Unable to access YouTube

[DoubleDown]

kyleb,

i could only find 2 sample versions of the "Hosts" file --

"# 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."

i made sure that my search was checking hidden/system folders as well. is there a specific place i can find this file?

[IndyGuy]

[ QUOTE ]
i could only find 2 sample versions of the "Hosts" file --
...
i made sure that my search was checking hidden/system folders as well. is there a specific place i can find this file?

[/ QUOTE ]

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc

[IndyGuy]

[ QUOTE ]
nah, no recent firewall/security stuff added. i am on a university network. do you think they couldve killed access to youtube? is there anything else i can try to look for that will give me a headsup as to why i cant access the site?

[/ QUOTE ]

They could easily have killed it, especially if it's a smaller school that is constrained by bandwidth. Where do you go?

If the're blocking YouTube, a simple phone call to the IT support staff would confim it for you. This isn't something they would hide (but possibly not broadcast to everyone). It was standard practice when Napster first came out, since Napster users would saturate many universities' entire Internet connections.

[DoubleDown]

thanks indy for the add'l help.

as an update, found the hosts file -- it didnt contain anything regarding youtube -- so i couldnt delete anything in it.

youtube still not working.

sadly,
DD

[IndyGuy]

NP, glad to help.

I'd give it 70% chance your school's IT department is blocking it. Most likely for bandwidth reasons, but also possibly because people are misusing the site or are disseminating materials they shouldn't be (copyright by your school?) via the site.

I'll give it 30% chance (or less) that YouTube is actively blocking your school's subnet (all IP addresses at your school). They'd do this if they were experiencing malicious behaviour that was coming from all over the subnet. Think 20 guys in a dorm posting porn all night. Something like that.

If you contact the IT at your school, they wouldn't have any real reason to hide the fact that it's blocked. They'd just matter of factly tell you that YouTube is prohibited for such and such reason and point you to someone to contact if you disagree with the policy.

Small chance it's your machine, but checking w/ IT is an easier first step. Second step would be to borrow a laptop and use the same connection you're currently using and seeing if the laptop can reach YouTube.

[DoubleDown]

update: didn't get a chance to follow-thru with IT here. didn't mess around with any other settings on my computer. didn't really do much of anything.
but YT started working for me again yesterday.

thanks for all the advice.
-dd