Open regedit and browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Tcpip\Parameters Examine "DataBasePath" key in this node carefully. If the path is set to %SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\etc and the key type is anything but REG_EXPAND_SZ, that is is your problem. If the type is REG_SZ, edit the DatabasePathregistry keyand hardcode th entire path (remove the env variable) e.g. c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc or delete the existing registry key and create a new key by the same name (DataBasePath) of type REG_EXPAND_SZ and set the value to %SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\etc Files in etc dir should now be enabled. Why did this happen to you? Most likely you installed MSN Messenger 7.0/7.5 which changed the type of this key. Why did it do that, why didn't it inform you of what it has done? Ask Bill gates? Is it documented anywere? Not to the best of my knowledge.