Jay,

It's hidden away at: C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

If you don't have one yet, copy lmhosts.sam to HOSTS with no extension. and start blocking the junk you don't want. I have a fairly large file at home, here at the office I don't surf much so these are the only places I've blocked here:

127.0.0.1       localhost

127.0.0.1 apps5.oingo.com
127.0.0.1 www.allsearcher.com
127.0.0.1 webfile.com
127.0.0.1 us.adserver.yahoo.com
127.0.0.1 a.rn11.com
127.0.0.1 a4.g.akamai.net
127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 ad.linksynergy.com
127.0.0.1 ar.atwola.com
127.0.0.1 ads.amazingmedia.com
127.0.0.1 ads.web.aol.com
127.0.0.1 ads.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 ads.yourfreedvds.com
127.0.0.1 ads.x10.com
127.0.0.1 autosearcher.com
127.0.0.1 cserver.mii.instacontent.net
127.0.0.1 www.domainsystems.com
127.0.0.1 m2.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 partner11.firehunt.com
127.0.0.1 rocketsearch.com
127.0.0.1 servedby.advertising.com
127.0.0.1 view.atdmt.com
127.0.0.1 www.newaol.com
127.0.0.1 oz.valueclick.com
127.0.0.1 img.mediaplex.com
127.0.0.1 adfarm.mediaplex.com

I also use the parental controls feature on my wireless router at home because it can block based on partial names. I can post some examples of those later. This is useful for identifying requests that come from "randomized" subdomains.


>I was just about to ask you what/where is the HOSTS files when I actually decided to try and look it up myself. For anyone lurking: http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/what_is_hosts.html