A question re hosts file

Discussion in 'privacy problems' started by ctm007, Aug 12, 2003.

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  1. ctm007

    ctm007 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2003
    Posts:
    4
    When I go Internet to my bank and open my account and click on "download" the next screen is an "OK" button and then the next screen is usually the "Save to Disk" option which allows me to select the folder to download to; however, this screen never appears. The page just sets there. If I right click and select refreash I do get a new "OK" box and when I say ok, the browser box (Save to Disk) never appears.

    I think my problem started when I opened SpywareBlaster (release 2.6.0) and clicked on the "Tools" icon and then I clicked on the "Flash Killer" and I did put a checkmark in the box "Disable and block Macromedia Flash (4.x,5.x,6.x). That is when I could no longer download the QIF file. I uninstalled SpywareBlaster and rebooted and then downloaded another copy and installed it and rebooted and then I made sure the box next to "Disable and block Macromedia Flash" is NOT checked. I rebooted again and tried to download the QIF file and cannot. I am now assuming the registry has modified the "Hosts" file. How do I hack the registery to create a new
    hosts file?

    Carl
    <email address removed>

    - Removed your email address to protect your privacy - LWM
     
    ctm007, Aug 12, 2003
    #1
  2. LowWaterMark

    LowWaterMark Administrator

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2002
    Posts:
    18,282
    Location:
    New England
    Hi Carl,

    I'm sorry you are having trouble with your web site access. Let's see if we can help you idenitify the problem...

    SpywareBlaster's only interaction with the Hosts file is the function in Tools to make a backup of the Hosts file (hosts safe) in case your original file is hacked. SB does not add to or adjust the Hosts file in any way. Also, the Hosts file does not depend upon a registry settings. It is a text file located in one of the two locations below, depending upon the operating system you are running.

    For NT/2K/XP> c:\WINNT\system32\drivers\etc\Hosts.

    - note that your disk may not be "c:" and the "WinNT" folder may just be "Windows")

    For ME/95/98> c:\Windows\Hosts.

    You can simply use Notepad to open the appropriate Hosts file for your system and check to see what's in there, and if your bank's website is listed. But, from what you've described so far, it doesn't sound to me like it's the hosts file...

    SpywareBlaster's protections can be easily removed so that your system is exactly as it was before you ran it. First, you already know how to disable the Flash Killer (you've done it), just uncheck that box in Tools. As for the main "Protection" screen, press the "Deselect All" button followed by the "Remove Protection for Unchecked Items".

    Once you've cleared and removed the protections described above, if your banking site works fine, then it was SpywareBlaster causing the problem. If that site doesn't work, then that was not the problem.

    Give it a try and let us know what happens.

    Best Wishes,
    LowWaterMark
     
    LowWaterMark, Aug 12, 2003
    #2
  3. ctm007

    ctm007 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2003
    Posts:
    4
    I found the problem and it was not SpywareBlaster. I discovered that about the same time I downloaded SpywareBlaster I somehow downloaded and installed "Free Downloads Accelerator". I have been unable to uninstall the darn thing but I did succeed in unchecking the box "Block popup windows" and that fixed my Quicken QIF files download. Now to figure out how to uninstalled
    the program "Free Downloads Accelerator". If one dares, the website is
    http://www.freedownloadsaccelerator.com/about.html.

    Carl
     
    ctm007, Aug 13, 2003
    #3
  4. LowWaterMark

    LowWaterMark Administrator

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2002
    Posts:
    18,282
    Location:
    New England
    Ah, that's good that you've identified it, and got that site working. :)

    We can probably help you with the rest of the problem, as well. If you can post the log from HiJackThis, which shows all the places where intrusive software like that inserts itself into your system, people can advise you on how to fix it...

    Go to http://www.tomcoyote.org/hjt and download "HijackThis!". Unzip it. Run the HijackThis.exe file and press the [Scan] button... When the scan is finished, the [Scan] button will change into a [Save Log] button. Press that, save the log somewhere and paste the contents into a post here for us to look at.

    Note that much of what will be listed there is correct and should not be fixed. So, just post the output here and let's see if the people here can help identify the problem.

    As this is not a problem with Javacool's SpywareBlaster, I'm going to move this thread over to the Privacy Problems forum section where the experts at this can further assist you.

    Best of luck,
    LowWaterMark
     
    LowWaterMark, Aug 13, 2003
    #4
  5. Pieter_Arntz

    Pieter_Arntz Spyware Veteran

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2002
    Posts:
    13,491
    Location:
    Netherlands
    Hi ctm007,

    Please go to http://www.tomcoyote.org/hjt/, and download 'Hijack This!'.
    Unzip, doubleclick HijackThis.exe, and hit "Scan".

    When the scan is finished, the "Scan" button will change into a "Save Log" button.
    Press that, save the log as a .txt file, and copy and paste its contents into your next post.

    Most of what it lists will be harmless, so do not fix anything yet.
    I think I can help you get rid of FDA.

    Regards,

    Pieter
     
    Pieter_Arntz, Aug 13, 2003
    #5
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