Question C:\\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts is not functioning, being ignored ?

I have a new installation of a Windows 10 Pro installed, fully updated (given to me by a friend who is closing down some of his shop inventory he doesn't use). It works quite well, except I am trying to add some aliases for local network devices. The file in the title is not corrupt, and it has correct permissions. I can ping the dotted-decimal address I've added to a NAS there, but I wanted to simply refer to it as "nas" sometimes instead of memorizing the IP address. Can't do it. I've even gone so far as to load the file in an editor which shows hidden characters, e.g., tabs, newline, carriage return, so on. The file has been restored and reedited with different editors (run as administrator). The regular user can read that file. The same edits work on other Windows 10 machines, and I have many times rebooted and flushed DNS cache.