Linda W. said:
"Dr.X" <dr.x@null> wrote in message
Dr. X ...
I'm sorry to be dense, but I don't know how to do that. Might you be
able to tell me?
I'm not having trouble accessing other Internet sites so far as I can
tell.
Thanks.
Linda W.
Linda. Not knowing something does not make you dense. It makes you ... um...
impressionable. ;-p
Ok now, about that hosts file. It's just a little text file that your
computer uses to keep track of some special addresses. Let's say your
company server is at ip address 1.2.3.4 and this number is just too long or
too hard to remember. In that hosts file, you can type something like this:
my-office-server 1.2.3.4
Now instead of typing the big long number that you can't remember, you just
type the name you gave it into the broweser and the computer looks it up in
the hosts file to direct you to the right site. That hosts file is just for
special addreses that can't be done automaticly by other means.
So then one day, a crazy virus maker decided that he can use that file to
make you not be able to find legitimate servers. He figured out that all he
has to do is add a line to that file with the name of the web site and a
fake ip address. Now your computer looks at that file and can't find the
right web site.
To fix all this insanity, all you have to do is go to that file and remove
the entry for that website. Remember, this is only if that is in fact what
the problem is.
To test this, just open a browser and type in the address bar:
http://193.86.103.19
and see if grisoft appears.
If it does, then it may well be the hosts file problem.
If it does NOT appear, STOP RIGHT HERE...(no need to send you into system
folders if that's not the problem), and report back here to let us know.
If it is the hosts file probem, then go to your Windows folder (it may be
called windows or winnt) then go to the system32 folder, then into the
drivers folder, then on to the etc folder, in there you will find a file
called hosts (with no extention)
so the full path is c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
or replace winnt with windows.
now dbl click the hosts file. It will probably ask you what program you want
to open it with. select from the list NOTEPAD.
you are now looking at that crazy thing called the hosts file. Look through
it and see if grisoft.com is listed there. look at what ip address it is
paired up with. remove that line and save the file.
If you aren't comfortable making changes to this file, ask a computer savy
friend to do it for you. (although I think you're probably going to find it
quite easy).
Ok, when you're done, close up and restart your explorer (or whatever
browser you use) and try grisoft.com again.
Note that if you saw grisoft in that hosts file then chances are you will
also see other antivirus sites there too. They should also be removed since
the malicious activity is likely trying to keep you from going to any of
them to seek help.
ok, let me know how well you do and ask if you need help.
Dr.X
