Before I describe my problem. I did read through the thread about the hosts file right before mine. But i wasnt sure if that would help me. My problem is this. I go to C:/Windows/system32/drivers/etc and there is a hosts file but it is 0 kb and I cant open it, under file type it says file? not sure if thats right. But in spy sweeper when i go to edit/look at my hosts file it opens it but it is blank. Can someone explain to me whats wrong and what i can do to fix it? I believe I remember hearing that you could download hosts file. Is this true? And if so were can I download the hosts file.
Open the file in notepad. Copy and paste the following (the lines with the # in front of them) : # Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp. # # This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows. # # This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each # entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should # be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name. # The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one # space. # # Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual # lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol. # # For example: # # 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server # 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host Save the file.
There should be one more line there. 127.0.0.1 localhost This should be the last line of the file. ~Rich
Thanks, yeah today when I had a chance I took a look at another pc's host file. I was wondering what is the significance of 127.0.0.1? As every pc has it. And in the hosts file i looked at many entries had that same set of numbers. And in case this ever happens again. Besides copying and pasting this is there a site were I can download a host file?
Okay this is exactly how my hosts looks now . . . # Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp. # # This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows. # # This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each # entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should # be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name. # The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one # space. # # Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual # lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol. # # For example: # # 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server # 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host # 127.0.0.1 localhost
What is 127.0.0.1? 127.0.0.1 is the standard IP address used for a loopback network connection. This means that if you try to connect to 127.0.0.1, you are immediately looped back to your own machine. If you telnet, ftp, etc... to 127.0.0.1, you are connected to your own machine. In other words, 127.0.0.1 is you. For example, if your system was named "joker", and you attempted to telnet to 127.0.0.1, you would see: # telnet 127.0.0.1 Trying 127.0.0.1... Connected to joker Escape character is '^]'. Convincing newbie's to connect to 127.0.0.1 is a frequent joke on the Internet. Another name for 127.0.0.1 is localhost. Although 127.0.0.1 is the most commonly utilized address for localhost, any IP address in the 127.*.*.* range should also function in the same manner. ------------- After all the #'s you should have 127.0.0.1 (without any # in front). It should be on a line by itself.
You don't need to download a host file. It's just a simple text file with no extension. For example, you take the text you see here: # Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp. # # This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows. # # This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each # entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should # be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name. # The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one # space. # # Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual # lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol. # # For example: # # 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server # 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host 127.0.0.1 localhost that's your host file. Now, copy that into Notepad. Go to file, save as..and name it hosts.txt. Save it to your desktop. Then, just right click on the file, go to rename and just remove the .txt from the end of the file name.
Best way I find is to use hoster by funky toad for managing the host file, with this you can lock the host file, append it, delete entries, reset and along with the mvsp hostfile makes a damn good setup for stopping annoying ads, I also have configged it for blocking unwanted site such as adult site ( I have kids here) and also I have put a block in for google ads too MVSP Host file Hoster - Host File Manager
Whoops - sorry about the links.... I see bbcode is only partially implimented here lol Downloadable Host file - http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.txt Hostfile Manager - http://www.funkytoad.com/hoster.htm More Info about hostfiles - http://www.virtual-paradox.co.uk/hostfiles.htm
In addition to those programs, if you already use Spybot Search and Destroy, you can use it to add a list of sites that download spyware and such as well as locking the host file. To do that, open the program, go to Mode, Advanced Mode. Click on the Tools section down near the bottom of the left hand side. Then click on where it says Host File. There you can add the appended list from Spybot's info files. You can also add your own. When you are done there, click on IE Tweaks. Make sure the "Lock Hosts file read-only as protection against hijackers" is checked. You can also lock the IE home page. This host file lock and website additions work in any browser...and runs without any user interaction.
