W2K doesn't do lookup in hosts

[Puzzled]

I'm trying to get my w2k box to do name lookups in hosts so that
i can call ping without supplying an ip address. Right now i can
'ping 192.168.0.10' and it works, but with 'ping server', it only
shrugs and complains. (Eventually i'll install a central dns
service, but i'd like to get the local-hosts-file method working
first)

TIA for any insights.

 

[Kurt]

I'm trying to get my w2k box to do name lookups in hosts so that
i can call ping without supplying an ip address. Right now i can
'ping 192.168.0.10' and it works, but with 'ping server', it only
shrugs and complains. (Eventually i'll install a central dns
service, but i'd like to get the local-hosts-file method working
first)

TIA for any insights.

There are two copies of the HOSTS file and I can never remember which
one it the actual one being used. Do a search for hosts and make sure
both files have the same records, then try again.

Kurt

 

[Puzzled]

There are two copies of the HOSTS file and I can never remember which
one it the actual one being used. Do a search for hosts and make sure
both files have the same records, then try again.

A search fails to turn up another one. There's an LMHOSTS file,
which has the same records, but not another HOSTS file - only the
one in winnt/system32/drivers/etc. That's true of both my w2k
boxes.

 

[Kurt]

A search fails to turn up another one. There's an LMHOSTS file,
which has the same records, but not another HOSTS file - only the
one in winnt/system32/drivers/etc. That's true of both my w2k
boxes.

Huh, how 'bout that. I did the same and you're right. I'm sure I
remember there being a second copy, maybe from the W2K days, but I don't
have a system around to check. I suspect that's the one then. It should
work. I've used that trick to resolve names on routed private networks
where the local DNS server doesn't have records for hosts on the other.

Kurt