Spybot Hosts file and DNS Client

When the Spybot Hosts file is used, does Spybot automatically disable the DNS client, or is it necessary to disable it manually?

No, Spybot does not automatically disable the DNS client. Personally, I have never experienced any problems using Spybot's HOSTS file on a Windows XP Home that would indicate that I should even consider disabling the DNS Client.

md usa spybot fan said:

No, Spybot does not automatically disable the DNS client. Personally, I have never experienced any problems using Spybot's HOSTS file on a Windows XP Home that would indicate that I should even consider disabling the DNS Client.

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Thanks for this. Personally, I use Hostsman in conjunction with the MVPS hosts file, but I used to use the Spybot hosts file myself, and recently recommended it to someone as a particularly simple and quick way of getting hosts file protection. (I didn't recall any noticeable slowdown with Spybot either, but wasn't sure whether this was because Spybot automatically disabled the DNS Client, or just because the file wasn't particularly large. Now I know.)

Thanks again. I'll pass this information on.

The MVPS HOSTS file currently is a touch over two and a half (2 1/2) times the size of Spybot's HOSTS file. So I guess, all things considered equal (never actually the case), you can judge from the sizes that Spybot's HOSTS file would only have 40% of the impact on the system as the MVPS HOSTS file does.

Alan D said:

When the Spybot Hosts file is used, does Spybot automatically disable the DNS client, or is it necessary to disable it manually?

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You should never disable the DNS Client service. There are numerous websites that spread misinformation about why people using a large hosts file should disable it.