Hello Guys

I am trying to install a certain software where R2R is asking me to, Block the access to "xxxx.com".
I did some research and it seems I need to modify the file named "hosts"
but I am finding it difficult to do
is there a better way?

Please any help is much appreciated

 

Just open your hosts file with an editor and add

127.0.0.1 xxxx.com
or
0.0.0.0 xxxx.com

below the last entry.

 

Open Notepad as Administrator from the start menu, then inside notepad click file => open ( or just Ctrl+o) and navigate to the location of host file and open it, but create a backup of host file first.
or Simply just use notepad ++

 

the think is when I get there and edit the hosts file, it says I need permission to save and that is when I get lost

Thank you for the help

 

Thank you for the help. pls see my answer to No Avenger

 

Nope, the host file is windows log of internet redirects. It's real purpose is to stop your computer going out to the internet when it's accessing items that are on your local network.

The address 127.0.0.1 is the address for itself, or to put it another way would be the website is this PC. So if you put this line in, when ever the computer gose to access the website it will instead ask itself for the information.

this will often have the down side of, as it is asking itself, it will fail and then often ask again later. As it may create a loop of asking itslef, the software will he processor heavyer then it sould be but if you use a multi core processor it won't be a problem.

Not really a supprise as windows will be using the file will your trying to edit it.

Easiest way is to copy the "Hosts" file to another location, like your desktop. Open the copy in Note pad and make your edits. Then move the edited one into the "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc" folder. It will ask you if you want to overwrite the file and you click "Replace the file in the destination".

I don't know why windows lets you replace the file when it won't let you open and edit it directly but lets just accept that it dose.

 

Exactly what I do.. After hitting save, Notepad++ will warn it needs to start in admin mode to save.. You click a button to allow it, and voila.. It restarts in admin mode, and all saved.

 

Normally, I will block the application/plugin from accessing the internet at all; by firewalling it in. I will block something via Hosts file if I have to, but I would still rather be able to visit the developers website. If R2R instructions say to do this, it may be a particularly sneaky home calling that is less obvious what to block.

 

OneClickFirewall is a great tool for blocking .exe on windows. It goes into your context menu so you can just right click and it blocks the installer, program whatever

In this case it does not help. You have to go to the hosts file or if you see the r2r hosts batch. Click that. If you have problem with permissions and cant access it you could run this "take ownership" script. You will then be able to right click and take ownership of that hosts file and then open it up on notepad and edit.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/3841-add-take-ownership-context-menu-windows-10-a.html

 

Before opening it with notepad (as admin)...navigate to the file, right click it and change it from read only. Then you can change it but don't forget to change back to read only after adding the entries.

 

Yep, this is often sufficient - even when R2R recommends to add a site to the hosts file.

 

I Installed NetLimiter 4, because I'm used to using Little Snitch on macOS, so I can block all things I want and nothing (that I know of, still new to Windows) slips through. Man Windows loves communicating with Microsoft. It even scans my system for viruses/ect and seemingly want's communicate that as well. Also, the updates. Do they ever end? I just keep it offline as much as possible now. I just use my old computers for that.

Hope you don't mind my asking this question in your thread OP, but does anyone use QuickLook on their system? I really miss that from macOS, it's so convenient. Just wondering if it's chill and light on the system. I don't want to blindly install it.

Also, in macOS there is cmd I to check info, I suppose it's like checking properties on Windows. Anyways, when I check info on an audio files in macOS I immediately see Duration, Audio channels, Sample rate and Bits per sample. That's very convenient for me and I miss it as well. Anything like that built into Windows?

 

https://hostsfileseditorplus.weebly.com/about.html
Hosts File Editor+ is program which allows editing Hosts file.
The program is free. No need to install, just run the application.
Requirements: Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 Client Profile
Size: 6.25 MB
Allows you to do with hosts file anything that you can imagine.

 

Their method is 100% and people cannot make silly mistakes; so it makes perfect sense they recommend it. Some plugins will use different domains names than expected to do their little communication efforts, because they know users of pirate copies often do use hosts file blocking method. I saw one recently that uses a domain for a home painting service. lol, developers can be such funny guys sometimes.

 

Hey Guys I would like to Thank you all for the help. much appreciated
thing is R2R had provided a patch that would change the Hosts File, it was silly of me to miss it and when trying it it did not work first because I had the file open in notepad.
now everything is working fine.
thank you again and sorry for the trouble.
by the way, is there a way to close the thread or mark it as solved ?

 

We have a winner.

 

Yep, we can do this, but is this necessary?

As soon as you marked a post as Best Answer, which you have.

 

Yes I meant, mark as solve. thank you for clarifiying that. it got me scratching my head.
thxs for the help