Editing the Windows "hosts" file to override the network DNS resolution

Summary: 

Editing the Windows "hosts" file to override the network DNS resolution 

Problem or Goal:

How to edit the "hosts" file on windows machine, this overrides the network DNS answer.

Cause:

In most cases, especially while testing new website installs on hostgator cpanel for domain names that are already in production, i find myself in a situation where i have to edit the "hosts" file on my PC to point to a hostgator server. when am done testing, i delete the entry i had made in the hosts file and point the domain to the hostgator DNS servers.

This helps me to test the site locally on my laptop without interfering with the live website.

Solution: 

File Location:  C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

################################################
# 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 handled within DNS itself.
# 127.0.0.1       localhost
# ::1             localhost

127.0.0.1       localhost

192.185.32.240 www.clientdomain.com

###############################################

Problem Solved?

yes