Where is the HOSTS file supposed to be located?

Jackson

unread,

Jun 24, 2007, 3:49:49 PM6/24/07

to

Win XP(MCE), updated

There is a HOSTS file in each of these these three directories:

=> C:\i386
=> C:\Documents...\AllUsers\...\automaintanence
=> C:\Windows\system32\etc

Which one of these is the file in active use when I use IE or FireFox?
Do I need them all?

I want to temporarily rename the active one to run a test. I can't
view the videos on the weather channel and I want to see if removing
the HOSTS file has any effect.

Thanks...

Ken Blake, MVP

unread,

Jun 24, 2007, 4:03:26 PM6/24/07

to

On Sun, 24 Jun 2007 14:49:49 -0500, Jackson <jjacX...@Xcox.net>
wrote:

> Win XP(MCE), updated
>
> There is a HOSTS file in each of these these three directories:
>
> => C:\i386
> => C:\Documents...\AllUsers\...\automaintanence
> => C:\Windows\system32\etc
>
> Which one of these is the file in active use when I use IE or FireFox?

The host file is in C:\Windows\system32\etc

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Malke

unread,

Jun 24, 2007, 5:53:23 PM6/24/07

to

Ken Blake, MVP wrote:
> On Sun, 24 Jun 2007 14:49:49 -0500, Jackson <jjacX...@Xcox.net>
> wrote:
>
>> Win XP(MCE), updated
>>
>> There is a HOSTS file in each of these these three directories:
>>
>> => C:\i386
>> => C:\Documents...\AllUsers\...\automaintanence
>> => C:\Windows\system32\etc
>>
>> Which one of these is the file in active use when I use IE or FireFox?
>
>
> The host file is in C:\Windows\system32\etc
>

It can also be in C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\Etc\

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Ken Blake, MVP

unread,

Jun 24, 2007, 6:14:53 PM6/24/07

to

On Sun, 24 Jun 2007 14:53:23 -0700, Malke <notr...@invalid.invalid>
wrote:

> Ken Blake, MVP wrote:
> > On Sun, 24 Jun 2007 14:49:49 -0500, Jackson <jjacX...@Xcox.net>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Win XP(MCE), updated
> >>
> >> There is a HOSTS file in each of these these three directories:
> >>
> >> => C:\i386
> >> => C:\Documents...\AllUsers\...\automaintanence
> >> => C:\Windows\system32\etc
> >>
> >> Which one of these is the file in active use when I use IE or FireFox?
> >
> >
> > The host file is in C:\Windows\system32\etc
> >
>
> It can also be in C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\Etc\

My mistake, sorry. I didn't notice that \drivers\ was missing from the
path he mentioned.

Will it even work in the C:\Windows\system32\etc? Not as far as I
know.

Malke

unread,

Jun 24, 2007, 7:24:52 PM6/24/07

to

Ken Blake, MVP wrote:

> My mistake, sorry. I didn't notice that \drivers\ was missing from the
> path he mentioned.
>
> Will it even work in the C:\Windows\system32\etc? Not as far as I
> know.
>

I don't think so but I have a very vague memory of it possibly being
somewhere else if you upgraded from something else. Or not. ;-)
I've always found it in drivers/etc but I thought you knew something I
don't. It wouldn't be the first time!

Jim

unread,

Jun 24, 2007, 7:45:05 PM6/24/07

to

"Jackson" <jjacX...@Xcox.net> wrote in message
news:i3it73dcu4roh43ug...@4ax.com...

> Win XP(MCE), updated
>
> There is a HOSTS file in each of these these three directories:
>
> => C:\i386

Version used to restore.

> => C:\Documents...\AllUsers\...\automaintanence

Don't know

> => C:\Windows\system32\etc

It is supposed to be in C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc

This is version that the operating system uses.

>
> Which one of these is the file in active use when I use IE or FireFox?

When you are using IE or FireFox, you are using the file which the operating
system used to configure the network. Neither of these programs have any
control over the network components of the operating system

> Do I need them all?

You don't need the one found in C:\Documents (etc)
Keep the other two.

>
> I want to temporarily rename the active one to run a test. I can't
> view the videos on the weather channel and I want to see if removing
> the HOSTS file has any effect.

This test is a waste of time if only line is:
127.0.0.1 localhost
This is the only line which is really needed in this file.
Lines which contain other definitions did not get there by accident.
Since Windows reads the HOSTS file for ip addresses first, it might be
possible to do something nasty to the weather channel ip. But, if you can
access the weather channel via your browser, you
must have some other kind of problem.
Jim
>
> Thanks...
>

Jackson

unread,

Jun 25, 2007, 4:55:45 AM6/25/07

to

On Sun, 24 Jun 2007 14:53:23 -0700, Malke <notr...@invalid.invalid>
wrote:

>Ken Blake, MVP wrote:

>> On Sun, 24 Jun 2007 14:49:49 -0500, Jackson <jjacX...@Xcox.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Win XP(MCE), updated
>>>
>>> There is a HOSTS file in each of these these three directories:
>>>
>>> => C:\i386
>>> => C:\Documents...\AllUsers\...\automaintanence
>>> => C:\Windows\system32\etc
>>>
>>> Which one of these is the file in active use when I use IE or FireFox?
>>
>>
>> The host file is in C:\Windows\system32\etc
>>
>
>It can also be in C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\Etc\
>
>
>Malke

Oops. Sorry guys. I left the drivers directory out by error. It
should be C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\Etc

Thanks for the info.

Ken Blake, MVP

unread,

Jun 25, 2007, 1:34:56 PM6/25/07

to

On Sun, 24 Jun 2007 16:24:52 -0700, Malke <notr...@invalid.invalid>
wrote:

> Ken Blake, MVP wrote:
>
> > My mistake, sorry. I didn't notice that \drivers\ was missing from the
> > path he mentioned.
> >
> > Will it even work in the C:\Windows\system32\etc? Not as far as I
> > know.
> >
>
> I don't think so but I have a very vague memory of it possibly being
> somewhere else if you upgraded from something else. Or not. ;-)
> I've always found it in drivers/etc but I thought you knew something I
> don't.

LOL! Nope, just my carelessness.

> It wouldn't be the first time!

And ditto in the opposite direction. We *all* know some things the
next person doesn't, and that's what makes participation here so
valuable. Not only do we help others, but we learn from each other
(and I don't just mean MVPs).