How do I set an alias name in the hosts file?

For adding a alias name to a server in the hosts file you have to make the following structure:

In the first column you have to add the IP-Address, in the second column the host-name and in the third column you have to add the desired alias-name. Any subsequent columns are alias for that host. In the example's second line the IP-Address 192.168.0.2 is for the server test.server.com and another name for it is test.

For example:

127.0.0.1       localhost            test.server.com
192.168.0.2     test.server.com      test
192.168.0.3     another.server.com   another

Usually, the Syntax is:

<<IP>> hostname alias1 alias2

example:

127.0.0.1 localhost lo loopback

I hope it works the same under Windows XP