The Windows Sockets interface uses TCP/IP database files, HOSTS, LMHOSTS, networks, and protocols which are the standard Internet database files. Most operating systems maintain these database files in an \etc directory off the root directory, but NT buries them deep in its system directory structure in the %SystemRoot%\winnt\System32\Drivers\etc directory. To change this default location, apply the follow NT registry hack:

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Key: SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters
Name: DataBasePath
Type: REG_EXPAND_SZ

You can change the default path to folder of your choice. I suggest changing this setting to c:\etc to ensure consistency across operating systems (by default, both NetWare and UNIX point this path to the root directory).

For a more complete list of recommended ip texts, see Wayne's IP book recommendations