Adaware issue

ASH1982 · 13 Dec 2008 at 14:03

I am currently fixing a friends laptop and have ran adaware just to make sure its clean
The software has found 12 critical issues (all of which are classed as "redirected hostfile entrys"

I have tried clicking both remove and quarantine but when I do this nothing happens or the software freezes for a while then displays an error message stating that deletion/quarantine has failed

Any ideas how to fix this?

I have tried in safe mode and have the same issue
The OS is windows XP service pack 3 btw

Craig321 · 13 Dec 2008 at 14:12

Try open the host file manually and delete everything in there apart from "127.0.0.1 localhost" and the comments at the top (the lines that start with #)

Start > Run > Type in "notepad C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts" (without quotes) > Click OK

ASH1982 · 13 Dec 2008 at 14:27

I tired to open the host file using notepad and manually delete them but it then refused to save

"Cannot create the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts file.

Make sure the path and file name are correct"

Craig321 · 13 Dec 2008 at 15:42

The file is read only so I'm guessing the permissions are stopping you editing the hosts file (or the virus changed the ownership of the hosts file so nobody could edit it with ease). I did have a similar problem where my other PC wouldn't save it's own hosts file. Can't remember how I sorted it

Have you tried opening/saving it in safe mode?