How to edit the Hosts file in 7

DrWho said:

...I do have some experience ...
When I tried to edit it by adding another entry, it saved my work to Hosts.txt and not the main Hosts file itself. Hmmmmm!

My solution was to rename the main HOSTS file to HOSTS.bac and then rename the hosts.txt file to HOSTS (NO Extension).
That worked like a treat.

Chuckle.

Your solution, while clever, was unnecessary. Your HOSTS file did not save or rename anything. The text editor that you used had the default text file extension selected. You can Save As... All Files (*.*), Any File (*.*) in some editors, and assign the extension - or no extension - during the save process.

The HostsMan app is suitable enough. All users who introduce themselves to HostsMan are advised - thoroughly examine the contents of HOSTS after any and all updates. HostsMan updates will include many popular sites for blocking - MySpace, FaceBook, HomeStead, et cetera.

I happen to like blocking sites like those for some customers, but they are not, in and of themselves, malicious sites.

DrWho said:

Sorry, I didn't mean to rant or ramble.

Cheers Mates!
The Doctor

It's a good topic to rant on.
A well managed host file can make browsig the interweb a little less of a hassle. (It can screw up a few sites too tho...ymmv.)

I use the host file from here on all my pc's. (mvps.org)

I also add some google analytics references cuz, as terrific as many google products are, they just make me feel uncomfortable...one company with alllll that data.

Well, one neat trick I've found with Hosts Manager, if you find that your hosts file may be blocking some site that you want to go to, you can just click the big green "H" in the Hosts window to turn off the hosts file. The "H" then turns RED while the hosts file is disabled.
Then browse away!
No problemo!

Doc B)

You said you had experience with the HOSTS file.

To anyone learning how to use the HOSTS file:

To disable an entry in the HOSTS file,
delete the line(s) containing the entry
or
insert a # as the first character in the offending line(s).

The Green H/Red H method suggested will leave your computer without the protection and other functions provided by HOSTS.

Please note: many HOSTS files found online are provided solely for the blocking of ad servers. Others provide blocking of malware. Others provide both.

Furthermore, a simple batch file can toggle the name of the HOSTS file - creating an On/Off effect. The same batch file can also rename the link used to call the batch file, providing an instant status report of the HOSTS file status - no additional software required.

The sample provided here does not include the shortcut rename trick.
Is it possible to make Firefox ignore the Hosts file without closing it down? - mozilla.support.firefox | Google Groups

The batch command referenced below with the shortcut rename included. Please note the path will not work on your PC. Modify as needed.

@echo off
cls
goto toggleRename

:toggleRename
If Not %winbootdir%'==' Set HostsOff=%windir%\NOHOSTS
If %OS%'==Windows_NT' Set HostsOff=%SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc\NOHOSTS
If %HostsOff%'==' goto noIdeaOfOS
If Not %winbootdir%'==' Set HostsOn=%windir%\HOSTS
If %OS%'==Windows_NT' Set HostsOn=%SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc\HOSTS
If %HostsOn%'==' goto noIdeaOfOS
If Not Exist %HostsOff% goto deActivate
goto Activate
goto end

:deActivate
if not exist %HostsOn% goto noHostsFile
ren %HostsOn% NOHOSTS
ren "D:\XPbin\Antman\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Toggle Hosts ON.lnk" "Toggle Hosts OFF.lnk"
echo.
echo ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ
echo Ý ÚÄÄÄ¿Þ
echo Ý HOSTS FILE BLOCKING IS NOW DE-ACTIVATED ³ X ³Þ
echo Ý ÀÄÄÄÙÞ
echo. ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß
echo.
echo. Advertising will be visible; Parasite protection off!
echo Renamed from HOSTS to NOHOSTS
echo.
goto end

:Activate
if not exist %HostsOff% goto noHostsFile
ren %HostsOff% HOSTS
ren "D:\XPbin\Antman\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Toggle Hosts OFF.lnk" "Toggle Hosts ON.lnk"
echo.
echo ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ
echo Ý ÚÄÄÄ¿Þ
echo Ý HOSTS FILE BLOCKING IS NOW ACTIVATED ³ û ³Þ
echo Ý ÀÄÄÄÙÞ
echo. ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß
echo.
echo. Advertising will be hidden; Parasite protection on!
echo Renamed from NOHOSTS to HOSTS
echo.
goto end

:noIdeaOfOS
echo Sorry Unsupported OS.
goto end

:noHostsFile
cls
echo.
echo ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ
echo Ý ÚÄÄÄ¿Þ
echo Ý ERROR NO HOST FILES FOUND ! ³ ! ³Þ
echo Ý ÀÄÄÄÙÞ
echo. ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß
echo .
echo Couldn't find "HOSTS" or "NOHOSTS" in the folder
echo.
echo please check that the HOSTS file is in this folder
echo thanks..

:end
set HostsOff=
set HostsOn=
pause
exit

I realise this is an old thread though this info helped me with the same issue;

Where is the Hosts File on Windows x64? | sepago

DrWho said:

Please, don't anyone think that I'm promoting myself as a HOSTS expert, but I do have some experience with it.

I first ran into using the HOSTS file some time (years) ago when I needed to change the Server designation for my Anti-Virus program, to use the Professional Server instead of the FREE server.

Anyway, I just opened Win-7 and accessed my HOSTS file.
When I tried to edit it by adding another entry, it saved my work to Hosts.txt and not the main Hosts file itself. Hmmmmm!

My solution was to rename the main HOSTS file to HOSTS.bac and then rename the hosts.txt file to HOSTS (NO Extension).
That worked like a treat.

However, all this was only an effort to verify, for myself, what's being said here in this thread.
Actually, I never really needed to go through all those acrobatics to work with my hosts file. I use the "Hosts Manager" program from "abelhadigital(dot)com" and I use it weekly to keep my HOSTS file up to date. It lets me view and edit my hosts file at will.

I've been doing this for quite some time now and I share the HOSTS Manager program with many of my customers, so they can keep their own HOSTS file up to date. It's a great protection against your browser being redirected to a porn site, or worse.

HOSTS Manager is almost a "Must Have" when children are using the home PC. I won't set up a PC without it. It's just one more level of security.

Sorry, I didn't mean to rant or ramble.

Cheers Mates!
The Doctor

THANK YOU! I tried everything, renaming it to BAK and it said I didn't have permissions! I even tried changing permissions before that, and it worked with any other file besides the hosts file. Thank you, that program did the trick :)

Oh yeah sorry for 1 and a half year bump...OOPS! :O

For a detailed tutorial with pictures, follow this post Edit Hosts File in Windows 7