Norton Internet Security / Norton AntiVirus

[SendOfJive Norton Fighter]

Each user is either an administrator or a standard user (or limited user, in XP).  If the "Lock Hosts file" option in Spybot is grayed out, it means that you are using a Windows account that does not have permissions to change system settings.  What operating system are you using?  In VIsta or Windows 7 you may have to open Spybot by right-clicking and selecting to Run as Administrator.

[ellemarkov]

I followed the insturctions again for removing the spybot hosts lines as an administrator.  the lines are still there??  I have vista.

[SendOfJive Norton Fighter]

Is it possible that you have other security or performance software installed that also allows for locking the Hosts file as read-only?  Try using Spybot to lock the Hosts file.  Reboot and then use Spybot to unlock the file again.

Also, open Spybot Immunize and scroll down the list to the bottom where you should see an entry for Global (Hosts).  If it shows a number in the "Protected" column, check the box and click "Undo" again.

[ellemarkov]

No other programs that I know of or can think of. . .  I checked the host box, rebooted, unchecked it, immunized and there were still 0 host files showing as protected!???  there are backup and shortcuts to all of the hosts now but more than originals

[SendOfJive Norton Fighter]

If the Protected column shows 0 entries, then there is no current Spybot-created Hosts file on the PC.  Spybot creates a backup whenever you immunize and Spybot replaces its old Hosts file with a new one.  You should be able to delete the backups.  If you are still unsure or have problems, you can post a screenshot of the drivers\etc. folder showing whatever Host files and backups are contained there.

[ellemarkov]

when I search for the file the hosts are in using notepad they don't come up.  

Here are the beginning lines of what I'm trying to delete. . .does this work or do you need to see the print screen?

# Start of entries inserted by Spybot - Search & Destroy

127.0.0.1 

127.0.0.1 007guard.com

127.0.0.1 008i.com

127.0.0.1 

127.0.0.1 008k.com

127.0.0.1 

127.0.0.1 00hq.com

127.0.0.1 010402.com

127.0.0.1 

127.0.0.1 032439.com

127.0.0.1

127.0.0.1 0scan.com

127.0.0.1 1000gratisproben.com

127.0.0.1

127.0.0.1 1001namen.com

127.0.0.1 

127.0.0.1 100sexlinks.com

127.0.0.1 10sek.com

127.0.0.1 

127.0.0.1

[edit: Please do not link to malicious websites per the Participation Guidelines and Terms of Service.]

[SendOfJive Norton Fighter]

Those are indeed the entries that Spybot's Hosts file contains.  Your issue really seems to be one of file permissions.  Either you are not running as an administrator when trying to make the changes, or the file has been changed to read-only.  In researching this further, I have found that when you immunize with Spybot and include the Global (Hosts) category, then Spybot sets the Hosts file automatically to read-only.  Therefore, undoing the immunization should reverse that, allowing you to modify the file.  I would only suggest making sure that all of the immunization entries in Spybot show as "Unprotected," especially the Global (Hosts).  Then go back to the Microsoft FIx-it Tool and try it again.  If it fails, there are instructions on the Microsoft page for doing the procedure manually that you can try.