Editing hosts file

ngungo · 04-Jul-2009, 04:17 AM #1

After editing the file C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts to add more entry, I could not save it. The error is: "Please check weather if this file is opened in another program." I've even tried it unsuccessfully without internet nor any browser opened. Thanks.

**TerryNet** · 04-Jul-2009, 10:10 AM #2

I have no idea what the weather would have to do with writing a file, but programs that might have the Hosts file open or have it set to read only include Spybot, maybe Teatimer and lots of malware.

Squashman · 04-Jul-2009, 10:34 AM #3

Hosts file is read only by default. Check the file attributes.

**TerryNet** · 04-Jul-2009, 10:48 AM #4

Quote:

Hosts file is read only by default. Check the file attributes.

Not on my Windows 7 RC. I just checked.

On my Vista it's read only, but it also has about a million entries from Spybot so I can't say what the default was.

DaveA · 04-Jul-2009, 01:48 PM #5

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerryNet

Not on my Windows 7 RC. I just checked.

On my Vista it's read only, but it also has about a million entries from Spybot so I can't say what the default was.

Spybot may be protecting it.

aka Brett · 04-Jul-2009, 02:15 PM #6

I remember Vista trying to give me a rough time with the hosts file.
I renamed it, did my business ,then renamed again.
When working on the hosts file, i make a back up of it and just toss a extra letter at the end of the file name,I keep them in the same directory.
If i am having suspected problems of hosts file relation..i rename the current one...then rename a backup to hosts.
I was getting prompts along the way but i was winning however.
I had spybot as well....However I dont know if it was the cause of having to combat the prompts

Squashman · 04-Jul-2009, 03:29 PM #7

Vista seems to handle it differently. The read only is not set but it does something funky with permissions. My user is in the Administrators group but it wouldn't let me save the changes until I explicitly gave my user writes to the file.

tech-win · 05-Jul-2009, 08:18 AM #8

As others said, a security suite installed in your system is blocking write access to the HOSTS file. If you have Zone Alarm per chance, see the following link for a solution.

How To: Hosts File FAQ:
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hostsfaq.htm#Access

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