Solved Associate file hosts with notepad

DMD · Apr 29, 2024

Good morning I have always wondered if there is a procedure to associate the hosts file, without extension, to notepad or any text editor.
I know that normally you can't do it like any file, exactly why I ask if there is a proicedure to associate it permanently to notepad.
Thank you

FreeBooter · Apr 29, 2024

There is no need to as the Notepad need to open with admin privileges or Hosts file cannot be modified but to view it content normal Notepad will do You can associate it from Hosts properties.

antspants · Apr 29, 2024

Batch file

Batch:

start notepad "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\HOSTS"

Someone would need to help with this batch so as notepad opens as admin.

Or maybe there is a way to have the notepad .exe always open as admin.

kelper · Apr 29, 2024

Put that batch in a shortcut and set open with admin in its properties.

antspants · Apr 29, 2024

kelper said:
Put that batch in a shortcut and set open with admin in it's properties.

It was a good idea, but failed to open the host file as admin. Trying to save the file opened a save as box.
The same happens when right clicking on the .bat file and selecting "Run as administrator" the save as box opens as apposed to just saving.

This is regardless that the host file is not marked as read only (which is generally a good practice for the host file to avoid unauthorised modification)

antspants · Apr 29, 2024

So ultimately, creating the batch file

Batch:

start notepad "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\HOSTS"

and having it open the host file as admin so as to avoid a save as box and also removing the read only properties so as to also avoid the save as box, would be the needed process.

I also tried creating a shortcut directly to notepad, telling it to run as admin and placed it in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\
I edited the shortcut to read C:\Windows\notepad.exe "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\HOSTS"
As much as it opens the needed file, the same thing happens again, save as box opens.

To be honest, I'd just create a shortcut to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc and operate with Open with,
Until someone has a solution.

Edited.

Fabler2 · Apr 29, 2024

Copilot's answer.

Code:

@echo off
:: BatchGotAdmin (Run as Admin code starts)
REM  --> Check for permissions
>nul 2>&1 "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\cacls.exe" "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\config\system"

REM --> If error flag set, we do not have admin.
if '%errorlevel%' NEQ '0' (
    echo Requesting administrative privileges...
    goto UACPrompt
) else ( goto gotAdmin )

:UACPrompt
    echo Set UAC = CreateObject^("Shell.Application"^) > "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    set params= %*
    echo UAC.ShellExecute "cmd.exe", "/c %~s0 %params%", "", "runas", 1 >> "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"

    "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    del "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    exit /B

:gotAdmin
    pushd "%CD%"
    CD /D "%~dp0"
:: BatchGotAdmin (Run as Admin code ends)

:: Your actual code starts here
start notepad.exe C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

Copy and paste to notepad then save as .bat

antspants · Apr 29, 2024

Fabler2 said:

Copilot's answer.

Code:

@echo off
:: BatchGotAdmin (Run as Admin code starts)
REM  --> Check for permissions
>nul 2>&1 "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\cacls.exe" "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\config\system"

REM --> If error flag set, we do not have admin.
if '%errorlevel%' NEQ '0' (
    echo Requesting administrative privileges...
    goto UACPrompt
) else ( goto gotAdmin )

:UACPrompt
    echo Set UAC = CreateObject^("Shell.Application"^) > "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    set params= %*
    echo UAC.ShellExecute "cmd.exe", "/c %~s0 %params%", "", "runas", 1 >> "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"

    "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    del "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    exit /B

:gotAdmin
    pushd "%CD%"
    CD /D "%~dp0"
:: BatchGotAdmin (Run as Admin code ends)

:: Your actual code starts here
start notepad.exe C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

Copy and paste to notepad then save as .bat

Very cool, did you try it?

And I would be curious to know the exact prompt/s you gave Copilot for that answer?

FreeBooter · Apr 29, 2024

Fabler2 said:

Copilot's answer.

Code:

@echo off
:: BatchGotAdmin (Run as Admin code starts)
REM  --> Check for permissions
>nul 2>&1 "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\cacls.exe" "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\config\system"

REM --> If error flag set, we do not have admin.
if '%errorlevel%' NEQ '0' (
    echo Requesting administrative privileges...
    goto UACPrompt
) else ( goto gotAdmin )

:UACPrompt
    echo Set UAC = CreateObject^("Shell.Application"^) > "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    set params= %*
    echo UAC.ShellExecute "cmd.exe", "/c %~s0 %params%", "", "runas", 1 >> "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"

    "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    del "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    exit /B

:gotAdmin
    pushd "%CD%"
    CD /D "%~dp0"
:: BatchGotAdmin (Run as Admin code ends)

:: Your actual code starts here
start notepad.exe C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

Copy and paste to notepad then save as .bat

I would code it like so.

Code:

@Echo off & Cls

(Net session >nul 2>&1)||(PowerShell start """%~0""" -verb RunAs & Exit /B)



Start notepad "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\HOSTS"

antspants · Apr 29, 2024

FreeBooter said:

Freebooter is that a batch or pasted into Powershell?

FreeBooter · Apr 29, 2024

antspants said:
Freebooter is that a batch or pasted into Powershell?

It's Batch script.

antspants · Apr 29, 2024

I’m going to experiment with both of these very shortly.

Fabler2 · Apr 29, 2024

antspants said:
Very cool, did you try it?

And I would be curious to know the exact prompt/s you gave Copilot for that answer?

Yes and I asked it to open notepad as admin and open hosts file.

antspants · Apr 29, 2024

I created batch files for both of these.
I removed the read only attribute from "hosts"
Both of these scripts worked to open hosts
I added some text to the opened host file and instigated save.

Both scripts opened a save as box. Neither just saved the file.

It's not the worst result, you could just save as and overwrite the original hosts file.

EDIT:

So I tried opening notepad as admin, directing notepad to the hosts file (read only is off), modifying the host file and saving still opens a save as dialog box.
Something has changed in regards to the opening hosts via the notepad as admin process. This is not the behavior I am used to having (prior to this fresh install of Windows) edited the host file on many occasions. In the past, opening notepad as admin and modifying the host file just saved directly to the host file without a save as box opening.

Is it just my system something is broken in or is this the new normal?

EDITED.

FreeBooter · Apr 29, 2024

I have a batch script reset Hosts file to default.

Code:

:: Reset Hosts file back to default in Windows


@Echo off & Cls

REM  --> Check for permissions
Reg query "HKU\S-1-5-19\Environment"
REM --> If error flag set, we do not have admin.
if %errorlevel% NEQ 0 (
ECHO                 **************************************
ECHO                  Running Admin shell... Please wait...
ECHO                 **************************************

    goto UACPrompt
) else ( goto gotAdmin )

:UACPrompt
    echo Set UAC = CreateObject^("Shell.Application"^) > "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    set params = "%*:"=""
    echo UAC.ShellExecute "cmd.exe", "/c ""%~s0"" %params%", "", "runas", 1 >> "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"

    "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    del "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    exit /B


:gotAdmin


If Exist C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts.old (Del /F /Q C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts.old)


Ren C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts  hosts.old

Echo # Copyright (c) 1993-2009 Microsoft Corp. > C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo # >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo # This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows. >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo # >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo # This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo # entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo # be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name. >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo # The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo # space. >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo # >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo # Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo # lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol. >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo # >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo # For example: >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo # >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo #      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo #       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo. >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo # localhost name resolution is handle within DNS itself. >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo #       127.0.0.1       localhost >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Echo #       ::1             localhost >> C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

Cls

Echo.
Echo.
Echo Completed......

Notepad C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

Exit

Fabler2 · Apr 29, 2024

antspants said:
I created batch files for both of these.
I removed the read only attribute from "hosts"
Both of these scripts worked to open hosts
I added some text to the opened host file and instigated save.

Both scripts opened a save as box. Neither just saved the file.

It's not the worst result, you could just save as and overwrite the original hosts file.

EDIT:

So I tried opening notepad as admin, directing notepad to the hosts file (read only is off), modifying the host file and saving still opens a save as dialog box.
Something has changed in regards to the open Hosts as admin process. This is not the behavior I am used to having (prior to this fresh install of Windows). In the past, opening notepad as admin and modifying the host file just saved directly to the host file without a save as box opening.

Is it just my system something is broken in or is this the new normal?

I simply ran the batch file (double clicking the icon) and notepad opened hosts as admin. Did '#test save' entry and selected save. Closed notepad and ran the batch file again and it had saved.

antspants · Apr 29, 2024

Fabler2 said:
I simply ran the batch file (double clicking the icon) and notepad opened hosts as admin. Did '#test save' entry and selected save. Closed notepad and ran the batch file again and it had saved.

View attachment 94695

Something must be broken for me.
Opening notepad as admin then opening hosts, in the past never asked to "save as" on selecting save.
I don't doubt your script works, great effort IMO.
I will have to investigate why my host file appears to be stuck on read only regardless that the attribute says otherwise

antspants · Apr 29, 2024

These scripts are good news for DMD though. As long as it's remembered to re activate the read only attribute. IMO this is very important.

Fabler2 · Apr 29, 2024

antspants said:
Something must be broken for me.
Opening notepad as admin then opening hosts, never asked to "save as" on selecting save.
I don't doubt your script works, great effort IMO.
I will have to investigate why my host file appears to be stuck on read only regardless that the attribute says otherwise

Once I added an entry to the hosts just select 'save' not save as. The entry will be saved to hosts.

antspants · Apr 29, 2024

Fabler2 said:
Once I added an entry to the hosts just select 'save' not save as. The entry will be saved to hosts.

Yeah, for sure, it's still opening a save as when I click save. I believe the file is somehow stuck on Read Only. I have no idea how that is possible. My problem.

Great thread

/ 5