Article ID: 180099 - Last Review: February 27, 2007 - Revision: 2.3

Troubleshooting LMHOSTS Name Resolution Issues

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SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to load the contents of an Lmhosts file into the NetBIOS Remote Cache Name Table using the Nbtstat -R command, you may notice that the entries are not loading. You can view this by using the Nbtstat -c command.
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CAUSE

The Lmhosts file is very specific in its required syntax and may be incorrectly formatted.
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RESOLUTION

To troubleshoot this issue, use the following:

  • Open the Lmhosts file in a text editor, such as Notepad.exe or Edit.com, and place three or four carriage returns at the bottom of the file.

    NOTE: If you are using Notepad.exe, then make certain that you do not save the file using Unicode.
  • Make sure the Lmhosts lookup is enabled by performing the following steps:

    1. Click Start, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.
    2. Double-click Networks, on the Protocols tab, and double-click TCP/IP Protocol.
    3. On the WINS Address tab and click the Enable LMHOSTS Lookup to enable it.

      NOTE: You need to restart your computer for this change to take effect.
  • Verify that your Lmhosts file is in the proper folder and has no file extension. For more information, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge base:
    180094  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/180094/EN-US/ ) How to Write an LMHOSTS File for Domain Validation
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APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.5
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
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Keywords: 
kbnetwork kbprb kbtshoot KB180099
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