Sometimes situations demands you to edit hosts file of your system. For instance when you want to block a website on your computer without any software then you are supposed to edit this hosts file. Now if you are on Windows vista then it does not allow you to edit hosts file in the same way you edit other normal notepad files. This is due to extra layer of security in windows vista. Actually you are supposed to have the administrator privliges to edit system files. So whenever you will try to edit hosts file in vista it would not allow you to save that file after your editing, it will show up a error.
So here is how you have to edit the hosts file in Windows Vista:
Step1: Click on the start button and you will see a search box just above the start button. Type Notepad in the search box. Now notepad will appear in the programs.
Right click on Notepad and select Run as Administrator, this will open up notepad with administrative privileges.
Step 2: Now browse to this location in notepad C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc. Now a notepad window will open, select type of files as “All files” as shown in the screenshot below.
Now vista hosts file would be visible to you. Select it and start editing.
Shahab khan is a Tech blogger from India & a founder of VirginTech. He blogs about Technology, internet, Social media, computer tips & tricks and Web 2.0. 
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
You mentioned that one can block websites on computer by editing these hosts file. So what we need to put in there?
Well chris just stay tuned to VirginTech. In our next post you will get your answer.