Easily fix your hosts file

[xistenz]

This is my first attempt at making any sort of functional program, so any comments/suggestions would be most welcome.

This little program will replace the current windows xp hosts file with a clean one. This could be useful for when malware has changed the windows xp hosts file.

Download here: http://venus.walagata.com/w/xistenz/hosts-original-1.10.zip

Cheers
xistenz

[xistenz]

I have just made another one, this time it replaces the hosts files with a clean one that includes a list of dodgy websites to block, courtesy of Spybot - Search and Destroy.

Download it here: http://venus.walagata.com/w/xistenz/hosts-SSD-1.20.zip

[lee16]

Nicely done, well done 

--lee

[kamulko]

Dear Xistenz,
i see some file with extension "*.exe"... do i must simply run your files and they goes in my host file list automatically? Thanks for your reply.

[xistenz]

Hi all,

You need to download the appropriate zip file, then extract and run the .exe file. I find that if you run the program for the first time, and you have MS Antispyware installed, you need to have MS Antispyware allow the script to run, then run my .exe file again for it to work properly.

All the program does is overwrite your current hosts file with a clean one.

[xistenz]

Here is a minor update to the original hosts file program.

http://venus.walagata.com/w/xistenz/hosts-original-1.20.zip

[Lisandro]

All the program does is overwrite your current hosts file with a clean one.

Maybe it will be better to post the 'contents' of the clean hosts file... The user won't be scared to click on 'overwrite' when asked 

[xistenz]

Alright, a clean hosts file looks like this:

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
#      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server
#       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host

127.0.0.1       localhost

[polonus]

Hi xistenz,

Look for my posting on hosts. Have you ever visited the English site of: richardthelionhearted. Can you comment on why he says, one has to first check the hostsfile with a text editor or binairy text scanner, like bintscan from bottom up for hosts file hijackers like bFast a.o. He also says when working with Spybot S&D advanced with a hosts file, it is best policy not to automatically update, but always to manually update, else you update the baddies as well. And what is true that running a long hosts file on XP makes the machine very slow. Like to hear your opinion, also look for my other posting on this subject.

Greetings,

POLONUS

p.S. Is "braaivlees" getting better every year in the  RSA?"

[xistenz]

I'm not an expert on host files, but it is my experience that every Windows XP installation has one (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong).

On the RichardTheLionHearted site, the only thing I believe he says incorrectly is

If you don't disable the "DNS Client" service, then this will cause an extreme slowdown of your browser when you have a Hosts file installed on your system.

I have a Spybot hosts file and I have noticed no 'extreme' slowdown in my browsing.

The braaivleis is excellent as always, but we are heading into winter, so no more socialising around a braai anymore unfortunately. 

[xistenz]

Also, MS Antispyware detects changes in the hosts file and has a script blocker. Its almost the single best companion to avast! (Thats the best thing I have ever said about a M$ product  )

[Lisandro]

Changes in the hosts file

Spybot Search & Destroy (free) has this feature too. 

[xistenz]

Minor Hosts Original update.

http://venus.walagata.com/w/xistenz/hosts-original-1.30.zip

[xistenz]

NEW!

Hosts file from http://www.hosts-file.net/downloads.html. 30 May 2005

http://venus.walagata.com/w/xistenz/hosts-file.net-30.05.05.zip

This can block ads and questionable content. Highly recommended for keeping your computer even safer!

[polonus]

Hi Xistenz,

A very nice way to tweak and trim your hosts file is the program hostess . Iconnu on this forum told me how it works. I used it now to put a couple of hostsfiles together, and also added the Spybot S&D hostfile. These hosts are all automatically arranged. I noted the checksum of the hosts file, and it works great for me. You have to include Spybot S&D's but else you get a false positive  on scanning after hostess.exe has altered the hosts file. The false positive is for MySoft. Whenever you use hosts for blocking access to your machine, you have to be a aware that worms (e.g. MyTob) & various scams can alter your hostfile, place the url's of AV update sites next to 127.0.0.0, making it impossible to download  your last av definitions. Clean it out with hostess, delete, and safe as a new hostsfile. If you have not got hostess, you can rename hosts as Oldhosts.txt, work on it with notepad, delete the wrong local sites, then save as hosts, and go on,

Have a nice day in the RSA,

polonus