-=PCTechTalk=- Re: Windows-update.
- From: "~OoO~" <SirTroth@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2003 12:39:17 -0400
Then the HOSTS explanation wouldn't apply to you. I'll see if I can think up of
something else. I'd hate to tell you that you may have to reinstall from
scratch, as I know it can be a hassle if you're not used to doing it often
(such as I :) ).
But, let's see if we can find another way.
---Troth
----- Original Message -----
From: Sylviavandewall
To: pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, September 05, 2003 12:36 PM
Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: Windows-update.
Troth,
No, not at all, it did not confuse me, thank you for the great explanation.
I changed the settings you told me and did the search again but nothing came
up with only HOST. 6 Files came up but all with extensions, most of them
with DLL.
Sylvia
> I should have explained the HOSTS file a bit better.
> File names are usually composed of the name plus extension... the name
being before the period, the extension being after the period. In other
words, if you saved a Microsoft Word document, and called it REPORT, the
resulting file name would be:
>
> REPORT.DOC
>
> REPORT is the name, DOC is the extension. Now, I say usually, cause its
possible to have a file name without an extension. The only purpose the
extension serves is to tell your computer what application to open it with.
So, in the above example of REPORT.DOC, the DOC extension tells Windows to
open the document using WORD. If you don't have WORD installed, it wouldn't
recognize the DOC extension, and as a result would ask you what application
you'd like to use to open it.
>
> With that said, the HOSTS file is of the latter variant... it has no
extension. Its simply HOSTS. If you see a HOSTS.TXT, that's not the file we
want. Or if you see HOSTS.any extension, that's not it. You want simply
HOSTS.
>
> Now... by default, when you install Windows, Microsoft felt it appropriate
to "shield" their customers from viewing extensions. In other words, by
default you don't see the extension of file names. We want to change this,
cause we want you to see what the extension is. So, go ahead and
double-click on MY COMPUTER, then on top click on TOOLS > FOLDER OPTIONS...
> then VIEW. Then scroll to where it says SHOW HIDDEN FILES AND FOLDERS and
make sure there's a check mark in there. Right below that, you'll also see
HIDE EXTENSIONS FOR KNOWN FILE TYPES. Make sure there is NO check mark in
this one. Then hit APPLY and then OK.
>
> Alright... now you should be able to see extensions with no problem.
>
> Next... the HOSTS file... this file, although it has no extension, is a
text file. What that means is that you can view the contents using any text
editor. We're going to use NOTEPAD.
>
> With the new changes we made on your system, do a search again for HOSTS.
Make sure you search it just like that... HOSTS. (without the period). And,
where it says where to search, make sure its searching the C drive. I think
by default it might show a different folder, so just make sure its searching
the C drive.
>
> Once it finds anything, you want the file that is just called HOSTS. Not
HOSTS.TXT or HOSTS.JS or anything else. Simply HOSTS as the file name. With
that file found, you want to hold SHIFT down, and right-click on the file,
and it should say OPEN WITH... Select this option and then scroll through
the list to tell it to open it with NOTEPAD. And, there you can now see the
contents of the HOSTS file. Technically speaking, if you want to make sure
that this is not the problem with the Windows Update, you can just delete
all the contents in this file, and then just save it empty (FILE > SAVE).
That would remove any HOSTS restrictions you might have. Anyway... use the
contents of the HOSTS file to see if it has anything to do with that article
I forwarded to you.
>
> Regarding NORTON and the warning you received. Norton AntiVirus has a
setting that basically warns you about any script that could be harmful if
run. The reason you got the warning is because whatever you clicked on was a
script (javascript) and Norton was just telling you to be careful. Since
Norton doesn't really know whether or not this is a bad script, it gives you
the option. You shouldn't be in this position in the first place, cause we
don't want to run any scripts, so you're ok to just not allow the script to
run.
>
> By the way... do a search as HOST, not HOSTS. That way it brings up
anything with the HOST in the name... but then YOU have to make sure you're
looking at the file called HOSTS... not HOSTL, for example, which the search
would bring up.
>
> Hope I didn't confuse you any more than I did myself.
> ;-)
>
> ..::[ Sir Troth ]::..
> ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
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> AIM: SirTrothX
> MSN: SirTroth@xxxxxxxxxxx
> YAHOO: SirTroth
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