BlueTack

Hello,

My first experence with BlueTack Hosts Mgr. ver. 1.6.4.0

1. I copied c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts to c:\junk1 then renamed hosts to hosts.bak

2. Created a restore point called PreBluetackHosts

3. Install Hosts Mgr.

4. download hosts file using the mgr. chose recommended replace current hosts file.

5. Buzz around the net. Netflix.com is blocked, perhaps bluetack likes blockbuster for movies. My home page my.yahoo had errors.

6. also i did a check of services & dns client was/is set to "manual"

7. Here's where I thought I was slick. From Hosts Mgr. long list I found "netflix.com" I deleted it from the Mgr. saved the changes. And still could not get to netflix..

8. Add/Remove programs bye bye ver 1.6.4.0

9. rename c:\junk1\hosts.bak to hosts

10. copy overwrite c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts with the file from c:\junk1

11. Used system restore: PreBlueTackHosts restored successfully.

12. Netflix is fine & my.yahoo is now fine. Note I think maybe, but not sure the only thing wrong with my.yahoo was there add or banner add, it said something about not working. But way to many important things here, to take a chance.

13. I was surprised netflix.com was still blocked after deleting it from BlueTack mgr. list? What should I have done to get netflix back?

14. Would Bluetacks Hosts file really add extra protection, seeing I'm using IE-Spyad, Spywareblaster?

Thanks for the comments!

 

Search for netflix.com and w w w.netflix.com (without the spaces) disable both entries, close your browser and restart it, and you will gain access to that site, I have just tried it.

Vastly more protection.

Cheers

 

Thanks BlackSpear!!!

I assume the two entries you spoke of are in Bluetack list? Probably deleting both entries for netflix would have worked also? Seems funny to have two entries:

netflix.com & www.netflix.com,

Any suggestions for the broken banner add in my.yahoo, the banner add is more pleasing to view than the broken add, i never click on the banner add.

Also, Do you think MS AntiSpyware with all "system agents ON is enough, protection of the hosts file? Its supposed to have protection for HOSTS.

Hate to bother but one more question! When I renamed HOSTS.BAK the new name is/was HOSTS with (no extension) copied to c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc Is this correct?

I'll give her another try tomorrow, because you said "Vastly more protection"

Thanks again
Rico

 

Hi Rico, if you use Bluetacks Hosts Manager, you will be able to download and maintain your Hosts file solely from within the Manager, including keeping the Hosts file up-to-date.

Cheers

 

Rico,
One of the issues with blocking using a hosts file is that the hosts file is only referenced to translate a name to an IP address. If the site in question is using an IP address directly (as lots of advertisers and malware sites do already) then the Hosts style of blocking is bypassed

If you have a look at the FAQ's on the BISS site, you might notice something called ProtoWall, that is a more complex solution because it has to load a driver but it will give you a little more than just having a hosts file

 

Looks very nice, I have it loaded, is there a tutorial on it anywhere? I have look throughed the help and readme files for both ProtoWall and Blocklist Manager.

Cheers

 

Maybe you find some here:

http://www.bluetack.co.uk/forums/index.php?showforum=19

http://www.bluetack.co.uk/pwhelp/

 

I would advise to try the stable version in stead of the Beta.

Gerard

 

Thanks gerardwil, I'm still not 100% on how Blocklist Manager intergrates into ProtoWall.

It appears that you can click on "Sources" and it will retrieve the latest file from Bluetack. Does this then need to be exported to where PW uses its file, as in:

C:\Program Files\Dudez\xp_driver\guarding.p2p

or

C:\Program Files\Dudez\xpdriver\guarding.p2p

Cheers