problem downloading hosts.zip

Is anyone having a problem downloading hosts.zip from mvps? -
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

File seems to be corrupt or invalid. Is it out of date?
I’ve tried the file on three different computers with the same result - ‘no files to extract’ when attempt to run from saved zip folder and ‘invalid or corrupt’ when attempt to run from site.

No problem here.
I’ve added it to MySharedFiles if that help you any. :slight_smile:

I use HostMan to manage my hosts file. No troubles at all.

Hmmm. I just downloaded host.zip from your site to my flash drive, Bob. Then copied it through to one of the computers that failed with the file earlier today. It loaded to the computer with no difficulty at all.

Tried direct download to my computer from mvps site. When attempt to extract, there were no files to extract. Then tried it from your site again, Bob - attempt to extract was successful.

Hmmm

Its 2.35am so Im turning in. I’ll be back to it tomorrow. As one of the computers left the premises this morning, there is only one left to troubleshoot the issue. All the other computers here already have hosts file protection. But there have recently been some other occasions with downloaded zip folders reading as corrupt. I initially put it down to being busier than usual. I’ve loaded 3 XP systems in the last few days (clean installs - 2 pro and 1 home). I havent kept track of where the failed downloads occured. I have another computer in today for upgrade (re-install) that has just turned up a trojan (mbam) and is currently being put through boot-time scan. I wont report on that until 2moro (computer still had SP2).

But, yes, a few occasions where downloads of zip folders have not eventuated in successful installs. Leave it at that for now,

This morning I ran the same test as last night - with the same result. This time I used the computer that came in yesterday for XP upgrade / reinstall. Not an ideal test case because a virus had been detected and removed from the computer (mbam). But avast boot-time scan passed the system with no further instances of infection. Next logical step was to protect hosts file from intrusion.

I tried direct download to my computer from mvps site. When attempted to extract, there were no files to extract. Then tried same Bob’s shared files site and the attempt to extract was successful. The hosts file on the computer is now protected. Both times I used same procedure - right-click and Save Target as…

As far as I’m concerned the problem is resolved. I just go to Bob’s site and download hosts.zip from there until I get a better outcome from my usual site. I have absolutely no idea why this has happened and dont really have time to follow it up. For that reason, I will leave the thread open rather than show the issue as solved. Unfortunatly, all computers at hand now have hosts file protection so there is not a lot more I can do here, except every now and then keep trying the extraction process of zip file from mvps site.

Worth noting that each computer that the process failed on was being brought up to date with Microsoft - SP3, IE8, auto updates through to recent Patch Tuesday. Sometimes auto , sometimes manual to push things along a bit, the update sessions were at times long and seemingly arduous, and even haphazard. But all good so far, in that regard. They all came through okay. And other thing was that there were a few occasions where same failures turned up on unrelated zip packages. I just keep watch for now.

Which decompression program are you using?
Which browser did you use to download the 'zip file ?

( I’m using IZArc and download the file while using Google Chrome. )
I already have a default download folder set up so I simply save the file rather then using the save as function.

Okay Bob I think I see where you’re getting at. I’m not sure about decompression but I will look, just XP default I guess, likewise with browser - IE8 with google search box is the default I use when upgrade and each of the computers needs be upgraded from the install disk to auto update with Microsoft.

This morning’s computer had FF as home page without Mozilla installed and aso ran ALOT toolbar, which I think pulled a redirect on me yessterday before I uninstalled it. But all runs very well now. A1. I will be putting Chrome on it as some in the owner’s family have run Chrome for a while now.

So a few idiosyncracies amongst the computers. They havent been all exactly the same. But the hosts.zip has been a constant so it might be something in how I set these systems up, I may be out of sync with auto updates now whereas I wasn’t before. This months Windoze Patch Up(date) been bit more strenuous than usual. ;D

This is interesting…

I already have a default download folder set up so I simply save the file rather then using the save as function.

Perhaps I need your help to sharpen up a bit on my download and install practice.
something

Here’s the setting in Google’s browser:

For IE it’s not quite as easy but the following instructions are pretty straight forward:
http://www.liutilities.com/products/registrybooster/tweaklibrary/tweaks/10153/

Here’s your example for Firefox:

Hi Bob. Thanks for the input. Always appreciated. I installed IZarc and was able to extract the hosts.zip file from mvps. So that is interesting.

Generally I use minimum browser mediation - add ons, extensions, and toolbars - other than what is necessary to return and temp house pages, programs, facilities and so on…what I might need on demand. I use the XP Favorites feature heavily on the one hand for my portfolio sites, and google search on the other hand for www surfing. I always use download tools for default download locations (to Program Files). With IE the registry can be tweaked to provide default download location ( http://pcs.suite101.com/article.cfm/ie_default_download_location ), which I do not bother with, but maybe I should.

As you might guess I am now reviewing my browser settings and may look to install Chrome on some of my computers as best option. But more on this later. There is still some time to go with current issue(s). And Im a bit busy. But will reply post to this thread as I work through things.

As I said I have been loading 3 XP systems (clean installs - 2 pro and 1 home) and doing an upgrade re-install (XP again) and running into a few problems with download of exe packages, notably hosts.zip, but also others (Process explorer was another, so bit of a worry). Where and when the issue with hosts.zip began – I had not been keeping a record of which computer, what error, etc…so the problem came to be sorted as a general error and I felt that a general solution would eventually turn up. I found another computer stored away that had been loaded XP, carried through to SP3 and validated, and no further, so I had a means to troubleshoot the issue. But no general solution turned up except workarounds as mentioned earlier (download from Bob’s site, use IZark, and so on). Over a couple of days troubleshooting I decided that I did in fact have to change my current browser practice if I wanted to keep up with the play. And so I started an across the board transition to Google Chrome.

I think Bob got it right when he first asked about my decompression program. I basically didnt have a decompression capability to fall back on, thinking that XP by default unpacked basic everything unless a better facility was provided (like rar, for example). Until recently, this seemed to be what XP was doing. To resolve then, I could still download a program like IZark and use that to unpack exe packages. But I decided to change browser practice anyway. Maybe my way of running a media(tion)-free browser space, IE8 no accelerators, no add-ons, google search as home page not default Microsoft, and so on (as below), was no longer an option. I felt that I needed more browser management. Even when I was setting systems up for owners to install their own preference, say Firefox, or Opera. Up til recently everything had worked okay. But now I wanted better browser management - especially with upload / download.

I had loaded Chrome to the fresh computer and tested the download manager successfully on hosts.zip file, and then on Process explorer. I was suitably impressed. Even more when I run Chrome a bit, a reminder exercise really, I had briefly trialed Chrome a few months ago. http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=45751.msg389501#msg389501

And update http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2352973,00.asp?kc=PCRSS02129TX1K0000530

In the end, all computers were loaded with Chrome - standard practice from now on (unless advised differently by the owner). This made things a lot easier for me.

The PC I use most is now running Chrome, replacing Firefox with NoScript. I decided to give FF a break and come back to it later. I had a few FF problems around the upgrade to 3.5 and after, but in my case it was more that Chrome allowed me to run uniform desktops across the board. This what I want over next few months. I do think this months MS Patch were more strenuous than usual. And seems odd that, even when commonplace is running, routines that previously worked no longer do.

So looking for a zero-day scenario in my browser practice - before Chrome and after Chrome. In fact, all running systems in the house now have Chrome running with only one exception, the R50 laptop specified below (see pic). I run the laptop Microsoft-dedicated so that means IE8 as default browser. The R50 downloaded and installed hosts.zip with Hostman in the pre-zero-day method - that is how hosts protection was first set up. But it is now no longer capable of opening or extracting the file. Same with Process explorer. Plus the XP on this machine is not one of my systems, but rather a factory loaded system - more proof that changes have taken place at browser level, significant enough (surely!) So the R50 now needs a download manager, which will be IZark. And I also needed a Word processor so I installed standalone Word 97 for docs and stuff. (see pic) This program is for users who dont want MS Office but still need to write letters, keep docs, etc.

I still think possibility of malware infection, but for the life of me there are no detections or alerts to speak of. The upgrade / re-install machine came in infected but was cleaned and then ran a treat, more so with Chrome installed. Important changes I made during the troubleshoot period for Chrome included the setting of google as default search provider in Internet Options / General / Settings. Has Bing as default to begin with nowdays, I think. On some systems you will find Live and even Yahoo registered as default. I also enable suggestions for now. Otherwise I continue to run IE8 with no accelerators, if this is bad policy someone can put me right.

So far things are going well with Chrome. Still can improve things. Does place me much better with google search, which has pretty much been mainstay of my web use to date.

web search help http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?answer=497&cbid=bz7wtvzj3dnj&src=cb&lev=answer.

I’ve had online desktop google docs since 2006, when google bought out writely.com. I keep an igoogle profile and I work that environment if I have a long session to do on the internet, using the google openID for supported apps - igoogle search is the same as default google search (and is found on that page). Makes for ideal referencing and other desktop and with added security of password in and log out. Reasonably good browser management there, and Chrome is still working underneath - I’ve downloaded Microsoft packages to test while in igoogle. The change to more browser mediation through Chrome has been all good so far. My avast has fitted in well, and my firewalls (OA or Outpost) are not a problem in the least. I feel like I’ve come in a bit from the wild.

Edit - I just loaded FF 3.5.3 to a computer so keep up with play in that environment as well. Seems fast - first impression. BTW - Thanks again for input Bob, helped push me to do a few things I’d been putting off.

I didn’t really push… maybe nudged a little bit :slight_smile: ;D

+1

HostsMan has a browser speedup proxy HostsServer that I start with Windows and enable its logging in Preferences by selecting Enable log and Log referrer and just to display message in the Server tab when there is a hit in the HOSTS file.

This shows the effectiveness of the HOSTS file if you start the Server look then look in the log file ater browsing by View Log.

I don’t use IE8 Accelerators.

I don’t believe in Rube Goldberg solutions to problems:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCYg_gz4fDo

@ Bob3160 - I think I was ready for it and now happy how things are going. But lots of tidy up to do from change around. Helps that igoogle is a constant. Also need to put some quality time into Creately https://creately.com/, which I think I first picked up on this forum.

@YoKenny - I now have HostsServer running with preferences provided. Also taking a look at the Hosts forum.

mkis,
I don’t know if you’ve ever tried this little online gem:
http://www.lovelycharts.com/

Here is one more gem:
http://aviary.com/launch/falcon

online gems is what I like Bob :). Aviary looks very promising for what I want, which is basically to draw online.

What does this have to do with downloading hosts.zip ???