Can't Access Hosts File

  • Thread starter Thread starter Phil Rabichow
  • Start date Start date
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Phil Rabichow

All of a sudden, I can't rename or delete my hosts file. I get a message
"Access denied. Verify that the disk isn't full or the file isn't in use."
I can open it in Metapad & read it; sometimes I can access it's property
dialog. A couple of times, when trying to access the property dialog, my
screen goes blank (except for the background color) & then refreshes (but no
dialog box). I've logged on as Administrator, but still can't delete,
modify, or rename the hosts file.

The file is not hidden or read-only.

I've tried disabling all non essential services & apps, inlcluding Windows
Defender & Zone Alarm. I've run Spybot S&D, Ad-Aware, & Pest Patrol (as
well as AVG).

Within the last 9 days, I updated Firefox, RoboForm, & ZoneAlarm. Even more
recently, I applied the new MS Win Update security patches. Hopefully, none
of this caused the problem, but I don't know.

Any idea on what I can try next?
 
|>All of a sudden, I can't rename or delete my hosts file. I get a message
|>"Access denied. Verify that the disk isn't full or the file isn't in use."

Bet you got Spyware checking software preventing your access - you
need to start disabling things instead of updating them :)
 
Spybot has a facility to block access to the host file - switch to Spybot
'advanced' then under 'IE tweaks' - uncheck tick box.
Brian.


|>All of a sudden, I can't rename or delete my hosts file. I get a
message
|>"Access denied. Verify that the disk isn't full or the file isn't in
use."

Bet you got Spyware checking software preventing your access - you
need to start disabling things instead of updating them :)

--
One of Criss Angel's freakiest Illusions
http://tinyurl.com/ocyby


---
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Virus Database (VPS): 0625-7, 23/06/2006
Tested on: 6/25/2006 12:32:13
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Click to expand...




---
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Tested on: 6/25/2006 12:36:21
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http://www.avast.com
 
Pennywise: I did disable all spyware checking apps & disabled all services
that I could.
Brian: I did check Spybot S&D & made sure that the "lock hosts file as
read-only" was not checked. I also made sure that under hosts/Properties that
it was not read-only.
Carly: I couldn't find that in ZoneAlarm (although hosts isn't read-only), but
where do you find it in ZA?

Any other ideas?
 
In ZA (I'm using latest free edition 6.5.722.000) go to: Firewall / Main /
Advanced.
Cheers,
Brian.



Phil Rabichow said:
Pennywise: I did disable all spyware checking apps & disabled all services
that I could.
Brian: I did check Spybot S&D & made sure that the "lock hosts file as
read-only" was not checked. I also made sure that under hosts/Properties
that
it was not read-only.
Carly: I couldn't find that in ZoneAlarm (although hosts isn't read-only),
but
where do you find it in ZA?

Any other ideas?
--
Thanks again. I appreciate your time.

Phil







---
avast! Antivirus: Inbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 0625-7, 23/06/2006
Tested on: 6/25/2006 16:03:46
avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2006 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com
Click to expand...




---
avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 0625-7, 23/06/2006
Tested on: 6/25/2006 16:08:24
avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2006 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com
 
Brian said:
In ZA (I'm using latest free edition 6.5.722.000) go to: Firewall /
Main / Advanced.
Cheers,
Brian.
Click to expand...

There are many reports of that version of ZA causing this problem. Turning
it off in ZA doesn't always work. Uninstalling it and reverting to an older
version does.
 
Thanks for the info - that may be part of Phil's problem, if, as he says, he
has updated ZA within the last 9 days.
Cheers,
Brian.


Kerry Brown said:
There are many reports of that version of ZA causing this problem. Turning
it off in ZA doesn't always work. Uninstalling it and reverting to an
older version does.

--
Kerry
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User



---
avast! Antivirus: Inbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 0625-7, 23/06/2006
Tested on: 6/25/2006 16:33:30
avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2006 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com
Click to expand...




---
avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 0625-7, 23/06/2006
Tested on: 6/25/2006 16:41:06
avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2006 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com
 
My reply is at the bottom of your message:
Carly: I couldn't find that in ZoneAlarm (although hosts isn't read-only), but
where do you find it in ZA?
Click to expand...

You have got the answer already from Brian. I hope its helping you.

Gr. Carley.
 
|>Brian wrote:
|>> In ZA (I'm using latest free edition 6.5.722.000) go to: Firewall /
|>> Main / Advanced.
|>> Cheers,
|>> Brian.


|>There are many reports of that version of ZA causing this problem. Turning
|>it off in ZA doesn't always work. Uninstalling it and reverting to an older
|>version does.

Old versions:
http://www.oldversion.com/program.php?n=zalarm
 
There are many reports of that version of ZA causing this problem. Turning
it off in ZA doesn't always work. Uninstalling it and reverting to an older
version does.
Click to expand...

I encountered problem after updating free zone alarm.

I corrected the problem by turning on the locking of the host file in
zone alarm and then turning it off.

Lou
 
All of a sudden, I can't rename or delete my hosts file. I get a message
"Access denied. Verify that the disk isn't full or the file isn't in use."
I can open it in Metapad & read it; sometimes I can access it's property
dialog. A couple of times, when trying to access the property dialog, my
screen goes blank (except for the background color) & then refreshes (but no
dialog box). I've logged on as Administrator, but still can't delete,
modify, or rename the hosts file.

The file is not hidden or read-only.

I've tried disabling all non essential services & apps, inlcluding Windows
Defender & Zone Alarm. I've run Spybot S&D, Ad-Aware, & Pest Patrol (as
well as AVG).

Within the last 9 days, I updated Firefox, RoboForm, & ZoneAlarm. Even more
recently, I applied the new MS Win Update security patches. Hopefully, none
of this caused the problem, but I don't know.

Any idea on what I can try next?
Click to expand...

I encountered problem after updating free zone alarm.

I corrected the problem by turning on the locking of the host file in
zone alarm and then turning it off.

Lou
 
Thank you to all who responded. I went to ZA/Firewall/Main/Advanced &
turned ON locking the host file, which didn't make it read-only. Then I
unlocked the hosts file & it was fine. So I guess it was the latest update
to ZA that did it...weird.
 
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