Guy Ellis Rocks

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Hosts file locked (read-only) on Server 2008

 I was trying to edit the HOSTS file on Windows Server 2008 with Notepad++ but after editing it wouldn't let me save it with a "Save failed" - "Please check whether if this file is opened in another program" (the ...whether if... is their message not my typo).

Anyhow, didn't turn out to be read-only as I initially thought or another process as suggested (I did try stopping several services to see if that would help) but instead it turned out to be the fact that I hadn't started Notepad++ as administrator.

I don't understand why I need to run Notepad++ as administrator to edit the HOSTS file but aparently I do. I'm sure that it's just a matter of getting used to this new Vista style UAC that I assume is the underpinning of the security model in Server 2008.

Filed under: IIS

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» Comments

  1. mozey avatar

    what a pile of shit!, i dont know how to run notepad as animistrator, but i guess i'll figure it out

    mozey — January 17, 2009 1:47 PM
  2. guy ellis avatar

    Mozey: Right click notepad or notepad++ and on the menu you'll see an option to "run as administrator"

    guy ellis — January 17, 2009 4:07 PM
  3. Zoe avatar

    Yeah stupid trick. I like the linux way. sudo notepad++. Here I have to change the shortcut and now ... I can overwrite anything. And thank you Microsoft for VERY clear error messages... NOT

    Zoe — March 11, 2009 10:28 AM
  4. guy ellis avatar

    I've followed this entry up with my reasons why you should disable UAC: guyellisrocks.com/.../disable-uac-on-

    guy ellis — March 11, 2009 11:29 AM
  5. KUNAL avatar

    hey can i edit the host file on server 2008 n make all the peers on the LAN reference it instead of DNS server....?

    KUNAL — March 20, 2009 3:02 AM
  6. osirix avatar

    To be honest i am glad they did this other wise anyone could edit the files by mistake-dont know why your being hard on MS when they did something right?RIght clicking admin is easier than going into the terminal and typing sudo any day so i dont know what the problem is?

    osirix — May 7, 2009 7:05 AM
  7. Steve K avatar

    Thank you, very helpful.

    Steve K — July 27, 2009 1:46 AM
  8. Steve Crow avatar

    This helped me so much... Thank you!!!

    I'm a student trying to get my working environment going with Netbeans for JSP.

    -steve

    Steve Crow — November 15, 2009 1:23 AM
  9. Lynn avatar

    Thanks!

    Lynn — November 24, 2009 11:44 AM
  10. Susan avatar

    It may be a problem with who owns the file or rwx persmissions

    Susan — April 24, 2010 4:43 PM

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