"Back button problem" when using a Hosts file

[Peabody]

I'm new to XP (MCE 2005), and find that when I use a Hosts file to
block ad sites, those sites end up in the Back button list, so the
button doesn't work correctly. I have to pull down the Back menu
list and select what I want to go back to. Apparently this is a
well-known problem.

But when using the same IE 6 and the same Hosts file, this problem
does NOT occur in Win98SE. That being the case, I wonder if any of
our esteemed MVP types here might suggest to their contacts at MS
that this problem could actually be fixed.

Anyway, does anyone have a suggestion for restoring the
functionality of the Back button? My Hosts file has thousands of
entries, and I don't want to add them all to Restricted Sites. Is
there any other setting or registry tweak that fixes it?

In researching this on Google, I found a reference to a program
called eDexter, which apparently pretends to be the blocked site and
returns with a 43-byte Gif image. They say this also cures the Back
button problem. Has anyone here used that program? Does anyone
have any security concerns about it?

One other thing that's not really related. In my Hosts file, all
the entries, including localhost, are 0.0.0.0 instead of 127.0.0.1.
That's what worked best under 98SE. Is there any reason not to use
0.0.0.0 under XP?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Jonny]

Yep, that's what ZA Pro asks when I open IE. 127.0.0.1, port number always
different. AdSubtract Pro here, with ZA blocking some stuff too, and TMAS
running as well.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Strange behavior in the Back Button
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hostsfaq.htm#Button

I use SpywareBlaster, it adds most of what's in the MVPS HOSTS file to
Restricted Sites Zone anyway.

SpywareBlaster
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

In XP, 0.0.0.0 is an invalid address. In XP, 127.0.0.1 is the loopback
address, a valid address.

loopback address
The address of the local computer used for routing outgoing packets back to
the source computer.

See...
What is loopback address?
http://www.pcwebopedia.com/TERM/L/loopback_address.html

I wouldn't want eDexter running, I would rather have the large, empty boxes
where the ads were supposed to be.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Trax]

|>I'm new to XP (MCE 2005), and find that when I use a Hosts file to
|>block ad sites, those sites end up in the Back button list, so the
|>button doesn't work correctly. I have to pull down the Back menu
|>list and select what I want to go back to. Apparently this is a
|>well-known problem.

Why are you still using I.E.? take a hint it's just one problem after
another.

FireFox or www.opera.com are much better options, and greasemonkey to
make a site look the way you want/like.


|>One other thing that's not really related. In my Hosts file, all
|>the entries, including localhost, are 0.0.0.0 instead of 127.0.0.1.
|>That's what worked best under 98SE. Is there any reason not to use
|>0.0.0.0 under XP?

A good HOSTS file I've found is http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
within that HOSTS file is this blurb:

"There is a version of this file that uses 0.0.0.0 instead of
127.0.0.1
available at http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/zero/.
On some machines this may run minutely faster, however the zero
version may not be compatible with all systems. "

 

[Drew Tognola]

Trax,



With all due respect, this is a Microsoft newsgroup. Go pawn your Firefox
somewhere else.



Drew

 

[Trax]

|>Trax,
|>
|>
|>
|>With all due respect, this is a Microsoft newsgroup. Go pawn your Firefox
|>somewhere else.

With all due respect, this is a support group and it's time folks
understand most of their malware problems are directly related to
I.E.; If not Malware, problems like the OP mention'd.

Even Nasa has had enough
http://blog.tcg.com/tcg/2005/12/nasa_ditches_ie.html

I'm not pushing another browser, just common sense. and I use Opera...


|>|>>
|>> |>I'm new to XP (MCE 2005), and find that when I use a Hosts file to
|>> |>block ad sites, those sites end up in the Back button list, so the
|>> |>button doesn't work correctly. I have to pull down the Back menu
|>> |>list and select what I want to go back to. Apparently this is a
|>> |>well-known problem.
|>>
|>> Why are you still using I.E.? take a hint it's just one problem after
|>> another.
|>>
|>> FireFox or www.opera.com are much better options, and greasemonkey to
|>> make a site look the way you want/like.
|>>
|>>
|>> |>One other thing that's not really related. In my Hosts file, all
|>> |>the entries, including localhost, are 0.0.0.0 instead of 127.0.0.1.
|>> |>That's what worked best under 98SE. Is there any reason not to use
|>> |>0.0.0.0 under XP?
|>>
|>> A good HOSTS file I've found is http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
|>> within that HOSTS file is this blurb:
|>>
|>> "There is a version of this file that uses 0.0.0.0 instead of
|>> 127.0.0.1
|>> available at http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/zero/.
|>> On some machines this may run minutely faster, however the zero
|>> version may not be compatible with all systems. "
|>>
|>> --
|>> Hubble DVD's - Free downloads
|>> http://www.spacetelescope.org/videos/archive/topic/dvd//
|>> Hubble Hall of Fame
|>> http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/archive/bestof/
|>

 

[Peabody]

Ok, I installed eDexter and the MVPS Hosts file. So far,
both seem to work quite well.

eDexter is added to the Startup folder and runs as a
process. It adds almost nothing to the registry except
the uninstall entires. The icon can be made visible down in
the notification area or use stealth mode. I have images
turned off, which means that it supplies a 43-byte
transparent GIF image rather than loading a picture from the
hard drive. The GIF isn't visible, but if you know where it
is, you can right-click on it and see its properties,
including what URL triggered it. eDexter requires the use
of 127.0.0.1 in the Hosts file, not 0.0.0.0., so that
settled that issue.

But the main thing is that all of the Back button problems
seem to have been fixed. Since eDexter returns a "success"
code (I think it's 200) instead of a "not found" error, the
calling script considers that call as being completed, and
that prevents the called URL from being added to the Back
list. Also, you don't have IE putting up those error
messages in the middle of the screen.

I didn't add anything to Restricted Sites.

I also followed the advice of putting the built-in DNS
service into manual mode (essentially turning it off) when a
large Hosts file is used, and that speeded things up a bit.
It seems it was loading everything in the Hosts file into
the DNS server, which, you know, wasn't useful.

So, it looks like eDexter pretty much solved my problem, or
at least it looks good so far. In fact, I would give it an
official "nifty".


Wesley Vogel says...

Strange behavior in the Back Button
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hostsfaq.htm#Button

I use SpywareBlaster, it adds most of what's in the MVPS
HOSTS file to Restricted Sites Zone anyway.

In XP, 0.0.0.0 is an invalid address. In XP, 127.0.0.1
is the loopback address, a valid address.

loopback address
The address of the local computer used for routing
outgoing packets back to the source computer.

See...
What is loopback address?
http://www.pcwebopedia.com/TERM/L/loopback_address.html

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Glad you got your Back button sorted out. One thing to put in the back of
your mind.

You have to have the DNS Client service running in order for
ipconfig /displaydns and ipconfig /flushdns to work properly.

Of course by the time you run ipconfig /displaydns or ipconfig /flushdns
you'll have forgotten that. ;-)

ipconfig /displaydns

Could not display the DNS Resolver Cache.

ipconfig /flushdns

Could not flush the DNS Resolver Cache: Function failed during execution.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Peabody]

Wesley Vogel says...

Glad you got your Back button sorted out.

Thanks for your help, Wesley.

One thing to put in the back of your mind.

You have to have the DNS Client service running in order
for ipconfig /displaydns and ipconfig /flushdns to work
properly.

Of course by the time you run ipconfig /displaydns or
ipconfig /flushdns you'll have forgotten that. ;-)

Well, since I have the DNS client turned off, with any luck
I should have no need to either view or flush the DNS cache.