How to access and use the Windows Hosts File in Windows 7 and Vista
This will give you the basics on how to use the Windows Hosts File, it's not very complicated but it's up to each individual to find additional information and put it to good use to suite your needs.
Information
Here is some excellent information and a very good "Starter" Hosts File that blocks most of the known malware sites and is updated regularly, it can be added to with any additions you choose, it can be found and downloaded at the link below.
Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File
Note
To block a site this "127.0.0.1 localhost" (without the quotes) must be the first entry in the Hosts File, you can add any comments to the file using this ( # ) symbol at the front of the comment; each entry needs its own line and there must be at least 1 space between the IP address and the host name; this info can be viewed in the #1 snip below of the default Hosts File.
Some sites have more than one IP address so to completely block a specific site you may need to add more than one entry to completely block such sites.
Tip
As any additions / changes to the Hosts File can / will be removed using a System Restore point dated before the work was done with the file, it may be a good idea to create Restore Points before and after any changes are made to the Hosts File, see the tutorial at the link below.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...ate.html?ltr=S
It would also be advisable to clear the DNS Resolver Cache whenever you finish working with the Hosts File; open an Elevated Command Window and type "ipconfig /flushdns" (without the quotes) and hit enter
Let's get started!
Option One
Block a Site
1) In the Windows start menu type "notepad" (without the quotes) right click the entry and select "Run as Administrator" then enter your user credentials for the UAC prompt and click yes to open notepad. In notepad at "File" select "Open" then browse to C:/Windows/System32/Drivers/ect, in the window that opens select "All Files" then "Hosts" then click "Open" to open the default Windows Hosts File location. 2) The #1 snip below is the default Hosts File that opens, as you can see with the use of this ( # ) symbol, Windows does not "read" any of the default information in the file, so it's up to you whether to delete it all or not but it may be useful to leave it there for for future reference.3) If I wanted block access to ebay.com, the first entry in the file would need to be 127.0.0.1 localhost on its own line, on the next line I would add 127.0.0.1 ebay.com with at least 1 space between the IP address and the host name; then back at "File" select "Save" then "Exit" to close notepad.1) If I wanted to re-direct ebay.com to sevenforums.com I would add the IP address for sevenforums.com on its own line seperated by at least 1 space then ebay.com, and if I wanted to add comments I would put them after the # symbol; then at "File" select "Save" then "Exit" to close notepad.To ping a site to get the IP address, open a command window (it doesn't have to be elevated) type "ping ebay.com" then hit enter, as you can see in the first snip , there's one of the IP addresses for ebay.com; the second snip is ping commands.
Enjoy :)
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Hosts File : Use in Windows 7 / Vista
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