A tip to cut down the Hosts file

If any of you are on older systems with a large hosts file this can reduce RAM size a lot for you (same size for everyone, but modern machines won't see a difference.) The hosts file is loaded into RAM and read so this could potentially effect DNS loads and there should be no downsides (though you do have to do this manually - it takes a second. There could be issues with things like SpyBot S&D etc.) If you're using Windows 2000 you may not be able to use 0 and instead will need to use 0.0.0.0.

MVPS Original Size: 601.7kB

Replacing 127.0.0.1 with 0.0.0.0 reduces the size of the MVPS Hosts file to 572.9kB
Replacing 127.0.0.1 with 0 reduces the size of the MVPS Hosts file to 486kB (~120kB less)

You can also remove things like #[Tracking Cookie] and other #'d areas to save ~10kB.

You can also attach multiple hosts to an IP

Code:

0  admigo.ru data.admigo.ru apps.admission.net appcache.admission.net

You can eliminate ~2/3rds of the 0s by stacking them on each line. Without a script to automate this it'll take ages though.

Just thought it was interesting that you can cut it down to nearly 1/2 its size. I don't know what the maximum number of hosts to an IP you can do, but there's probably a fair amount of memory to be saved. I've fit as many as 8 hosts to one IP.

 

HostsMan can do that, afaik the maximum is 9 hosts in one IP.

from here -http://forum.abelhadigital.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=4&sid=1505a71024bfb07d91b9ac2467660cb0

 

Cool, thanks.

It uses 127.0.0.1 though. Switching to 0 will save 1/6th of the size.

 

Does 0 works with Windows 7?

 

Not sure. I've only tested on Linux. 0.0.0.0 is still smaller than 127.0.0.1.

 

Nope. 0 doesn't work on Win7.

Another reason to use 0.0.0.0 on top of size reduction is that it can actually speed things up. 0.0.0.0 blocks the connection straight away where as 127.0.0.1 trys to make a connection having to go through the loopback interface.

Optimization with HostsMan and using 0.0.0.0 results in a Hosts file size of just 305kb.

 

Yeah HostsMan is definitely the best way to automatically optimize it. But a HOSTS file for ad/tracking blocking in general is sub-par. No ability for special allow rules to prevent site breakage and no ability to prevent 1st party ads/tracking.

 

You're late to the party. And, it's also possible to have Spybot S&D populate hosts file entries with 0.0.0.0 as well. You need to create a registry key.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Safer Networking Limited\Tweaks

Then, create a REG_SZ entry, and name it HostsBlockIP. Then give it a value of 0.0.0.0.

Note: I got this info from Spybot's Wiki website. So, I don't know whether or not it works as it claims.

 

Or add takeownership to the right click context menu (comes in handy) Make .reg file

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t"

Take ownership of Hosts so you can save and use the built in Notepad feature, Edit->Replace->127.0.0.1->0.0.0.0->Replace all

Spybot, Hosts, it's like going back in time lol

 

Never took a liking to the hosts file business. It's too all or none for my liking.

 

Same here. Too much hassle for too little return. As stated though 0.0.0.0 beats 127.0.0.1 EXCEPT for localhost. Make sure to never change that from 127.0.0.1 or programs that use the local loopback will fail.