Facebook won't load, all other I've tried will load

[Ashley G]

Nevermind, fixed it! Yes! Had to uncheck the read-only option in properties. Was able to delete facebook entries and I can access facebook.com now! The reason https wasn't working was because it had been entered there as well... Spybot Search and Destroy moved these entries into my hosts file, by the way.

For anyone else experiencing this problem, after resetting modem and/or router, removing proxy settings, firewall settings, releasing and renewing ip config .... (after 2 days of trying to fix this, fml) :

go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

Right click on the hosts file and click on Properties, under General tab, make sure Read-Only is unchecked, Apply and hit OK.

Now open the hosts file via wordpad/notepad, whatever. Use the Find option to search whatever site name (in my case, facebook) is showing Error 118 (net::ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT): The operation timed out. Delete lines with the site name you are trying to access. *Do not delete any line with a hashtag preceding it.* Click "find next" until all lines with the site name are deleted.

Save file when finished.

Go to your site! YAY!

 

[Ashley G]

Oh, I didn't specify, don't use your browser to access C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc (you won't be able to modify anything this way), to modify:

Start-->Computer, then enter C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc in address line. Follow instruction.

 

[DelJo63]

WELL DONE. I didn't get into the HOSTS file as PING by Name was correctly working.

Regardless, the HOSTS file can be used to block access to any site with the simple one line entry

• 127.0.0.1 domain.name

This will react just as if your firewall had a rule like

• Block tcp dest-ip aa.bb.cc.dd dest-port any

where aa.bb.cc.dd is the ipaddress returned by NSLOOKUP Domain.name

Recommend you review (and replace) your HOSTS file with that provided by MVSP.ORG

After updating your HOSTS file you will need to:

1. ipconfig /flushdns
2. net stop "dns client"
3. net start "dns client"

Step (3) reloads the hosts file into the dns client service to make it active.

 

[DelJo63]

Scanning the HOSTS file for FACEBOOK I see (in my copy)

$ egrep -I facebook hosts
# [Facebook]
127.0.0.1  ads.ak.facebook.com
127.0.0.1  creative.ak.facebook.com
127.0.0.1  facebookinc.122.2o7.net
127.0.0.1	  facebook.com.img335.tk
127.0.0.1	  www.facebook.com.img335.tk
127.0.0.1	  facebook-videos.de
127.0.0.1	  www.facebook-videos.de
127.0.0.1	  rrstryhf.facebook-videos.de

The # [Facebook] is not a hashtag - - it is a comment line noting the entries following it are related to Facebook-like sites

the *.TK entries are regional domain for
.tk

Tokelau Also used as a free domain service to the public. Used in the Netherlands because tk means 'for sale' in Dutch.
*.de is for Germany
and the first three lines are tracking and advertizing

(you can see all the domain suffix ids here)

 

[Ashley G]

Thanks ^.^