18 replies to this topic

[YoKenny]

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hpHOSTS - UPDATED August 13th, 2008

The hpHOSTS Hosts file has been updated. There is now a total of 53,668 listed hostsnames.

If you are NOT using the installer, please read the included Readme.txt file for installation instructions. Enjoy!


Latest Updated: 13/08/2008 03:30
Last Verified: 13/08/2008 03:45

Download hpHosts now!
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download

hpHOSTS is a community managed hosts file. What that means to you is that you have a key role to play in improving hpHOSTS by submitting undesirable sites you think should be listed or by requesting removal of sites you think may have been added in error. This process is performed in our public forums and all decisions to add or remove sites are subject to public criticism and ongoing re-evaluation. If you would like to get involved, please register* at the hpHOSTS Hosts File Support Forum.

* Registration is free and is not required to download the hpHOSTS hosts file.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alternative hosts file providers:

MVPS - http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
Peter - http://pgl.yoyo.org/as/
Mike Skallas - http://everythingisnt.com/hosts.html
Malware Domain List - http://www.malwaredo...slist/hosts.txt

_________________
Regards

Steven Burn
Ur I.T. Mate Group
www.it-mate.co.uk

Keeping it FREE!

[TeeJay3800]

I asked a similar question in a different thread, but rather than use more than one hosts file at once, which hosts file would be better to use: MVPS or hpHOSTS? The latest MVPS hosts file has 18,201 entries, but that's much less that hpHOSTS' 53,668 entries. Are there any disadvantages to using the hpHOSTS file?

[YoKenny]

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Are there any disadvantages to using the hpHOSTS file?

It is not a question of using MVPS or hpHosts file but of merging the two and deleting duplicates.

HostsMan has the capability to download both then merge the two then delete duplicates.

I have both installed and they result in 64,464 entries and the DNS Client Service being disabled because it causes performance problems if enabled.

Get HostsMan from here:
http://www.abelhadigital.com

Set it to auto load with Windows plus its performance enhancing proxy HostsServer.

[TeeJay3800]

That method would seem to leave old entries in the hosts file when each source is updated, which leads to an ever-increasing number of entries. I understand that HostsMan updates each your hosts file from each source, and then removes duplicate entries, but what about old entries that MVPS and hpHOSTS removes when a new version is released? It seems that only when the "overwrite" option in HostsMan is used are the old, out-of-date entries removed.

[YoKenny]

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It seems that only when the "overwrite" option in HostsMan is used are the old, out-of-date entries removed.

That's the option I use.

[TeeJay3800]

Alright, I didn't realize that you could use the overwrite option, and still not erase the other source's entries. I thought if you already had the MVPS version installed, and then installed the hpHOSTS version with the overwrite option checked, that it would overwrite all the MVPS entries. Apparently it will just add them and combine both source's entries.

Will my comp get any slower with such a large hosts file? I have the DNS Client service stopped (using HostsMan), but I thought I heard somewhere that even without DNS running, that a very large hosts file can still slow the computer down.

[YoKenny]

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Apparently it will just add them and combine both source's entries.

Thats correct.

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but I thought I heard somewhere that even without DNS running, that a very large hosts file can still slow the computer down.

Where did you hear that?

I'm running both HOSTS file on my real slow 500MHZ PIII and they don't slow it down.

I'm posting with that system right now.

[TeeJay3800]

Sounds good, but I'm having some trouble installing the hpHosts hosts file. When I initially installed the MVPS version, I just checked it in the update list in HostsMan, selected overwrite, and hit the update button. That same process isn't working with hpHosts...after hitting update, HostsMan appears to freeze. I'd like to do the update through HostsMan since I know for sure then that the hosts file is being overwritten. I know the hpHosts site offers an automatic installer, but I'm not sure how that installer would handle the MVPS entries that are already in the hosts file. What should I do here?

[YoKenny]

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That same process isn't working with hpHosts...after hitting update, HostsMan appears to freeze.

What version of HostsMan are you using?

There was a problem with one version of HostsMan that Steven Burn the owner of hpHosts had in that HostsMan was requesting an update too frequently so he blocked it:
http://forum.abelhad...p?showtopic=547

I always click on Mark all updates as not installed with version 3.2.68 Beta4
http://forum.abelhad...p?showtopic=553

I do not use the Auto update feature but I watch the hpHosts forum for updates:
http://forum.hosts-f...ewforum.php?f=3

[TeeJay3800]

I am using the latest stable release (3.1.55). Generally I stay away from beta releases because of stability issues, but if it's working fine for you I'll give the latest beta a try.

Thanks for the good links...helps answer a lot of my questions.

I use HostsServer since that seems to speed up browsing, but if you don't use auto-update, I'm curious why you have HostsMan running all the time too.

[YoKenny]

TeeJay3800, on Aug 14 2008, 08:45 PM, said:

I am using the latest stable release (3.1.55). Generally I stay away from beta releases because of stability issues, but if it's working fine for you I'll give the latest beta a try.

I have been using it since it came out on Jul 23 2008

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Thanks for the good links...helps answer a lot of my questions.

I use HostsServer since that seems to speed up browsing, but if you don't use auto-update, I'm curious why you have HostsMan running all the time too.

I like to see the number of active entries when I click on Show Window plus I have it configured to disable/enable the HOSTS file when I right click on its icon in the Taskbar.

[TeeJay3800]

I've upgraded to the latest beta of HostsMan, and have successfully installed both the MVPS and hpHosts hosts files. It's odd that the MVPS file has so few entries by comparison, but I feel my PC is much better protected with the additional entries provided by the hpHosts file.

Oddly enough, after adding both sources to my hosts file and deleting duplicates, my entries count is 2 less than yours...64,462. Strange.

Thanks again for the help!

[YoKenny]

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Oddly enough, after adding both sources to my hosts file and deleting duplicates, my entries count is 2 less than yours...64,462. Strange.

I have new ones:

127.0.0.1 runegold.org <== warning! do not go to this site as it drives Avast! anti virus nuts
127.0.0.1 windows-virus-scanner.com
127.0.0.1 fullscanner.com
127.0.0.1 download-base.com

Plus I take out some that I want to access.

[TeeJay3800]

I have another hosts file question. Everything has been working fine with hpHosts, until today when I tried to visit MySpace.com. I can't believe this, but Myspace is actually part of the hpHosts hosts file! Everyone uses Myspace! I have never heard of malware or anything unwanted coming from that extremely popular site.

I would like to be able to use Myspace, so I opened the hosts file in the HostsMan editor, searched for myspace.com. and checked the box at the left. I thought that would disable that entry and allow me to visit myspace.com, but it hasn't. Even with the box checked with a "#", and the changes saved, I still can't visit Myspace. How do I go about disabling certain entries in the hosts file?

[YoKenny]

TeeJay3800, on Aug 17 2008, 01:48 AM, said:

I have another hosts file question. Everything has been working fine with hpHosts, until today when I tried to visit MySpace.com. I can't believe this, but Myspace is actually part of the hpHosts hosts file! Everyone uses Myspace! I have never heard of malware or anything unwanted coming from that extremely popular site.

I would like to be able to use Myspace, so I opened the hosts file in the HostsMan editor, searched for myspace.com. and checked the box at the left. I thought that would disable that entry and allow me to visit myspace.com, but it hasn't. Even with the box checked with a "#", and the changes saved, I still can't visit Myspace. How do I go about disabling certain entries in the hosts file?

MySpace has been infested by malware purveyors such as Zango and other malware purveyors:
<== Its a bit fuzzy to view for me

Just remove the main MySpace entries.

[TeeJay3800]

So just highlight the myspace entry and hit the delete button? Will I have to do that each time an update to hpHosts comes out? What is the point of checking entries then, if it does nothing?

[YoKenny]

TeeJay3800, on Aug 17 2008, 04:15 AM, said:

So just highlight the myspace entry and hit the delete button?

Yes and restart the browser.

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Will I have to do that each time an update to hpHosts comes out?

Yes.

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What is the point of checking entries then, if it does nothing?

I do not understand what you are getting at.

[TeeJay3800]

YoKenny, on Aug 17 2008, 04:25 AM, said:

I do not understand what you are getting at.

Notice that there is a "disabled" item in the key at the top. If you click the empty box to the left of each entry, the # symbol appears which should mean that the entry is then disabled. That doesn't seem to stop the hosts file from block that site though. I tried hitting that box next to www.myspace.com, and it still would not load the site. That's why I'm confused.

[YoKenny]

TeeJay3800, on Aug 17 2008, 04:46 AM, said:

Notice that there is a "disabled" item in the key at the top. If you click the empty box to the left of each entry, the # symbol appears which should mean that the entry is then disabled. That doesn't seem to stop the hosts file from block that site though. I tried hitting that box next to www.myspace.com, and it still would not load the site. That's why I'm confused.

I don't like the built in editor in HostsMan and I use Notepad to edit the HOSTS file.

I even have a shortcut to C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc on my Desktop to get quick access to the HOSTS file.

You have to close all browser windows then start a new one to have the HOSTS file reloaded into Windows.