spybot, the hosts file, and network/system problems.

[doug blaisdell]

I like spybot, but be careful about the hosts file additions it makes
for you in the advanced menu. I added these, and then found that I
couldn't reconnect to the internet, and when I rebooted that my system
ran impossibly slow (eg. it took 20 minutes to shutdown). I brought up
the system in Safemode, brought up Spybot, reversed all the
quarantined spyware that it found, and I still had the problem. Then I
changed the hosts file back to what it was and everything was fine
again. I got an error when I tried to restore the original hosts file
back via spybot, so I had to do it manually.

[siljaline]

On 3 Aug 2003 19:33:01 -0700, doug_blaisdell@yahoo.com (doug blaisdell) wrote:

>I like spybot, but be careful about the hosts file additions it makes
>for you in the advanced menu. I added these, and then found that I
>couldn't reconnect to the internet, and when I rebooted that my system
>ran impossibly slow (eg. it took 20 minutes to shutdown). I brought up
>the system in Safemode, brought up Spybot, reversed all the
>quarantined spyware that it found, and I still had the problem. Then I
>changed the hosts file back to what it was and everything was fine
>again. I got an error when I tried to restore the original hosts file
>back via spybot, so I had to do it manually.

Thanks for the notice, it has been discussed here previously.
If you like a good HOSTS use this one, http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
><snip>
>This file now includes most major parasites, dialers and hijackers!
></snip>
The SpyBot FAQ on their HOSTS file:
http://www.safer-networking.org/inde...ase/faq/faq012



--
siljaline

"Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game
because they almost always turn out to be -- or to be indistinguishable from
-- self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time."
- Neil Stephenson, _Cryptonomicon_

[BoB]

On Sun, 03 Aug 2003 22:48:05 -0400, siljaline <siljaline@invalid.com>
wrote:

>On 3 Aug 2003 19:33:01 -0700, doug_blaisdell@yahoo.com (doug blaisdell) wrote:
>
>>I like spybot, but be careful about the hosts file additions it makes
>>for you in the advanced menu. I added these, and then found that I
>>couldn't reconnect to the internet, and when I rebooted that my system
>>ran impossibly slow (eg. it took 20 minutes to shutdown). I brought up
>>the system in Safemode, brought up Spybot, reversed all the
>>quarantined spyware that it found, and I still had the problem. Then I
>>changed the hosts file back to what it was and everything was fine
>>again. I got an error when I tried to restore the original hosts file
>>back via spybot, so I had to do it manually.
>
>Thanks for the notice, it has been discussed here previously.
>If you like a good HOSTS use this one, http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
>><snip>
>>This file now includes most major parasites, dialers and hijackers!
>></snip>
>The SpyBot FAQ on their HOSTS file:
>http://www.safer-networking.org/inde...ase/faq/faq012

I use the mvps.org host file also. I DL'd an updated copy yesterday.
After removing dups with hostess, my host file is <93k. No noticeable
slowdown.

I also picked up the update for Spyware Blaster today. This combination
works very well together.

BoB

[siljaline]

On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 16:45:48 -0400, BoB <rhoward30@myrealbox.com> wrote:

>I use the mvps.org host file also. I DL'd an updated copy yesterday.
>After removing dups with hostess, my host file is <93k. No noticeable
>slowdown.
>
>I also picked up the update for Spyware Blaster today. This combination
>works very well together.
>
>BoB

AFAIK, BoB, there are no duplications although hostess is a great little HOSTS
tweak. I would use it as is. AdShield and HOSTS *play well* together.

Interested in test-driving AdShield I'll put up a URL were you can still get a
freeware version - ah what the hey, here it is:

http://ftp.ural.ru/home/index/window...utils/AdShield

http://www.fsd1.org/technology/download.asp

Get 'em while they're hot - the freeware links are going fast.



--
siljaline

"Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game
because they almost always turn out to be -- or to be indistinguishable from
-- self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time."
- Neil Stephenson, _Cryptonomicon_

[BoB]

On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 17:25:10 -0400, siljaline <siljaline@invalid.com>
wrote:

>On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 16:45:48 -0400, BoB <rhoward30@myrealbox.com> wrote:
>
>>I use the mvps.org host file also. I DL'd an updated copy yesterday.
>>After removing dups with hostess, my host file is <93k. No noticeable
>>slowdown.
>>
>>I also picked up the update for Spyware Blaster today. This combination
>>works very well together.
>>
>>BoB
>
>AFAIK, BoB, there are no duplications although hostess is a great little HOSTS
>tweak. I would use it as is. AdShield and HOSTS *play well* together.

Hostess reduces the 112k file to 93k. I assumed this was from dup
reduction since this is what the hostess file says:

"It stores the hostnames in an indexed database, eliminating duplicates
and placing hosts into logical groups that can be ordered for
efficiency."

Wonder what the reduction is?

>Interested in test-driving AdShield I'll put up a URL were you can still get a
>freeware version - ah what the hey, here it is:
>
>http://ftp.ural.ru/home/index/window...utils/AdShield
>
>http://www.fsd1.org/technology/download.asp
>
>Get 'em while they're hot - the freeware links are going fast.

BoB

[YK]

BoB wrote:
> On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 17:25:10 -0400, siljaline <siljaline@invalid.com>
> wrote:
>> On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 16:45:48 -0400, BoB <rhoward30@myrealbox.com>
>> wrote:
>>> I use the mvps.org host file also. I DL'd an updated copy yesterday.
>>> After removing dups with hostess, my host file is <93k. No
>>> noticeable slowdown.
>>>
>>> I also picked up the update for Spyware Blaster today. This
>>> combination works very well together.
>>>
>>> BoB
>>
>> AFAIK, BoB, there are no duplications although hostess is a great
>> little HOSTS tweak. I would use it as is. AdShield and HOSTS *play
>> well* together.
>
> Hostess reduces the 112k file to 93k. I assumed this was from dup
> reduction since this is what the hostess file says:
>
> "It stores the hostnames in an indexed database, eliminating
> duplicates
> and placing hosts into logical groups that can be ordered for
> efficiency."
>
> Wonder what the reduction is?

HOSTESS removes all comments. Anything after # is removed. The comment
is only exported to the HOSTS file if you use Groups and the first creation
information line.

>> Interested in test-driving AdShield I'll put up a URL were you can
>> still get a freeware version - ah what the hey, here it is:
>>
>> http://ftp.ural.ru/home/index/window...utils/AdShield
>>
>> http://www.fsd1.org/technology/download.asp
>>
>> Get 'em while they're hot - the freeware links are going fast.
>
> BoB

[Whoever]

On 3 Aug 2003, doug blaisdell wrote:

> I like spybot, but be careful about the hosts file additions it makes
> for you in the advanced menu. I added these, and then found that I
> couldn't reconnect to the internet, and when I rebooted that my system
> ran impossibly slow (eg. it took 20 minutes to shutdown). I brought up
> the system in Safemode, brought up Spybot, reversed all the
> quarantined spyware that it found, and I still had the problem. Then I
> changed the hosts file back to what it was and everything was fine
> again. I got an error when I tried to restore the original hosts file
> back via spybot, so I had to do it manually.

Could it be that Spybot had not removed all the spyware and the hosts file
changes were interfering with the operation of the spyware?




>

[Aaron]

doug_blaisdell@yahoo.com (doug blaisdell) wrote in
news:61486733.0308031833.203dab66@posting.google.c om:

> I like spybot, but be careful about the hosts file additions it makes
> for you in the advanced menu. I added these, and then found that I
> couldn't reconnect to the internet, and when I rebooted that my system
> ran impossibly slow (eg. it took 20 minutes to shutdown).

Let me guess you are using Win2k?


Aaron
--
Want to learn how to use Winboard and the 150+ free Winboard
Chess engines?Visit http://www.aarontay.per.sg/Winboard/

[YK]

doug blaisdell wrote:
> I like spybot, but be careful about the hosts file additions it makes
> for you in the advanced menu. I added these, and then found that I
> couldn't reconnect to the internet, and when I rebooted that my system
> ran impossibly slow (eg. it took 20 minutes to shutdown). I brought up
> the system in Safemode, brought up Spybot, reversed all the
> quarantined spyware that it found, and I still had the problem. Then I
> changed the hosts file back to what it was and everything was fine
> again. I got an error when I tried to restore the original hosts file
> back via spybot, so I had to do it manually.

If you are running Win2K/XP then the DNS Service is causing the problem.
It is not needed so set it to manual or disable.
If you want a realy fast DNS service then I recommend BIND-PE.
http://ntcanuck.com/