What is a .SAM file?
The .SAM file extension stands for an Ami Pro Document, but in the context of Microsoft Windows, it refers to a sample of the LMHOSTS setting file. This file is important because it helps your computer know how to find and communicate with other computers over the internet or a local network. It does this by listing the IP addresses (which are like unique identifiers for devices on a network) and matching them with NetBIOS names (which are more user-friendly names for those devices).
You can open this type of file with any text editor, like Notepad on Windows 7, or other similar programs. This means you can view or edit the file just by using the basic text editing software that comes with your computer.
The LMHOSTS file, including its sample (.SAM) version, plays a crucial role when your computer starts up. Windows is set up to automatically load the first 100 entries in the LMHOSTS file that are marked with "#PRE". This setting helps your computer quickly connect to other computers it frequently interacts with. However, if needed, you can change how many entries are loaded by adjusting settings in the system registry. But be careful, because loading too many entries might slow down your computer.
You can find both the LMHOSTS file and the sample .SAM file in a specific folder on your computer. For older versions of Windows like 95, 98, and Millennium Edition, they're located in the %windir% directory. For newer versions, from Windows NT 4.0 up to Windows 7, as well as Windows Server 2003, 2008, and 2008 R2, you'll find them in the %windir%\system32\drivers\etc directory.
It's important to note that starting with Windows 8, the LMHOSTS file is no longer used. This means that the .SAM file related to LMHOSTS settings is also not applicable for Windows 8 and later versions.
Verification
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