last straw.

Sorry for the rant but I am really so sick of all I had to endure with this horrific OS. I had better stop now as I really feel I'm going postal.

Thanks for the solution,
Claudio

December 6th, 2005	Top \| #1
muzikool Act your wage. Joined: December 2001 Location: Texas, USA Reputation: Yes, please. Posts: 7,626 Reputation: 2900 Power: 232	HOSTS file not being read I've got entries in my HOSTS file that resolve NETBIOS names on the network here. I can't ping the names but I can ping the IP addresses. Also, the sites I have blocked (going to localhost) are loading fine in my browser. So, I've determined that the HOSTS file is not being read for some reason. Things I've tried: Rebooting releasing and renewing my IP *flushing the DNS cache Any ideas?

December 6th, 2005	Top \| #2
kcnychief █▄█ ▀█▄ █ Joined: April 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 16,949 Reputation: 4941 Power: 305	Re: HOSTS file not being read Stand alone machine, or part of a network? When did this start happening?

December 6th, 2005	Top \| #3
muzikool Act your wage. Joined: December 2001 Location: Texas, USA Reputation: Yes, please. Posts: 7,626 Reputation: 2900 Power: 232	Re: HOSTS file not being read Part of a network (at work). It happened after I cleared the HOSTS file (to only localhost) to test some things. I then put the original HOSTS file back in, and since then I've had trouble. The MS KB suggested the same things I've already tried.

December 6th, 2005	Top \| #4
Mastershakes OSNN Veteran Addict Joined: July 2004 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,721 Reputation: 1040 Power: 124	Re: HOSTS file not being read Is it known as hosts.txt or hosts? Go to cmd prompt, make sure. type in this, if it gives no errors, your host file should start working again. rename hosts.txt hosts (press enter)

December 6th, 2005	Top \| #5
muzikool Act your wage. Joined: December 2001 Location: Texas, USA Reputation: Yes, please. Posts: 7,626 Reputation: 2900 Power: 232	Re: HOSTS file not being read hosts There is no file extension.

Latest News Posts

Latest Forum Posts

Latest Member Blogs

December 6th, 2005	Top \| #6
kcnychief █▄█ ▀█▄ █ Joined: April 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 16,949 Reputation: 4941 Power: 305	Re: HOSTS file not being read Yeah the hosts file doesn't have an extension. It's possible it's a file that is configured through the network, is it possible to copy it from another PC? EDIT: Also, can you delete it, let Windows re-create the file, then alter the content?

December 6th, 2005	Top \| #7
Mastershakes OSNN Veteran Addict Joined: July 2004 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,721 Reputation: 1040 Power: 124	Re: HOSTS file not being read When you swapped it out, it gained that .txt extention... my guess anyways... still looking.

December 6th, 2005	Top \| #8
muzikool Act your wage. Joined: December 2001 Location: Texas, USA Reputation: Yes, please. Posts: 7,626 Reputation: 2900 Power: 232	Re: HOSTS file not being read Nope, no .txt extension. It even has the generic file icon. I tried removing all entries again, saving, adding, resaving, rebooting, flushing dns cache again. Ugh. I'm going to delete it altogether and let Windows recreate it.

December 6th, 2005	Top \| #9
muzikool Act your wage. Joined: December 2001 Location: Texas, USA Reputation: Yes, please. Posts: 7,626 Reputation: 2900 Power: 232	Re: HOSTS file not being read Problem solved. I deleted the HOSTS file altogether and rebooted. Windows did not recreate one after the reboot, but adding it back in manually worked. Not sure why all this happened. Not sure why Microsoft's suggestions didn't work either.

December 6th, 2005	Top \| #10
Grandmaster Electronica Addict Joined: February 2002 Location: Santa Clara, CA Posts: 10,574 Reputation: 2960 Power: 260	Re: HOSTS file not being read Windows has a habit of not working when you need it, and then working again later

December 6th, 2005	Top \| #11
muzikool Act your wage. Joined: December 2001 Location: Texas, USA Reputation: Yes, please. Posts: 7,626 Reputation: 2900 Power: 232	Re: HOSTS file not being read Yeah, I remember that now.

December 6th, 2005	Top \| #12
Mastershakes OSNN Veteran Addict Joined: July 2004 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,721 Reputation: 1040 Power: 124	Re: HOSTS file not being read Cool - only other thing I could think of was this - verifying that the registry is pointing to your hosts file. Glad you fixed it. Hate those ads «HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters» Value should be "%SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc"

December 6th, 2005	Top \| #13
muzikool Act your wage. Joined: December 2001 Location: Texas, USA Reputation: Yes, please. Posts: 7,626 Reputation: 2900 Power: 232	Re: HOSTS file not being read It would have been strange if that entry had been modified. Sometimes Windows has a mind of its own.

December 9th, 2005	Top \| #14
kcnychief █▄█ ▀█▄ █ Joined: April 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 16,949 Reputation: 4941 Power: 305	Re: HOSTS file not being read Originally Posted by Mastershakes Cool - only other thing I could think of was this - verifying that the registry is pointing to your hosts file. Glad you fixed it. Hate those ads «HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters» Value should be "%SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc" that's a hot find Muzikool, I believe (although I could be wrong), the hosts file won't auto-recreate until you try to access the internet. When you say that Windows didn't recreate it, did you check right after boot, before utilizing your internet connection?

December 9th, 2005	Top \| #15
muzikool Act your wage. Joined: December 2001 Location: Texas, USA Reputation: Yes, please. Posts: 7,626 Reputation: 2900 Power: 232	Re: HOSTS file not being read Originally Posted by kcnychief that's a hot find Muzikool, I believe (although I could be wrong), the hosts file won't auto-recreate until you try to access the internet. When you say that Windows didn't recreate it, did you check right after boot, before utilizing your internet connection? I browsed around a bit before looking for it. It never showed up.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Microsoft DNS resolver not looking at hosts file	fitz	Windows Desktop Systems	11	March 9th, 2007 4:40am
HOSTS file help...	sidefx	Windows Desktop Systems	1	September 23rd, 2004 5:42pm
Bearshare & HOSTS File Problems???	sidefx	Windows Desktop Systems	0	August 3rd, 2004 7:47pm
How do I read the index.dat file	12355	Windows Desktop Systems	7	May 31st, 2002 5:23pm
HOSTS file to block ads (got a good one??)	PsychoSpongeBob	Windows Desktop Systems	2	March 24th, 2002 2:11pm

January 30th, 2009	Top \| #16
Claud1o OSNN One Post Wonder Joined: January 2009 Posts: 1 Reputation: 0 Power: 0	Re: HOSTS file not being read Originally Posted by muzikool Problem solved. I deleted the HOSTS file altogether and rebooted. Windows did not recreate one after the reboot, but adding it back in manually worked. Not sure why all this happened. Not sure why Microsoft's suggestions didn't work either. Thank you so much, I guess it's the first thing I should have tried. I've wasted so much time on this one it's unbelievable. I'm so sick of Windows and all of this nonsense one has to put up with in order to keep it working. I messed up a demo and made a pathetic impression being unable to access my virtual hosts. This might just have been the last straw. Sorry for the rant but I am really so sick of all I had to endure with this horrific OS. I had better stop now as I really feel I'm going postal. Thanks for the solution, Claudio