On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:09:43 -0700 'Tom'
wrote this on alt.comp.freeware:

>On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:58:18 +0100, hummingbird wrote:
>> The HOSTS file is named exactly that: HOSTS
>> It has no file extension.
>
>I know. I know. Of course it's named hosts.
>
>I'll explain again. You can fumble around trying to find the hosts file
>every time you have to edit it but I don't wish to be that inefficient.
>
>I just type "hosts", I make my edits, and I save the results as "hosts" and
>I'm done.

I can locate my HOSTS file on my system in about 2 seconds.
But then, I use a real filemanager (payware ZtreeWin).


>Behind the scenes, the magic of that simplicity is:
>a) Typing "Start -> Run -> hosts" exercises the "hosts.exe" registry key
>b) That hosts.exe registry key brings up the hosts.txt file
>c) Saving that as "hosts" saves that file as the proper hosts file.

I do not have a file called hosts.exe on my system, never have
had. Nor is there anything in the registry by that name.

>It's that simple. You might prefer the lousy inefficient way and that's
>just fine. Here's the horribly inefficient way to edit the hosts file.
>
>a) Navigate to C:\windows (hosts belongs here)
>b) Navigate to system32 (dunno why it's here)
>c) Navigate to drivers (it's not a driver)
>d) Navigate to etc (what's etc got to do with it?)
>e) Right click on the hosts file to edit in Notepad
>f) Save as hosts.bak (you should have a backup)
>g) Save as hosts (this overwrites the original file)

This is where the hosts file is located in XP:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\HOSTS

>So, you can do it either way. I think the method I proposed is elegant.
>I think both methods will work.
>
>BTW, there isn't any hosts.exe file.
>Those who know the Windows registry know that, in Microsoft's infinite
>wisdom, the "App Paths" key MUST end with "exe" for it to work. There is no
>hosts.exe (I repeat) there is no hosts.exe. The whole point of the App
>Paths key is to make the editing of hosts a simple one-click affair.
>
>Hope this helps!


--
"All truth passes through three stages.
First, it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed,
and third, it is accepted as self-evident"
(Arthur Schopenhauer)