How do you add an IP address/hostname pair to the host file in Windows 7?

Question

Our network IT people hate us, so our IP addresses are not entered into the DNS lookup automatically if we run a non-Windows OS. How do I get my Windows 7 machine to find the non-Windows OS machine by using the hostname?

In Windows XP, I added the hostname and IP address of the linux box to the C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts file. Under 64-bit Windows 7, how do I do that? I can't just edit the host file by opening it with Notepad from the file explorer window.

Solution

To edit the hosts file

C:\Windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

in Windows 7, you need to run the editor (eg. notepad) as administrator, which you do by locating it through the Start menu and then right clicking on the editor's icon, then manually open and edit the hosts file.

Comments

[Jay R.]

I used TextPad as Admin and the etc directory wouldn't show up in the file browser list. Works in notepad though.

[Jay R.]

You definitely have to be administrator.

[AP257]

If the above does not work, ie access denied when trying to save host, you can copy it to your desktop then edit it and than copy/replace it in ../drivers/etc. Admin priviliges are still necessary

[Seth Painter]

I think the etc directory is a system protected, or hidden folder, so you may or may not see it based on your settings. If you browse directly to the folder by path though, you should be successful.

[wmorrison365]

Similarly, I got to ...\etc but no files visible in Open dialog. Had to manually enter hosts, which opened file with no issues (WordPad).