Marcus Posted November 25, 2009 ID:162034 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Looking at my hosts file in Vista; it is as it was on a fresh install (I don't use any type of hosts blocking tool at all).Just wondering about the 2nd line in there. It's a default entry by the way. It's always been there.It's this: ::1 localhostThere is no asterisk at the very beginning of that entry.What does this refer to / mean? Why is it there? Is it being used or is it non-functional? If this is a stupid question I apologize but I have to learn somehow! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
exile360 Posted November 25, 2009 ID:162036 Share Posted November 25, 2009 That's the default entry for a localhost on the IPV6 Protocol which Vista and 7 include . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Posted November 25, 2009 Author ID:162041 Share Posted November 25, 2009 That's the default entry for a localhost on the IPV6 Protocol which Vista and 7 include .Now I know. Thank you, exile, as always, More reading homework to do! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
exile360 Posted November 25, 2009 ID:162047 Share Posted November 25, 2009 You're welcome Here's a few (ok, maybe more than a few ) links for you to find out more about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPv6 http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/network/bb530961.aspx http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/internetwo...dbook/IPv6.html http://www.ipv6.org/ http://ipv6.com/ http://www.ist-ipv6.org/index.php?page=news/newsroom http://ipv6.internet2.edu/Enjoy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoKenny1 Posted November 25, 2009 ID:162134 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Another good one:Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts Filehttp://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Posted November 25, 2009 Author ID:162187 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Another good one:Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts Filehttp://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htmThanks YoKenny1, I'll have a read over there and a think about it. I've never put anything before in my hosts file; I've always left it as it was on installation. On thinking back I don't recall that entry being there when I had XP Professional installed. @exile: I see you've just added to my homework reading list! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
exile360 Posted November 25, 2009 ID:162304 Share Posted November 25, 2009 On thinking back I don't recall that entry being there when I had XP Professional installed.That's right, it wasn't, like I said in my first reply, that's the HOSTS address for the IPV6 protocol, XP and previous versions of Windows only supported IPV4, which is why I provided all the links about IPV6 . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kernel Krumpet Posted December 5, 2009 ID:166620 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Thanks YoKenny1, I'll have a read over there and a think about it. I've never put anything before in my hosts file; I've always left it as it was on installation. On thinking back I don't recall that entry being there when I had XP Professional installed. @exile: I see you've just added to my homework reading list! Spybot Search & Destroy also makes use of the Windows Hosts file - which contains an extensive list of Web sites known for spyware; you can view this list on the SS&D Hosts File tab. When this file is installed, no content from any of the sites in it will be displayed. To install - click on the SS&D Hosts File tab.At the top of the Hosts File screen, click on Add Spybot-S&D Hosts List. The SS&D hosts file will now be used instead of your own default - with IPV6 & V7 entries - hosts file. To remove the Spybot hosts file, click on Remove Spybot-S&D Hosts List.Personally I think the Hosts file is good to read for idle curiosity's sake but I'd uninstall SS&D after keeping the Hosts file for fun. MVPs also has a good Hosts file. Neither will replace User Education and Malwarebytes tho'! - I just can't stand solutions that interfere with displaying the web as she was supposed to be viewed..But,that's just me... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kernel Krumpet Posted December 5, 2009 ID:166621 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Oops - IPv4 and IPv6 I meant.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
exile360 Posted December 5, 2009 ID:166624 Share Posted December 5, 2009 You've got a few of the steps wrong there. The button you click in Spybot Search & Destroy is called Immunize (on the left pane of the program's window). Then you click Immunize at the top of the Immunization window to apply it. It will add its sites to your HOSTS file and add many malicious sites to the restricted sites list for IE as well as blocking cookies and malicious activeX controls .A decent, although somewhat dated, tutorial can be found here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoKenny1 Posted December 5, 2009 ID:166633 Share Posted December 5, 2009 @Kernel KrumpetI have not used Spybot Search & Destroy in ages and I remember trying its HOSTS file and it was not very good as it contained many obsolete entries as it does not go through the rigerous validation testing as hpHosts and MVPS HOSTS file does.I find SpywareBlaster's immunize adequate for me as it does not slow down IE8 like Spybot S&D's immunize did. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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