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Resolved Question

Why is HostsMan blocking CNET web links?

May 16, 2015 9:27AM PDT

Hello,

I recently received a newsletter and I wanted to read the rest of a discussion. When I clicked on the link, I got a page-not-displayed in the opening window. I tried putting www.cnet.com on the exclusionary list but it didn't work. What to do?

Anne

Discussion is locked

Anne__Burns has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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run a Search
May 19, 2015 9:14AM PDT

on your windows folder for "host*" and find the hosts file and open in text editor.

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I fixed the problem
May 22, 2015 1:36PM PDT

At one point, I had no access to this website, but I fixed that problem and my HostsMan issue too.

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How Did You Fix It?
May 23, 2015 12:56AM PDT

Others on this forum will want to know.

Grif

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It was a HostsMan forum fix
May 23, 2015 7:41AM PDT

The HostsMan forum website is where I found my fix. Thanks to everyone who tried to help me. Anne

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But WHAT Was The Fix? Specifically...
May 23, 2015 9:17AM PDT

How did you fix it using the website? I don't find anything there regarding CNET or your username. Or maybe you actually followed their instructions to return to your original HOSTS file which blocks NO sites at all. Is that the case?

Grif

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Answer
HostsMan is a freeware application that lets you manage your
May 17, 2015 1:51AM PDT

"HostsMan is a freeware application that lets you manage your Hosts file with ease. "

It appears that you didn't manage the hosts file with ease. Since the file is not in your post, no one can find Waldo.
Bob

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Answer
A Number Of CNET's Weblinks Are Included in HOSTS Files
May 17, 2015 2:43AM PDT

Like a lot of other websites, if you want such weblinks to be eliminated from the HOSTS file, you'll need to identify the specific link (usually viewing the "page source" for the item will do it), then edit the HOSTS file of the problem site.

Just a couple off the top of my head are below. There are a quite a few others, including a couple I've had a hard time finding such as the ad-link when clicking on the "submit" button when answering posts.. But that's another issue.:

surveys.cnet.com
i.i.com.com
google-analytics.com

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Why is HostsMan blocking CNET web links?
May 18, 2015 2:52PM PDT

Hello Grif, Can you tell me more about viewing the 'page source'? Should different links to the same website be treated separately? Btw, how do I include attachments at this website?

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"Page Source" Depends a Little On Which Browser
May 19, 2015 10:48AM PDT

For example, in Firefox, I can RIGHT-click on a specific item on the page, choose "Inspect Element" and it will list the HTML code for the specific item on the page and it will show the various websites and code that are used by the local area of the page. Or I can click on Tools-Web Developer-Page Source to show everything on the page.

In Internet Explorer 11, click on "View" in the upper left, then choose "Source".

Basically, you have to look for the specific http item in the Source and compare it with the thousands of sites that are listed in the HOSTS file.. There are a number of ways to do that, but basically, you open the HOSTS file with a text editor and "Find" the specific website in question. It takes a while to fine the right ones.

Hope this helps

Grif

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I fixed the problem!
May 23, 2015 11:23AM PDT

It has been hard to get this website to post any message from me. I had already fixed my problem with a Hosts website. Thanks to all who tried to help me.