TeeJay3800 Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Thanks for the good info everyone. One more quick question: is it safe to have more than one hosts file installed? Using HostsMan, I installed MVPS Hosts and Mike's Ad Blocking Hosts. Is using more than one hosts unsafe from a security or performance standpoint? Dell Latitude D600 Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit SP1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarq57 Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 This is half warning and half question. Having recently installed the hosts file from mvps.og (thanks Andaviri) I subsequently ran a TrendMicro Housecall. 5 infections found. (No paths listed in the first scan run.) Took forever to clean. Luckilly Winpatrol then alerted me to a hosts file change (BHO warning), while the second scan was running. Second scan came up with 215 infections. Paths were given on this scan-all in the hosts file. Needless to say, did not clean. Pretty sure these are fp's. Sent an email off to TM concerning this. The question part: Am I right? PS, thanks to Winpatrol, was able to preserve the original hosts file, ie not allow the changes Housecall made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators rridgely Posted December 2, 2006 Moderators Share Posted December 2, 2006 Tarq Yeah it might have just been false positives.(more then likely) If your worried I suggest you do is reinstall the host file with the batch file again. It will just replace it with the same thing if nothing is wrong. Regardless if you reinstall it or not I suggest you find the host file at C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC then right click your host file and set it to read only. This way nothing should be able to edit your host file and you know everything it is ok thats in it. ----- TeeJay its ok to have both but they are more then likely blocking the same stuff.(I'm guessing that the MVPS one probably blocks more then the other.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
res45 Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Tarq Yeah it might have just been false positives.(more then likely) If your worried I suggest you do is reinstall the host file with the batch file again. It will just replace it with the same thing if nothing is wrong. Regardless if you reinstall it or not I suggest you find the host file at C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC then right click your host file and set it to read only. This way nothing should be able to edit your host file and you know everything it is ok thats in it. ----- TeeJay its ok to have both but they are more then likely blocking the same stuff.(I'm guessing that the MVPS one probably blocks more then the other.) I have been using this program called hoster it no install and you can download your MVPS host files or hphost files which ever you prefer it allow you to backup your original files download and replace the old host files and then set them as read only. The hphost files block about 3 times more web sites including My Space completely. http://www.funkytoad.com/content/view/13/31/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDPower Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Finally got round to trying the hosts file and don't like it. For starters it killed my theme, but more annoyingly, the blocked ads on alot of pages are replace by "Internet Explorer is unable to display the page" and in FF "Unable to connect" messages. I'll stick to AdBlock and Spyware Blaster I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators rridgely Posted December 2, 2006 Moderators Share Posted December 2, 2006 res45 I use that program too. I tried hostsman but I didn't see much point in letting it run all the time. Hoster allows me to make the changes I want quickly and be done with it. JD I'm not sure why you get those... Every pc I've put it on just has the blocked content disappeared just like it would if you were using adblock. Maybe try rebooting and see if it still happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDPower Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 JD I'm not sure why you get those... Every pc I've put it on just has the blocked content disappeared just like it would if you were using adblock. Maybe try rebooting and see if it still happens. I did, and it still does Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators rridgely Posted December 2, 2006 Moderators Share Posted December 2, 2006 Maybe andavari knows. He knows more about the host file then I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarq57 Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Thanks rridgely and res45 for the tip. Read only. Hmm. Will do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay3800 Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 So far I'm loving the MVPS hosts file, but there is one side affect. I use McAfee SiteAdvisor and even though it is set to do so, it will not highlight search results. For those of you not familiar with SA, each search result is highlighted green, yellow, or red depending on how McAfee rates that particular site. Any idea how I can use that hosts file and still have my searches highlighted? Dell Latitude D600 Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit SP1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Andavari Posted December 2, 2006 Moderators Share Posted December 2, 2006 Maybe andavari knows. He knows more about the host file then I do. Actually I have no clue as to why the hosts file caused that problem, that's a new one I've never heard of before. The rebooting part is necessary anyways as that's the only way to make the updated hosts file active. I use McAfee SiteAdvisor and even though it is set to do so, it will not highlight search results. I also use SiteAdvisor, however the MVPS.org hosts file doesn't block siteadvisor.com. If you're browsing with Internet Explorer make sure siteadvisor.com isn't a restricted site. If you're using Firefox make sure it isn't blocked in Firefox's own built in blocking tools and if you use AdBlock or AdBlock Plus make sure they aren't blocking it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay3800 Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Actually I have no clue as to why the hosts file caused that problem, that's a new one I've never heard of before. The rebooting part is necessary anyways as that's the only way to make the updated hosts file active. I also use SiteAdvisor, however the MVPS.org hosts file doesn't block siteadvisor.com. If you're browsing with Internet Explorer make sure siteadvisor.com isn't a restricted site. If you're using Firefox make sure it isn't blocked in Firefox's own built in blocking tools and if you use AdBlock or AdBlock Plus make sure they aren't blocking it. For some reason, today the search results are being highlighted again. It's a complete mystery to me why they were not yesterday. (the colored icon at the bottom of the browser has always worked, and I do not use AdBlock). I am using MVPS as well as Mike's Ad Blocking Hosts and was wondering how it is possible to use more than one hosts file simultaneously. Are the entries from both files merged into one file? If it is not advisable to use more than one, how would I go about reverting back to a MVPS-only hosts file? Dell Latitude D600 Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit SP1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katar Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 For some reason, today the search results are being highlighted again. It's a complete mystery to me why they were not yesterday. (the colored icon at the bottom of the browser has always worked, and I do not use AdBlock). I am using MVPS as well as Mike's Ad Blocking Hosts and was wondering how it is possible to use more than one hosts file simultaneously. Are the entries from both files merged into one file? If it is not advisable to use more than one, how would I go about reverting back to a MVPS-only hosts file? There is a free software called HostsMan that can manage and update your hosts file fairly easily. Also, i would recommend eDexter to all who use a hosts file. http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/eDexter.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredvries Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Another option is to download an run Koffix Blocker (www.koffix.com). It blocks a large number of sites and info is given on all those sites as to why Koffix decided to block them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDPower Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Actually I have no clue as to why the hosts file caused that problem, that's a new one I've never heard of before. The rebooting part is necessary anyways as that's the only way to make the updated hosts file active. Tried replacing the hosts file again in case I did something wrong first time and still the same result - 'Page cannot be displayed' message where the ads should be. Damn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarq57 Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Getting the same as JDPower, using IE7 and MVPS hosts file. Doesn't bother me too much, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Andavari Posted December 5, 2006 Moderators Share Posted December 5, 2006 I am using MVPS as well as Mike's Ad Blocking Hosts and was wondering how it is possible to use more than one hosts file simultaneously. Because all the entries are in the one HOSTS file installed on your system. About the only caveat to using a huge HOSTS file or collection of HOSTS files merged into one is with scanners like Spybot S&D which takes it's good sweet time scanning a large HOSTS file and also flags some stuff as a Windows Hosts Redirection even if it isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDPower Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Getting the same as JDPower, using IE7 and MVPS hosts file. Doesn't bother me too much, though. Makes the hosts file unusable for me as I have a FF extension that reloads the page if it doesn't connect. So I end up with all the ads constantly reloading Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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