Question : How can I tell why my Windows XP machine isn't using my hosts file?

I have a line in my c:\windows\system32\etc\drivers\hosts file that points "intranet" to our local IP for our Intranet.  It is not working.  When I browse to "intranet" in Firefox, it doesn't end up in the right place (it actually goes to wikipedia for Intranet).

That struck me as odd so I started poking around.  
- I copied a hosts file that is working for someone else, to make sure it wasn't syntax or something
- I saw in various places that you can control the order of sources that XP uses to get IP addresses

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/139270/EN-US/

in the registry.  Apparently, those registry settings are not set by default -- if you add them, you can control the order, but by default, Windows should go to the Hosts file first.  Those settings are NOT in my registry.

I cannot figure out why my machine is not using my hosts file.  The question is:

Is there a way to get Windows to tell me what source it is using to map names to IP addresses?  

I will set the registry settings and force it that way, I suppose, but this struck me as odd and I'd like some help figuring out what is going on.

Thanks,
-Dave

Answer : How can I tell why my Windows XP machine isn't using my hosts file?

""I read somewhere that if LocalDNS is running at all on Windows, it will ignore the hosts file, but on another machine in our office, it is running and I see that machine picking up the hosts file.""

No, this is incorrect Dave. No matter what role of machine is..if the Registry has not been changed (And Infact I would suggest not to change it at all)...The host file always take higher priority...Even in a DNS Server !!..Now to look at the issue you are facing...Open IE settings and make sure that No Proxy Server has been defined under the Connection settings. If it is not there, do this... Open Host file. Type any random IP like this :

10.10.10.10             Yahoo.com

Once, you have typed this...Save and close the file. Open Command Prompt and type Ping Yahoo.com. If it returns 10.10.10.10.. then it means Host File is working. Also, please make sure that you are editing the right file ( I am sure u r but still...:))... Hosts file is a simple notepad file with "no extension"