The Curious Affair of the Empty Hosts File

[gorgelink]

I have Adaware free (great software, thank you!).

When in Full Scan, it goes through the Hosts File and scans dozens of entries inside it.

Example of one such entry found by AdAware in the Hosts File:

www.avp.com 127.0.0.1

BUT

My Hosts File (Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts) is EMPTY!!!

Where are the scanned entries coming from? They can't be coming from the empty Hosts File!!!

Thank you again. Have a cool end of summer.

G.

[ggf31416]

Can you run REGEDIT, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Tcpip\Parameters and tell us the value of DataBasePath?

[Climenole]

Hi gorgelink

Originally Posted by gorgelink

Example of one such entry found by AdAware in the Hosts File:

www.avp.com 127.0.0.1

Like this? Are you sure? Hmmmm...

The syntax is this:

127.0.0.1 URL

ex

127.0.0.1 www.avp.com

127.0.0.1 localhost is mandatory and must be the first in the list.

For a good HOSTS file updated on regular basis and documented:
The MVPs list http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/

and this software to managed and update it automatically:
HostMan:
http://www.abelhadigital.com/

[gorgelink]

ggf, Climenole,

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Tcpip\Parameters and tell us the value of DataBasePath

It is a REG_EXPAND_SZ and the value (data) is:

%SystemRoot\System32\drivers\etc

So, I guess it's OK.

And it's really:

127.0.0.1 www.avp.com

My mistake (blush).

G.