About:Blank

[Ried]

Hi Mark,

I've been going over this thread and your previous thread trying to narrow this down. Let's begin with restoring the original Hosts file since in your other thread, you first noticed some changes after running the Hosts.zip.

Run the Hoster I gave you earlier, not the Hosts.zip:

Run Hoster.exe.
Click "Make Hosts Writable?" in the upper right corner (If available).
Click Restore Original Hosts and then click OK.
Click the X to exit the program.

---------------------------------

but what about "Manage Ad-ons". I have a list of 20 in there, could one of them be interfering with the operation of my IE browser??

That was why I had you uninstall IESpell and was going after SpywareGuard. But both of those ideas have bombed out. You can reinstall IESpell if you like now.

This doesn't seem to be an issue with the IE Browser as much as your Google search, as you can type the address directly into the address bar and navigate fine. It's when you click on the links in Google that you have difficulty. My next thought is this:

I've run a debranding program over the past week :-debrandinghttp://windowsxp.mvps.org/ie/ispunbrand.htm

Does that 'ring a bell' as to when your issues began?

[Mark1864]

Followed all those instructions - although I'm not sure I did the Host.zip section correctly? Extract the file & overwrite the existing copy located at C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\host - well I just clicked on the mvps.bat and didn't know how to do anything else!!!

Hoster-Toadbee2005-Ver 1.6 - this program is "so difficult" to read!! Part of the text is missing on the right hand side, so the buttons are only partly labelled. So working blindly with this program!!

But anyway I clicked the upper right button and the text to the left turned to red and " Your Hosts File is marked as read only. Click button to right in order to edit file". However under Restore Microsoft Original - the press button to restore original hosts then didn't work.
So I repressed the upper right button, and the text turned to green and " Your Hosts file is editable. Click button to right to make your hosts file read only". Under Restore Microsoft Original - the press button to restore original hosts then did work!! So I clicked OK and exited the program. PHEW!! [So I hope I've now done that right??]

And yes, typing the address in the IE address bar, does allow me to reach the sites - no problem. The problem is with regard to the sponsored links to sites such as ebay, paypal etc - that are listed in other sites such as Google, MSN Messenger.

As for that debranding program - sorry I can't quite pinpoint the time (to less than 10 days) when this IE browser issue first occurred, but yes I was wondering myself whether it could be to do with that??
My ISP is a firm called NTL, but Dell Computers had installed an AOL offer with my computer and for some strange reason Tiscalli 10.0 (a rival ISP) was appearing in the title bar of my browser. I have no contract with AOL or Tiscalli - so just recently I decided to do some cleaning and removed the AOL using ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS and was told (via a Dell forum) to use that debranding program to get rid of this mysterious Tiscalli 10.0 listing that was appearing at the top of my IE page.

[Mark1864]

Hi Ried,

Well I must have just done something right, because I've just gone back into Google, MSN Messenger - and the links are NOW WORKING!!!!

My Windows Defender is asking me whether to allow changes (System Configuration - Checkpoint - Hosts File).
Noticed too, that previously blocked ads - have reappeared on my homepage.

So thanks Ried - but now how do I reblock these graphic ads on my homepage, without messing up those legitimate links again??

[Ried]

Hi Mark,

Nice job. The MVPS hosts file was 'messing' things up. Delete that Hosts.zip from wherever you saved it.

You may have to put up with those ads since the Hosts.Zip doesn't work well with your system.

Have Windows Defender allow those changes. When I had you run Hoster.exe (not to be confused with Hosts.zip) it set your Hosts file back to default which was the simplest way to get rid of the Hosts.zip entries that were causing the problems with your links.

Are you all set now?

[Mark1864]

Hi Ried,

Yes so this issue was actually present (without me noticing it ) just before I started this thread with respect to ABOUT : BLANK.
Because I'd replaced my current HOSTS file with the MVPS HOST FILE when I downloaded Host.zip as part of the http://www.techsupportforum.com/reso...-b-trojan.html thread.

Pity it prevented my IE browser accessing various links, because it did at least cut out many many adverts. Well I suppose they're not pop-ups and are from known ad servers anyway, which provide the web sites with their revenue. [Although website ads with animated graphics are so distracting!!] Is there any other ways of keeping my hosts file safe from spyware I wonder?

So Ried unless you have any further comments/measures you have to suggest, then I guess this thread is resolved!!

Thanks for all your help, Mark.

PS: Oh heck - just noticed my re-downloaded ieSpell has disappeared from my toolbar again. It's in my program files though!!

[greyknight17]

There probably isn't a 100% foolproof way to protect the hosts file. Some programs like Spybot will allowo you to "locK" that file by making it Read-Only which you may do if you like. It helps...

For iespell, make sure the toolbar is enabled (right click on any icon area...and check it). Or take a look here for usage instructions.