DNS not flushing flush

jace_da_face

Hi all, I'm concerned my DNS cache (WIN XP) contains persistent entries which I can not flush. There are over 20 entries which remain after I issue the 'ipconfig /flushdns'. These entries do not look at all familiar. Quite a few of them appear to be of italian domains and others to do with antispyware this and that .com.

I have tried stopping and starting the DNS client but the entries remain. It's all a bit perplexing. has anyone else seen this before?

wolfric

first how are you verifying your dns entries. Second have you checked your hosts file?

jace_da_face

I use the 'ipconfig/displaydns' command to verify the cache. I have checked the hosts file. It is full of entries all put there by spybot. I guess it's spybots way of quickly looking up bad sites.

wolfric

check %SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

hearny

Download and run this:
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/winsockxpfix.html

Make sure you know your network connection info first.

do a few spyware scans with Spybot, Malwarebytes, SuperAntiSpyware just to be sure.

jace_da_face

Well I have checked the hosts file and spybot has inserted hundreds of entries. They are clearly marked as spybot entries. If I remove the host file and then flush and display the dns all appears normal. I guess this is all innocent enough. Spybot does have a database of hundreds of sites on it's blacklist which are all contained in the hosts file when you first install or update spybot. It is curious that only 24 of the sites in the hundreds listed in the hosts file appear in the dns cache. Anyway I have put the host file back in place.

Why I began looking at the dns to begin with was down to a very poor browsing experience occurring regularly at night. I have come to the conclusion that this is UPC's dns and so I am now using google 8.8.8.8 as my dns. This seems to solve the problem. I have seen a report that suggested it is a bad idea to use the google dns if you live outside the U.S due to poorer download speeds but I have tried downloading a large test file with and without google dns and the results are the same. One thing is for sure, the google dns means much quicker look ups when UPC slows down.

I guess this sorts my problem. I don't think I'll waste my time calling UPC and trying to explain the impossible to a rep who only understands billing enquiries when I do eventually get through.

Cheers guys

PogMoThoin

Try Opendns, they have servers in London
http://www.opendns.com/

Then You can have other free services too, like their adult content filtering and domain blocking