Troubleshooting Local Host File Errors: Causes and Quick Fixes

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Encountering errors while accessing the local hosts file can be a frustrating experience for Windows users. These errors often manifest as Event ID 1012 in the Windows Event Viewer, accompanied by the message: “There was an error while attempting to read the local hosts file.” Understanding the root causes of this issue and applying the appropriate fixes is crucial for maintaining smooth network operations and resolving hostname resolution problems on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 system. This article will guide you through effective troubleshooting steps to resolve this error and ensure your hosts file functions correctly.

Understanding the “Error While Attempting to Read the Local Hosts File”¶

The hosts file is a fundamental component of the Windows operating system, serving as a local DNS resolver. It maps hostnames to IP addresses, allowing your computer to translate human-readable website names into numerical IP addresses that computers use to communicate. When the system encounters an error reading this file, it can disrupt network connectivity and lead to issues accessing websites or network resources. The Event ID 1012 specifically indicates a problem during the process of accessing and interpreting the hosts file.

The error message in Event Viewer typically looks like this:

There was an error while attempting to read the local hosts file.

Log Name: System
Source: DNS Client Events
Event ID: 1012

This event highlights that the DNS Client service, responsible for resolving hostnames, is unable to properly access the hosts file. Let’s explore the common causes and practical solutions to address this issue effectively.

Common Causes of Hosts File Read Errors¶

Several factors can contribute to the “Error while attempting to read the local hosts file.” Identifying the potential cause is the first step towards implementing the correct solution. Here are some of the most frequent reasons behind this error:

• Incorrect File Name, Type, or Location: The hosts file has specific naming and location requirements. Any deviation from these standards will prevent the system from recognizing and reading the file. If the file is named incorrectly, has an unintended file extension, or is placed in the wrong directory, the error can occur.
• Corrupted Hosts File: Like any other file on your system, the hosts file can become corrupted due to various reasons, such as system errors, software conflicts, or improper modifications. A corrupted file may contain invalid data or structural inconsistencies, making it unreadable by the system.
• Incorrect File Permissions: Windows employs a permission system to control access to files and folders. If the permissions for the hosts file are incorrectly configured, the system might be denied the necessary access to read it, leading to the error. Insufficient permissions for system services or administrator accounts can cause this problem.
• DNS Cache Conflicts: While less directly related to the hosts file itself, issues with the DNS cache can sometimes indirectly trigger this error. An outdated or corrupted DNS cache might interfere with the hostname resolution process and surface as a hosts file reading error in certain scenarios.
• System File Corruption: Underlying system file corruption can impact various operating system functions, including file access and DNS operations. If critical system files are damaged or missing, it can indirectly affect the system’s ability to read the hosts file correctly.

Solutions to Fix “Error While Attempting to Read the Local Hosts File”¶

Resolving the “Error while attempting to read the local hosts file” typically involves a systematic approach, starting with the most common and easily rectifiable causes. Follow these solutions in the order presented to effectively troubleshoot and fix the issue on your Windows system.

1] Check the Hosts File Name, Type, and Location¶

The most basic yet crucial step is to verify that the hosts file adheres to the correct naming, type, and location conventions. Windows expects the hosts file to be named precisely “hosts” without any file extension. It should be a plain text file and reside in a specific directory.

Steps to Verify File Name, Type, and Location:

1. Open File Explorer: Launch File Explorer from the taskbar or Start Menu.
2. Navigate to the Hosts File Location: In the File Explorer address bar, type C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\ and press Enter. This will take you directly to the directory containing the hosts file.
3. Locate the “hosts” File: Look for a file named “hosts” within this folder.
4. Check File Name: Ensure the file is named exactly “hosts” with no extensions like “.txt”, “.ics”, or any other.
5. Check File Type: Right-click on the “hosts” file and select “Properties.” In the “Properties” window, under the “General” tab, look for “Type of file.” It should simply say “File,” indicating it’s a file without a specific extension. If it shows “Text Document” or any other type, it means the file has an incorrect extension.
6. Verify Location: Confirm that you are in the correct directory: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\.

If you find any discrepancies in the file name, type, or location, such as an incorrect name like “hosts.txt” or the file being in a different folder, you will need to proceed to the next step, which involves recreating the hosts file correctly.

2] Recreate the Hosts File¶

If the hosts file is corrupted, incorrectly named, or has an unwanted file extension, recreating it with the default content is a straightforward solution. This process involves renaming the existing file (as a backup) and creating a new one with the standard default content.

Steps to Recreate the Hosts File:

1. Navigate to the Hosts File Location: Open File Explorer and go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\.
2. Rename the Existing Hosts File: Right-click on the “hosts” file and select “Rename.” Change the name to “hosts.bak.” This renames the file as a backup in case you need to revert later. You might encounter permission issues during renaming. If so, you may need to take ownership of the file first.
3. Create a New Text File: Right-click in an empty area within the etc folder, go to “New,” and select “Text Document.” A new text file named “New Text Document.txt” will be created.
4. Rename the New Text File: Rename “New Text Document.txt” to “hosts.” Crucially, ensure you remove the “.txt” extension. Windows will warn you about changing the file extension; click “Yes” to proceed.
5. Open the New “hosts” File: Double-click the newly created “hosts” file to open it in Notepad.

6. Paste Default Hosts File Content: Copy and paste the following default content into the Notepad window:

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

   
   7. Save the File: Click “File” in Notepad, then “Save.” Ensure the “Save as type” is set to “Text Documents (.txt)” or “All Files (.*)” and the encoding is set to “ANSI” or “UTF-8.” Save the file. If you accidentally save it with a “.txt” extension, you will need to rename it again in File Explorer to remove the extension, leaving just “hosts.”

After recreating the hosts file with the default content, restart your computer and check if the “Error while attempting to read the local hosts file” is resolved.

3] Verify the File Permissions of the Hosts File¶

Incorrect file permissions can prevent the system from accessing the hosts file. Ensuring that the “SYSTEM” and “Administrators” groups have the necessary permissions is essential. Specifically, “Read” and “Write” permissions are crucial for the system to properly utilize the hosts file.

Steps to Verify and Modify File Permissions:

1. Navigate to the Hosts File Location: Open File Explorer and go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\.
2. Right-Click on the “hosts” File: Right-click on the “hosts” file and select “Properties.”
3. Go to the “Security” Tab: In the “Properties” window, click on the “Security” tab.
4. Check “Group or user names”: In the “Security” tab, you will see a list of “Group or user names.” Ensure that “SYSTEM” and “Administrators” are listed. If they are not, you may need to add them.
5. Select “SYSTEM” and Check Permissions: Select “SYSTEM” from the list. In the “Permissions for SYSTEM” section below, verify that “Read” and “Write” permissions are allowed (checkboxes under “Allow” column for “Read” and “Write” should be ticked). If “Write” is not allowed, click “Edit” to change permissions.
6. Select “Administrators” and Check Permissions: Similarly, select “Administrators” from the “Group or user names” list and check their permissions. Ensure “Read” and “Write” permissions are allowed.
7. Edit Permissions (if needed): If “Read” or “Write” permissions are not allowed for either “SYSTEM” or “Administrators,” click the “Edit” button.
8. Select User/Group to Modify: In the “Permissions for hosts” window, select the user or group (e.g., “SYSTEM” or “Administrators”) whose permissions you need to change.
9. Grant “Full control” or “Modify” Permissions: Under “Permissions for [Selected User/Group],” check the “Allow” box next to “Full control” or at least “Modify” (which includes Read and Write). Granting “Full control” is generally safe for “SYSTEM” and “Administrators” for the hosts file.
10. Click “Apply” and “OK”: After making changes, click “Apply” and then “OK” in both the “Permissions” and “Properties” windows to save the changes.

After adjusting file permissions, restart your computer and check if the error persists. Correct permissions are crucial for the operating system to access and utilize the hosts file effectively.

4] Flush DNS¶

Flushing the DNS cache clears out any cached DNS records on your system. This can be helpful if there are conflicts or outdated information in the DNS cache that might be indirectly contributing to the hosts file error. Flushing DNS forces your system to re-resolve hostnames, potentially resolving any inconsistencies.

Steps to Flush DNS Cache:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Press the Windows key, type “cmd,” right-click on “Command Prompt,” and select “Run as administrator.” Click “Yes” if prompted by User Account Control (UAC).

2. Type the Flush DNS Command: In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:

   ipconfig /flushdns
   

   
   3. Wait for Confirmation: The command prompt will display a message like “Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache” upon successful execution.
   4. Close Command Prompt: Type exit and press Enter to close the Command Prompt window.

After flushing the DNS cache, restart your computer and check if the “Error while attempting to read the local hosts file” is resolved. Flushing DNS is a quick and safe step that can often resolve various network-related issues.

5] Repair System Files¶

If none of the above steps resolve the issue, corrupted system files might be the underlying cause. Windows includes built-in tools to scan for and repair corrupted system files. The System File Checker (SFC) and Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tools are effective for this purpose.

Using System File Checker (SFC):

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Open Command Prompt as administrator, as described in the “Flush DNS” section.

2. Run the SFC Command: In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:

   sfc /scannow
   

   
   3. Wait for Scan to Complete: SFC will scan all protected system files and replace corrupted files with cached copies. This process may take some time. Do not close the Command Prompt window until the scan is complete.
   4. Review Scan Results: After the scan is finished, SFC will display a message indicating whether it found and repaired any corrupted files. If it did, restart your computer.

Using Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM):

If SFC does not find or fix the issues, or if SFC itself reports problems, you can use DISM to repair the Windows system image.

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Open Command Prompt as administrator.

2. Run the DISM Restore Health Command: In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:

   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
   

   
   3. Wait for DISM to Complete: DISM will connect to Windows Update servers to download and replace corrupted system files. This process can take a significant amount of time, depending on your internet connection and the extent of corruption.
   4. Review DISM Results: Once DISM completes, it will report whether the operation was successful. Restart your computer after DISM finishes.

After running SFC and DISM, check if the “Error while attempting to read the local hosts file” is resolved. These tools can effectively repair a wide range of system file issues that might be indirectly causing the hosts file error.

Additional Information: Flushing DNS and Testing Hosts File¶

How do I flush DNS Hosts file?¶

It’s important to clarify that you don’t “flush DNS Hosts file” directly. You flush the DNS cache. The hosts file is a static file that is checked before the DNS cache and DNS servers are consulted for hostname resolution. Flushing DNS cache clears the temporary stored DNS records, forcing the system to re-resolve hostnames, which might involve re-reading the hosts file during the resolution process.

To flush the DNS cache on Windows, use the command ipconfig /flushdns in an elevated Command Prompt, as explained in Solution 4. On macOS or Linux systems, the command to flush DNS cache varies depending on the operating system version and DNS resolver being used.

How to test if a Hosts file is working?¶

Testing if your hosts file is working correctly is straightforward. You can modify the hosts file to map a domain name to a specific IP address and then try to access that domain.

Steps to Test Hosts File Functionality:

1. Open the Hosts File: Open the “hosts” file in Notepad as administrator (navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\ and open “hosts”).

2. Add a Test Entry: At the end of the file, add a new line with a test entry. For example, to redirect www.example.com to your local machine (IP address 127.0.0.1), add the following line:

   127.0.0.1 www.example.com
   

   
   (Replace www.example.com with any domain you want to test and 127.0.0.1 with the IP address you want to map it to).
   3. Save the Hosts File: Save the changes to the hosts file.
   4. Open a Web Browser: Open your web browser.
   5. Access the Domain Name: In the browser address bar, type www.example.com (or the domain name you used in the hosts file entry) and press Enter.
   6. Verify Redirection: If the hosts file is working correctly, your browser should attempt to connect to the IP address you specified (in this example, 127.0.0.1, which will likely result in a “cannot connect” or similar error because there’s no web server running at that address locally). However, the key is that the browser is attempting to connect to your specified IP and not the actual IP of www.example.com as resolved by DNS.
   7. Ping the Domain Name (Alternative Test): Alternatively, you can use the ping command in Command Prompt. Open Command Prompt and type:

   ping www.example.com
   

   
   If the hosts file is working, the ping command should show that it’s pinging the IP address you specified in the hosts file (e.g., 127.0.0.1), not the actual IP of www.example.com.

After testing, remember to remove or comment out the test entry you added in the hosts file (by adding a # at the beginning of the line) to revert to normal hostname resolution.

By following these troubleshooting steps, you should be able to effectively resolve the “Error while attempting to read the local hosts file” and ensure your hosts file functions correctly on your Windows system. Remember to test your hosts file modifications to confirm they are working as expected. If you continue to experience issues, consider seeking further technical support or consulting online resources for more advanced troubleshooting.

Feel free to share your experiences or ask any further questions in the comments below!