there was a time when you could redirect a server for debugging purpose simply by changing the windows hosts file.
This does not work with windows 8.
So what is the easiest way to redirect (let's say) superuser.com to localhost on windows 8?
Windows 8 can and does use the host file, but there are some complications, formost being windows Defender detects it as a trace of malware.
see the instructions here for whitelisting the file in windows defender http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2764944
and info on editing a hosts file http://www.jafaloo.com/2013/01/03/windows-hosts-file/