Windows XP Hosts file doesn't work

[Guest]

Hello folks!

I'm having a problem with my Windows installation. My hosts, services,
networks and protocol database files (C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc) are
not working.

The HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Tcpip\Parameters
key has the DataBasePath set to %SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\etc. When I
echo this string in cmd it shows me the correct path.

Examples:

The hosts file contain:

127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.0.1 localhost2
172.26.34.60 other

If i ping localhost it works because it's set in the registry (NV Hostname
string).

If I ping localhost2 it doesnt work, if I ping other it doesn't work either.
If I ping 172.26.34.60 it works.

The services file doesn't work either.

ftp 21/tcp #FTP. control

If I do "telnet 172.26.34.60 21" it works. If I do "telnet 172.26.34.60 ftp"
it doesn't work.


Does anyone have a clue on this one? Thanks for your help!

 

[Guest]

Hi

my XP suddenly fails to resolve the hosts file, i check DataBasePath in
regedit is correct . Is your problem resolved ? If yes, do you mind share
the solutions with me?

Thanks! Matthew

 

[pmak]

I am experiencing the same problem; Windows seems to be ignoring my
hosts file.

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc>grep pads.vgamin.de hosts
127.0.0.1 pads.vgamin.de

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc>ping pads.vgamin.de

Pinging pads.vgamin.de [213.239.221.229] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 213.239.242.3: Destination host unreachable.

 

[zafar]

Open regedit and browse to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Tcpip\Parameters

Examine "DataBasePath" key in this node carefully.

If the path is set to %SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\etc and the key
type is anything but REG_EXPAND_SZ, that is is your problem.

If the type is REG_SZ, edit the DatabasePath registry key and hardcode
th entire path (remove the env variable)
e.g. c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc

or

delete the existing registry key and create a new key by the same name
(DataBasePath) of type REG_EXPAND_SZ and set the value to
%SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\etc

Files in etc dir should now be enabled.

Why did this happen to you? Most likely you installed MSN Messenger
7.0/7.5 which changed the type of this key.

Why did it do that, why didn't it inform you of what it has done? Ask
Bill gates?

Is it documented anywere? Not to the best of my knowledge.

*I am experiencing the same problem; Windows seems to be ignoring my
hosts file.

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc>grep pads.vgamin.de hosts
127.0.0.1 pads.vgamin.de

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc>ping pads.vgamin.de

Pinging pads.vgamin.de [213.239.221.229] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 213.239.242.3: Destination host unreachable. *