Fake virus redirects

[Mr Whippy]

Mmmm, page load has gone from a few seconds to essentially instant.

[MickC]

4x4Tyke said:

I've used a blacklist hosts file on my PC/Laptops for years and never have a problem. A hosts file can be added to pretty much any internet device, including phones. This is the one I use at the moment and is probably the most comprehensive, combining several others. It comes in multiple versions to block different sorts of unwanted rubbish.

https://github.com/mitchellkrogza/Ultimate.Hosts.B...

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/edit-your-roo...

Hmm, i tried that ultimate hosts file from github, it hung my DNSclient and locked the 32meg(!) hosts file so i could not even change it back. One command prompt startup later and its renamed. I like the idea of a user controlled blocking hosts file, might build my own, or that umatrix browser based firewall also looks cool.

For now i'm back to adblock pro chrome plugin - it works, but sites know you are using it and sometimes ask for it to be turned off.

It really is a disgrace that we are having to find our own solutions to this, what we should do is just stop using the PH forums, but breaking any addiction is hard

[Jonesy23]

Mr Whippy said:

UMatrix!

Breaks a *lot* of stuffing you don't spend enough time tuning it.

UBlock Origin on its own covers a lot without so much collateral damage.

[4x4Tyke]

MickC said:

4x4Tyke said:

I've used a blacklist hosts file on my PC/Laptops for years and never have a problem. A hosts file can be added to pretty much any internet device, including phones. This is the one I use at the moment and is probably the most comprehensive, combining several others. It comes in multiple versions to block different sorts of unwanted rubbish.

https://github.com/mitchellkrogza/Ultimate.Hosts.B...

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/edit-your-roo...

Hmm, i tried that ultimate hosts file from github, it hung my DNSclient and locked the 32meg(!) hosts file so i could not even change it back. One command prompt startup later and its renamed. I like the idea of a user controlled blocking hosts file, might build my own, or that umatrix browser based firewall also looks cool.

For now i'm back to adblock pro chrome plugin - it works, but sites know you are using it and sometimes ask for it to be turned off.

It really is a disgrace that we are having to find our own solutions to this, what we should do is just stop using the PH forums, but breaking any addiction is hard

Not certain why that happened to you, I've never had the DNS client locking, but can envisage a couple of possibilities.

1) The line ending are slightly different between Linux and Windows text files, if you used the Linux version, it could fail on Windows.
2) Opening the file with Microsoft notepad. MS Notepad has size limit and I've seen it lock files when it fails to load them as too large. Rebooting will clear that file lock when that happens. There is no reason to actually open, However if you want to browse it for example, then Notepad++ is a better replacement for notepad and has no file size limit. https://notepad-plus-plus.org/

Here is alternative blacklist, I used in in the past, it is smaller so less comprehensive, but still pretty good.

https://github.com/StevenBlack/hosts

[Mr Whippy]

Jonesy23 said:

Breaks a *lot* of stuffing you don't spend enough time tuning it.

UBlock Origin on its own covers a lot without so much collateral damage.

Mostly it’s just whitelisting google hosted script libraries.

I like it because it tells you all the crap a website is farming out to.

All those domains get to see what you’re doing, IP, cookies set, dynamic content served and tracked etc.


You know good websites when they work because it’s all locally hosted on that domain and is as static as it needs to be.
It’s sad the internet has got like this.

[acme]

I assume PH and or the mods are now ignoring this thread?

Still happening & getting worse in my view.

Useless!

[mattyn1]

A lot of the responses here are beyond my IT comprehension, but I am still getting the Google "you have won an iPhone" page from the forums. I get it only on Safari on both the phone and Ipad. Not looked at the MacBook yet - will report back if it is happening on there.

BenLowden said:

Our ads team thought they'd identified the ad supplier but unfortunately as a number of you are still seeing these ads, that isn't the case.

We're not yet able to replicate the issue which makes it more difficult to identify, but they'll continue to investigate today and I'll report back ASAP.

Edit: Our ads team think they've identified the issue, so this should now be fixed. So please do let us know if you're still seeing any of these ads.

Edited by BenLowden on Wednesday 15th August 10:46

So - do we have an update? I have just got AdGuard so will let you know if that works!!

Like others have said, it is quite annoying!

[mp3manager]

mattyn1 said:

but I am still getting the Google "you have won an iPhone" page from the forums. I get it only on Safari on both the phone and Ipad. Not looked at the MacBook yet - will report back if it is happening on there.

Yep, still getting that on my ipad with safari when I'm just browsing and not logged in. Doesn't happen on the desktop logged in with Brave browser.

[mattyn1]

AdGuard seems to work..... without any configuring too. Just downloaded and ran!

[DonkeyApple]

mattyn1 said:

AdGuard seems to work..... without any configuring too. Just downloaded and ran!

Same here. Just downloaded it and the whole problem went away. Plus all the ads. As a technomuppet I can confirm that this solution is both free and idiot proof.

[mattyn1]

DonkeyApple said:

Same here. Just downloaded it and the whole problem went away. Plus all the ads. As a technomuppet I can confirm that this solution is both free and idiot proof.

I still get the adverts at the bottom of each page!

[DonkeyApple]

mattyn1 said:

DonkeyApple said:

Same here. Just downloaded it and the whole problem went away. Plus all the ads. As a technomuppet I can confirm that this solution is both free and idiot proof.

I still get the adverts at the bottom of each page!

I randomly turned on the third setting marked easysomething.

[DonkeyApple]

Easylist under filters.

[mattyn1]

That’s fking brilliant!! Thanks

[308mate]

James P said:

595Heaven said:

I’ve just had the same sort of thing...

This page suddenly popped up whilst reading General Gassing

I’ve just had that too, very annoying

I get the same. Makes the site unusable on mobile unless using private mode.

st state of affairs.

[sc0tt]

I’m winning a samsung galaxy every 6 or 7 pages now. I’ve got so many phones its a joke.

Oh no, wait the joke is this site.

[mattyn1]

The answer is AdGuard.

[Frazzly]

I’m apparently winning a new phone constantly using this site st the moment.

It’s becoming a nightmare and it’s only this site that’s causing me grief....

[BenLowden]

acme said:

I assume PH and or the mods are now ignoring this thread?

Still happening & getting worse in my view.

Useless!

We're not ignoring the thread, but I'm afraid the search is still ongoing and we don't have any updates just yet. As soon as I know more, I'll report back.

[DonkeyApple]

Just switch off your Outbrain, or whichever form Haymarket uses, feed on day one and inform them that if they wish to continue winning your business they need to fix their problem. They are costing you eyeballs and irritating your customers who are downloading AdGuard which means you won’t ever get those eyeballs back. You’re part of Haymarket and your chosen partner is damaging your business.