Is editing Host file in windows 7 is dangerous?

In summary,Editing the Host file in Windows 7 is safe and easy to do. It will not damage your OS, but I would recommend saving the original file in case you need to revert back.
  • #1
Benjamin_harsh
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Is editing Host file in windows 7 is dangerous?
i want to edit Host file, so that i can bypass blocked sites. :)
but i am fear whether will my pc's OS get damaged or not? :(
 
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  • #2
If you don't know what you are doing you can disrupt networking ability, but its pretty easy to fix any mistakes. Changing website IPs etc is pretty easy. Is this a school lab computer? I would advise against anything other than with your personal computer.
 
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  • #3
A free proxy service, like StartPage, can enable some blocks to be avoided
 
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  • #4
Benjamin_harsh said:
Is editing Host file in windows 7 is dangerous?
i want to edit Host file, so that i can bypass blocked sites. :)
but i am fear whether will my pc's OS get damaged or not? :(
No, will not damage your OS, but I would save my original HOSTS file if I were you. Also, be sure that your anti-virus is updated and active.
 
  • #5
http://lifehacker.com/5817447/how-to-block-unwanted-ads-in-all-applications-and-speed-up-web-browsing-with-the-hosts-file

Here a is a site with host files
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm

And here is a host file that blocks ads
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.txt

I used the host file that way before firefox/adblock

Editing the host file is safe, easy and works well.
 
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  • #6
If you change any files such as the HOST file then be sure to back it up somewhere in case you need to revert back to it. It won't effect your OS though, and if you ever did anything that disastrous then you can always just roll back to a Windows restore point or back to factory settings if you have a recovery partition.
 
  • #7
meBigGuy said:
http://lifehacker.com/5817447/how-to-block-unwanted-ads-in-all-applications-and-speed-up-web-browsing-with-the-hosts-file

Here a is a site with host files
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm

And here is a host file that blocks ads
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.txt

I used the host file that way before firefox/adblock

Editing the host file is safe, easy and works well.

Oh NICE Hostfile! Thanks! Sure beats adding them in one by one.
 
  • #8
To bypass blocked sites, I use free proxy server http://fineproxy.org/eng/ to hide my real location. It works for me fine and OS is not damaged.
 
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Related to Is editing Host file in windows 7 is dangerous?

1. Is it safe to edit the Host file in Windows 7?

Yes, it is safe to edit the Host file in Windows 7 as long as you are careful and know what you are doing. The Host file is a text file that contains a list of mappings between IP addresses and hostnames, and editing it can help with network troubleshooting and blocking unwanted websites.

2. Can editing the Host file in Windows 7 cause any problems?

If you make a mistake while editing the Host file, it can lead to problems such as websites not loading or redirecting to the wrong IP address. It is important to make a backup of the original Host file before making any changes and to double check your edits before saving.

3. How do I access the Host file in Windows 7?

To access the Host file in Windows 7, you will need to open the Notepad application as an administrator. Then, go to File > Open and navigate to the following location: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc. Select the "hosts" file and click "Open". This will allow you to make changes to the Host file.

4. What are some common reasons for editing the Host file in Windows 7?

Some common reasons for editing the Host file in Windows 7 include blocking unwanted websites, redirecting websites to a different IP address, and resolving network issues. It can also be used for testing a website on a local server before making it live.

5. Is there a limit to the number of entries I can add to the Host file in Windows 7?

There is no specific limit to the number of entries you can add to the Host file in Windows 7, but it is recommended to keep it organized and not add too many entries to avoid potential issues. It is also important to note that the Host file can become too large, causing it to slow down your system.

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