Host Files in the Advanced tools section

Reviewing the advanced tools I looked at the System
Explorer section and then in the Networking section under
Host files I have thousands of host file links. Most of
them I have revewed are from adware or other unwanted web
pages. I have tried to disable them but the are too many
to do one at a time.
Question. Should I be disableng these hosts? Is the any
way to disable or remove them all at once?

Bones wrote:
> Reviewing the advanced tools I looked at the System
> Explorer section and then in the Networking section under
> Host files I have thousands of host file links. Most of
> them I have revewed are from adware or other unwanted web
> pages. I have tried to disable them but the are too many
> to do one at a time.
> Question. Should I be disableng these hosts? Is the any
> way to disable or remove them all at once?

Hi Bones

You can open your hosts file with Notepad.

C:/Windows/System32/Drivers/etc/hosts.file

Delete everything EXCEPT 127.0.0.1 Localhost

Choose "save as" and owerwrite hosts.file

MSAS then protect your hosts file.

--
plun

If the domains listed in the HOSTS file are redirecting ti
127.0.0.1, it means that you will not access that site;
those entries would be a security feature if, as you say,
they refer to malware/adware sites. So removing them might
not be a good idea.

>-----Original Message-----
>Bones wrote:
>> Reviewing the advanced tools I looked at the System
>> Explorer section and then in the Networking section
under
>> Host files I have thousands of host file links. Most of
>> them I have revewed are from adware or other unwanted
web
>> pages. I have tried to disable them but the are too
many
>> to do one at a time.
>> Question. Should I be disableng these hosts? Is the any
>> way to disable or remove them all at once?
>
>Hi Bones
>
>You can open your hosts file with Notepad.
>
>C:/Windows/System32/Drivers/etc/hosts.file
>
>Delete everything EXCEPT 127.0.0.1 Localhost
>
>Choose "save as" and owerwrite hosts.file
>
>MSAS then protect your hosts file.
>
>--
>plun
>.
>

This is a matter of taste/choice, as the other two responses show.

I'm with plun, myself--I prefer a hosts file with only entries in it that I
have made and know are needed for my network. For most folks, that means
just the standard localhost entry.

JRosenfeld is also correct however--the entries equating 127.0.0.1 to
mymalware.com are intended as protective features--you can't get to
mymalware.com even if you try.

So--this works both ways. The entries are placed there by some other
antispyware mechanism/program--Spybot Search & Destroy, for example, I
believe does this.

It is also true that viruses and spyware can hijack the hosts file in this
same way, and put in place entries preventing you from reaching, say, your
antivirus vendor, or Microsoft's update site.

So--I prefer to keep it near-empty, so that I can see and understand what is
going on.

--
FAQ for Microsoft Antispyware:
http://www.geocities.com/marfer_mvp/FAQ_MSantispy.htm

"Bones" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:208601c533ca$fb73fc60$a401280a@phx.gbl...
> Reviewing the advanced tools I looked at the System
> Explorer section and then in the Networking section under
> Host files I have thousands of host file links. Most of
> them I have revewed are from adware or other unwanted web
> pages. I have tried to disable them but the are too many
> to do one at a time.
> Question. Should I be disableng these hosts? Is the any
> way to disable or remove them all at once?

I have a host file generated by SB-S&D. It's fully
compatible with MSAS as this one doesn't worry with @
going to 127.0.0.1

I just had to answer the pop-up: "I accept" for the (few)
adresses which wher manually added (my router, an old WS
with a static IP, and a few servers which are not managed
correctly by DNS).

>-----Original Message-----
>This is a matter of taste/choice, as the other two
responses show.
>
>I'm with plun, myself--I prefer a hosts file with only
entries in it that I
>have made and know are needed for my network. For most
folks, that means
>just the standard localhost entry.
>
>JRosenfeld is also correct however--the entries equating
127.0.0.1 to
>mymalware.com are intended as protective features--you
can't get to
>mymalware.com even if you try.
>
>So--this works both ways. The entries are placed there
by some other
>antispyware mechanism/program--Spybot Search & Destroy,
for example, I
>believe does this.
>
>It is also true that viruses and spyware can hijack the
hosts file in this
>same way, and put in place entries preventing you from
reaching, say, your
>antivirus vendor, or Microsoft's update site.
>
>So--I prefer to keep it near-empty, so that I can see
and understand what is
>going on.
>
>--
>FAQ for Microsoft Antispyware:
>http://www.geocities.com/marfer_mvp/FAQ_MSantispy.htm
>
>"Bones" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message
>news:208601c533ca$fb73fc60$a401280a@phx.gbl...
>> Reviewing the advanced tools I looked at the System
>> Explorer section and then in the Networking section
under
>> Host files I have thousands of host file links. Most of
>> them I have revewed are from adware or other unwanted
web
>> pages. I have tried to disable them but the are too
many
>> to do one at a time.
>> Question. Should I be disableng these hosts? Is the any
>> way to disable or remove them all at once?
>
>
>.
>

Thanks!
--
FAQ for Microsoft Antispyware:
http://www.geocities.com/marfer_mvp/FAQ_MSantispy.htm

"Jacques" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0a7801c5343f$e620f230$a501280a@phx.gbl...
>I have a host file generated by SB-S&D. It's fully
> compatible with MSAS as this one doesn't worry with @
> going to 127.0.0.1
>
> I just had to answer the pop-up: "I accept" for the (few)
> adresses which wher manually added (my router, an old WS
> with a static IP, and a few servers which are not managed
> correctly by DNS).
>