C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts doesn't work!

[jennapeltz]

I am trying to block a web site by entering into C:\WINDOWS
\system32\drivers\etc\hosts the following line:

127.0.0.1 www.ebay.com

I then use my browser to test if that really works, by entering into
the address bar:

http://www.ebay.com

However, for some strange reason, the browser gets to www.ebay.com as
if no such line is in this hosts file - for some long minutes!

After some time (I didn't measure exactly) it seems that Windows (or
the browser) finally notice that the hosts file changed and block it
just as I wanted.

Any idea why this delay?

How can I get rid of this delay?

BTW, I tried restarting the DNS Client service to see if that helps,
but it seems to not affect anything.

Thanks,
Jenna

 

[John Wunderlich]

(e-mail address removed) wrote in
:

I am trying to block a web site by entering into C:\WINDOWS
\system32\drivers\etc\hosts the following line:

127.0.0.1 www.ebay.com

I then use my browser to test if that really works, by entering
into the address bar:

http://www.ebay.com

However, for some strange reason, the browser gets to www.ebay.com
as if no such line is in this hosts file - for some long minutes!

After some time (I didn't measure exactly) it seems that Windows
(or the browser) finally notice that the hosts file changed and
block it just as I wanted.

Any idea why this delay?

How can I get rid of this delay?

BTW, I tried restarting the DNS Client service to see if that
helps, but it seems to not affect anything.

Thanks, Jenna

1) Have you tried clearing the cache on your browser?

2) You might also want to clear your DNS cache:
Start->Run->Cmd then enter the command:
ipconfig /flushdns

HTH,
-- John

 

[jennapeltz]

1) Have you tried clearing the cache on your browser?

Yes, I did. It doesn't help.

2) You might also want to clear your DNS cache:
Start->Run->Cmd then enter the command:
ipconfig /flushdns

I did that, too. It doesn't help.

Is it possible that the browser, too, has its own DNS cache?

Thanks,
Jenna

 

[Ramesh Srinivasan, MS-MVP]

Does disabling the DNS Client service help?

 

[jennapeltz]

Does disabling the DNS Client service help?

As I mentioned in my original post, I tried restarting the DNS Client
service - including disabling it completely - but that doesn't help
the DELAY problem.

Please note: My problem is NOT that the HOSTS files change is not
EVENTUALLY being recognized by the system.

My problem is that it takes some unspecified delay for the browser to
recognize it.

I want to know where this delay is coming from, so that I can at least
know when to expect that change or, better yet, how to control it.

If I knew that clearing some cache would help, that would be super,
but as I said earlier clearing the cache doesn't eliminate the DELAY.
Where does that delay come from? How many layers and levels of caching
are there for this poor DNS thing?

Thanks,
Jenna

 

[Unknown]

Don't you really mean your destructive tool? I wouldn't run it under ANY
circumstances.