Missing my hostfiles.

Every time i try to run spybot search and destroy and fix spyware hits, i get an error message that says:

"cannot create file 'C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts' This process cannot be accessed because the file is being used by another process."

On top of that, when i run webroot spysweeper, it always opens up with the error message, hostsfile too large. I dont know what other process is using it.
This all occured when i installed hostsman 2.0 and then uninstalled it. I tried to reinstall to see if that would make a difference, but nothing happened. This problem also could have arisen because of my regseeker and registry mechanic scans. I made the mistake of not backing up the registry files. So if anyone could help, it would be greatly appreciated. These are the only programs i know that use hosts, but this never occured untill i installed hostsman 2.0.

These are the programs that i use:
MS antispyware
Webroot Spywaresweeper
Spybot search and destroy
spywareblaster
ZoneAlarm Suite

 

Just a quick guess would be M$ Antispy is locking the hosts file, try disabling it's resident protection and see if that corrects the issues you've been experiencing.

 

I tried that and i still got the same thing. Do you think that hostsman 2.0 could have screwed with the directory?

 

try to do FIX using spybot in SAFE MODE.
does this help?

 

I'm not certain where it is in Zone Alarm suite but is it possible a locked Hosts file by ZA could be part of this problem ?

Firewall\Main\Advanced....General area ?

 

also have you locked it in spy sweeper?

 

Its still messed up after everything yall suggested...i have no idea what the hell hostsman did.

 

okie... have you tried navigating to HOSTS [following the path C:/WINDOWS/system32/drivers/etc] to see it it's even there?

if so...

right click on HOSTS/select properties, then check to see if Read Only/Hidden attributes have not been checked, if so UNcheck them.

TAS

 

Now.. if you can also then open with Notepad.... and then highlight/delete all entries in there BUT... make sure you leave the very top one....

127.0.0.1 localhost

otherwise you won't be "talking" to anyone as that's needed...

below in bold is my beginning, not the default Microsoft one, but you can copy this back into replacing yours as long as you have the hash [#] before any line not needing to be read, as in all the blurb you see...
leaving that 127.0.0.1 localhost WITHOUT the # in front...

Then on Notepad, for under 'Save file type' select "all files" then resave the HOSTS with NO extension.....

This will give you a 'new' hosts file and maybe fix the problem, then you can try another method of adding hosts via a manager other than the one you think screwed things up.

#**************************************************
#
# Stephen Martin's / Mike Meyer's Ad-Blocking Hosts
#
#**************************************************

127.0.0.1 localhost

hth... TAS

 

Thanks Tassie_Devils, that did the trick. I appreciate it.

 

NO probs, glad you are a happy camper again.

Cheers, TAS