Problem with hosts file

I've got a problem with the hosts file in Windows XP (Pro & Embedded)
I need to add a the following line to the hosts file of about 500 machines
100.100.100.1 TESTHOST
When I add the line to the hosts file and do "ping TESTHOST" it doesn't work
When I do "net start dnscache" the ping works, when I stop the service it
doesn't work anymore.

Until now I've found 2 possible solutions :
Set the DNS Client service (dnscache) to automatic at boot
Add the systems's own IP address as DNS server

Can anyone explain why the hostname isn't resolved when the DNS client isn't
started ?

Regards
Dennis Peere

dns manages hosts file!

"Dennis Peere" <sycrontw@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:443b8244$0$11130$ba620e4c@news.skynet.be...
> I've got a problem with the hosts file in Windows XP (Pro & Embedded)
> I need to add a the following line to the hosts file of about 500 machines
> 100.100.100.1 TESTHOST
> When I add the line to the hosts file and do "ping TESTHOST" it doesn't
> work
> When I do "net start dnscache" the ping works, when I stop the service it
> doesn't work anymore.
>
> Until now I've found 2 possible solutions :
> Set the DNS Client service (dnscache) to automatic at boot
> Add the systems's own IP address as DNS server
>
> Can anyone explain why the hostname isn't resolved when the DNS client
> isn't
> started ?
>
> Regards
> Dennis Peere
>
>
>