Blocking ads with hostfile

  • Thread starter Thread starter news.microsoft.com
  • Start date Start date
news.microsoft.com said:
don't need or even know what most of those features are. All I want is an
"ad-blocker."
Click to expand...

You can't just overwrite that file in Vista as it is a protected file. Go
here and follow their instructions on how to do it easily in Vista.

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

Updating the HOSTS file via the SendTo method

The first step is to create a new shortcut in your SendTo folder. Open
Windows Explorer to:
\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo

Note: where "<username>" is your login name
[or]
Start | Run (type) shell:sendto (click Ok)

Next: Right-click in the right pane and select: New > shortcut [screenshot]
In the next dialog box click Browse and navigate to:
Windows\System32\drivers\etc
Click Ok and in the next dialog box name the shortcut (example) Update Hosts

In the future when you wish to update the HOSTS file, download the
"hosts.zip", extract the included files and right-click on the included
updated HOSTS file and select: SendTo > Update Hosts
 
news.microsoft.com said:
It doesn't work. I downloaded the "hosts file" from there, tried to open
it in the "etc. folder" and it opened into a mvps.bat file at 1 kb. How
do I turn it into the Hosts file it's supposed to be??? Where is the
HOSTS file? They wont extract. It says the directory doesn't exist. How
can it not exist when it's where the website says it should be?
Click to expand...


Of course it works. You simply need to read and follow the directions
for Vista. Or simply download the file directly to the
C:\Windows\Systems32\Drivers\etc folder. (Oh, and you also have to know
how to deal with UAC and configure Windows Explorer to show hidden files.)


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
Paul MontGumDropped said:
I have no idea as to why you had to do that.


Do you want the bottom line here? Your pre-installed installation of Vista
is messed-up and seems to be not installed properly, which can happen.

I suggest you run/do what is in the link and check the system out to see
if it might be corrupted.
Click to expand...

How do I do that and which link are you referring to will tell me if it's
corrupt?
 
Paul Montgomery said:
So that idiots like you can make a fool or yourselves and entertain
the crap outta everyone else with your whining and ranting.
Click to expand...



Why not answer the questions instead of making asinine and juvenile
comments?
 
Bruce Chambers said:
Of course it works. You simply need to read and follow the directions for
Vista. Or simply download the file directly to the
C:\Windows\Systems32\Drivers\etc folder. (Oh, and you also have to know
how to deal with UAC and configure Windows Explorer to show hidden files.)
Click to expand...

Hidden files show because I found the ect folder under Windows easily. It's
installed in the ect folder. The old Host file was changed to host.old.
Ads still show.
 
Little Charlie said:
Yes it sure does work. I have the MVP hosts file on my pc and my wife's.
Works a treat.
We especially like the way it totally blanks out the distracting and
annoying banner ads in
Yahoo Pool online game. Hey, you gotta stay focused when your 'shootin'
pool'
Click to expand...

What about all the Google sponsored ads? They're the worst and most
numerous.
 
Rotten Ronny said:
news.microsoft.com said:
don't need or even know what most of those features are. All I want is an
"ad-blocker."
Click to expand...

You can't just overwrite that file in Vista as it is a protected file. Go
here and follow their instructions on how to do it easily in Vista.

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

Updating the HOSTS file via the SendTo method

The first step is to create a new shortcut in your SendTo folder. Open
Windows Explorer to:
\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo

Note: where "<username>" is your login name
[or]
Start | Run (type) shell:sendto (click Ok)

Next: Right-click in the right pane and select: New > shortcut
[screenshot]
In the next dialog box click Browse and navigate to:
Windows\System32\drivers\etc
Click Ok and in the next dialog box name the shortcut (example) Update
Hosts

In the future when you wish to update the HOSTS file, download the
"hosts.zip", extract the included files and right-click on the included
updated HOSTS file and select: SendTo > Update Hosts
Click to expand...


GOT IT! :^) Now how do I update them and from where?
 
Rotten Ronny said:
news.microsoft.com said:
don't need or even know what most of those features are. All I want is an
"ad-blocker."
Click to expand...

You can't just overwrite that file in Vista as it is a protected file. Go
here and follow their instructions on how to do it easily in Vista.

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

Updating the HOSTS file via the SendTo method

The first step is to create a new shortcut in your SendTo folder. Open
Windows Explorer to:
\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo

Note: where "<username>" is your login name
[or]
Start | Run (type) shell:sendto (click Ok)

Next: Right-click in the right pane and select: New > shortcut
[screenshot]
Click to expand...
In the next dialog box click Browse and navigate to:
Windows\System32\drivers\etc
Click Ok and in the next dialog box name the shortcut (example) Update
Hosts

In the future when you wish to update the HOSTS file, download the
"hosts.zip", extract the included files and right-click on the included
updated HOSTS file and select: SendTo > Update Hosts
Click to expand...

This doesn't work because when I unzipped the update and right clicked on
the new "hosts" file, there was no "SendTo" on the menu - just open,cut,
paste, copy and properties.
 
Rick Rogers said:
Hi,

To rename or overwrite the hosts file you will need to run explorer or the
command line with elevation as that is a protected system folder.
Click to expand...

No, not since I turned off UserAccounts. I changed the name to hosts.old and
added the new hosts. But the SendTo Rotten said to make doesn't work
because it didn't show up on the menu on right click. I dragged and dropped
the new Hosts file into the etc folder after changing the other one to
hosts.old.
 
+Bob+ said:
Because that's how you act when you're in Jr. High (or have the
equivalent mentality).
Click to expand...


Gotcha Bob. Sometimes it's better to just switch. I'll use Mozilla Firefox
from now on. The ad-on ad-blocker blocks just about every ad on a webpage. I
love it. :^) I'm thinking of uninstalling WMP since I can't stop it from
loading and eating up almost 4000k of RAM. I never use it anyway. Have you
read they're feverishly working on Windows7? Vista will be another failure
like W/Millennium that fell quickly from the radar... and was quietly swept
under the MS rug.
 
Gotcha Bob. Sometimes it's better to just switch. I'll use Mozilla Firefox
from now on. The ad-on ad-blocker blocks just about every ad on a webpage. I
love it. :^) I'm thinking of uninstalling WMP since I can't stop it from
loading and eating up almost 4000k of RAM.
Click to expand...

Enjoy Firefox, and I hope this means you're gonna be outta here.

OH... don't try uninstalling WMP because you can't. Period.

DDW
 
news.microsoft.com wrote:> Gotcha Bob. Sometimes it's better to just
switch. I'll use Mozilla
Firefox from now on. The ad-on ad-blocker blocks just about every ad on
a webpage. I love it. :^)
Click to expand...

Finally got the message? I know old habits are hard to break. Well
done. Don't forget to right click and "Ad-block image" for any that it
misses. And then use the blockable items window for any that right
click wont work on, like flash ads.
 
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