Server 2012 Hosts File Location: A Comprehensive Guide for Devs

Hello Devs and welcome to our article where we will be discussing the location of the hosts file in Server 2012. As developers, we understand how important it is to have a thorough understanding of the various files and their locations within an operating system. In this article, we will provide you with detailed information about the hosts file, where it is located, and how you can access it. So, let’s dive in!

Understanding the Hosts File

The hosts file is an important file that is present in most operating systems including Server 2012. It is a simple text file that contains a mapping of IP addresses to hostnames. When you enter a URL in your browser, it sends a DNS request to the DNS server to resolve the IP address of the server that hosts the website. However, if the IP address is already present in the hosts file, the browser will use that IP address to connect to the server instead of sending a DNS request.

This can be useful in a number of scenarios such as when you want to access a website that has been blocked by your ISP or when you want to test a website on a specific server that is not publicly available. By adding an entry in the hosts file, you can redirect the request to a different IP address.

Locating the Hosts File in Server 2012

Now that we have a basic understanding of what the hosts file is, let’s take a look at where it is located in Server 2012. The hosts file is located in the same location as in most other Windows operating systems. You can find it at:

Operating System	Hosts File Location
Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10	C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts
Windows Server 2003	C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Windows Server 2008, 2012, 2016, 2019	C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

As you can see, the hosts file is located in the etc folder within the drivers folder in the System32 folder in the Windows directory. The hosts file is a system file and is protected by the operating system. This means that to edit the file, you need to have administrative privileges.

Accessing and Editing the Hosts File

Now that you know where the hosts file is located, let’s take a look at how you can access and edit it. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Open Notepad as an Administrator

To edit the hosts file, you need to open it using a text editor that has administrative privileges. Notepad is a good choice for this. To open Notepad as an administrator, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Start menu.
2. Type Notepad in the search box.
3. Right-click on Notepad and select “Run as administrator”.

When prompted by the User Account Control, click “Yes” to grant administrative privileges to Notepad.

Step 2: Open the Hosts File

Once Notepad is open with administrative privileges, you can open the hosts file by following these steps:

1. Click on “File” in the menu bar.
2. Select “Open”.
3. Go to the hosts file location: C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts
4. Change the file type to “All Files”.
5. Select the hosts file and click “Open”.

Step 3: Edit the Hosts File

Now that you have the hosts file open in Notepad, you can edit it as needed. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• The hosts file is a plain text file. Do not use any special formatting or characters.
• Each entry in the hosts file should be on a separate line.
• The IP address and hostname should be separated by one or more spaces or a tab.
• To create a comment in the hosts file, start the line with a hash symbol (#).

Once you have made the necessary changes, save the hosts file and close Notepad. Your changes should take effect immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Why should I edit the hosts file?

A. There are a number of reasons why you might want to edit the hosts file including blocking websites, testing websites on specific servers, and accessing websites that are blocked by your ISP.

Q2. Can I break my computer by editing the hosts file?

A. It is possible to break your computer if you make a mistake when editing the hosts file. However, as long as you follow the instructions carefully, you should be fine. It is always a good idea to make a backup of the hosts file before making any changes.

Q3. Can I use the hosts file to block ads?

A. Yes, you can use the hosts file to block ads. There are many websites that provide lists of ad servers that you can add to the hosts file to block ads.

Q4. Can I use the hosts file to redirect a URL?

A. Yes, you can use the hosts file to redirect a URL. Simply add an entry with the IP address of the server you want to redirect to and the URL you want to redirect.

Q5. Why do I need administrative privileges to edit the hosts file?

A. The hosts file is a system file and is protected by the operating system. To edit it, you need to have administrative privileges.

Conclusion

There you have it Devs, a comprehensive guide to the hosts file location in Server 2012. We hope you found this article informative and useful. If you have any questions or feedback, please let us know in the comments section below.