Edge is behaving, even on Windows Central. Here's why

[jsooney]

You want to block OneDrive? Okay, that would be an interesting, if not dangerous experiment. Do you use Xbox achievements on any games? That could get messed up as well. Access to your Microsoft account for your Office 365 subscription? Borked. Why? They all use the same domain for sign-in! Microsoft Store for apps? Bye-bye!

The issue for most isn't forcing Windows Update to update WHEN they want, but to update WHAT they want. If all you need is to decide WHEN, then just configure your connection as metered, then, when you want to install the updates, set it as non-metered and it will update. It will not update over a metered connection. This is what I do. It also prevents the store from getting updates as well, or is for me so far.

OneDrive, unfortunately, will still sync on a metered connection. However, if you don't want to use OneDrive, it is possible to stop using OneDrive. Right click the OneDrive icon in the system tray and select "Settings". Uncheck Start OneDrive automatically when I sign in to Windows. Now, right click again and select "Exit". DONE!

I don't use Xbox, Office 365 or the app store, so no loss there. I only have a local login right now.

Updates are a when and where thing, and I'd prefer to decide that myself. Presumably you can still manually download and install KBs, although I haven't tried yet. I read that pro and enterprise versions have GPO functionality so that is probably a better way to go than trying to block stuff.

I don't know that using options in Settings really works. Just because a graphic says something is off it doesn't mean it is, kind of like what came up in that Ars Technica fuss. I've also noticed that things you've turned off have a way of somehow turning themselves on again, on WP 8 anyway, not sure about W10 yet.

At this point it's not a big deal because I only have W10 on a PC I don't care about, I'm just experimenting. I was just wondering if some bored person had come up with a list of domain names for the various MS services. I heard that there are IP addresses configured in some DLLs, so blocking via the hosts file wouldn't be effective if true.

In general though, I find 10 much slower than 8. Despite 8's bad rep, it was blazing fast. Maybe 10 will get better with time.

 

[Steve Adams]

Been reading through this, and yes, on my w10 machines, ad's are diving me crazy. Is MS realeasing an ad blocker for edge eventually? Or are they going rouge and just letting us deal with it?

 

[Martsicky]

Been reading through this, and yes, on my w10 machines, ad's are diving me crazy. Is MS realeasing an ad blocker for edge eventually? Or are they going rouge and just letting us deal with it?

Extension support is said to be coming later this year.

 

[Jazmac]

Been reading through this, and yes, on my w10 machines, ad's are diving me crazy. Is MS realeasing an ad blocker for edge eventually? Or are they going rouge and just letting us deal with it?

Try updating your hosts file. It works.

 

[Skamath]

. I encourage you to try it. It could change your mind about Edge.

View attachment 109731

Doc I need your help to go back to the future. For some reason I lost my activated version of 10. After a million hoops I am back to a fresh install of 10 and activated as well. But edge is not behaving this time around. have a look at graphics!! Any advice?

 

[Nickkk101]

Here is another one for the newbies.
Download http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.zip
Extract to a folder and run mvps.bat
All done. It does back up original host file for you. Works great on Windows RT too by the way.

tried this on my laptop with 10 and...im still seeing ads all over WPC.. do I need to restart? I noticed the cmd prompt window said 'access denied' but the "host files were updated" so I assume this worked? I'm not at all experienced with cmd editing so any help appreciated, I was hoping the one click running of the mvps bat file would work... thoughts? cheers!

EDIT: SUCCESS! - I'm ashamed to say I didn't RTFM on this one... the 'read me' instructions mentions running the .bat file 'as an administrator' I didn't do this previously. I tried it again doing this and low and behold, ads gone...

how long do changes like this 'last' and is it dynamic in the way of updating itself and keeping ads at bay? I'm new to all this as you can tell..

 

[TechAbstract]

tried this on my laptop with 10 and...im still seeing ads all over WPC.. do I need to restart? I noticed the cmd prompt window said 'access denied' but the "host files were updated" so I assume this worked? I'm not at all experienced with cmd editing so any help appreciated, I was hoping the one click running of the mvps bat file would work... thoughts? cheers!

EDIT: SUCCESS! - I'm ashamed to say I didn't RTFM on this one... the 'read me' instructions mentions running the .bat file 'as an administrator' I didn't do this previously. I tried it again doing this and low and behold, ads gone...

how long do changes like this 'last' and is it dynamic in the way of updating itself and keeping ads at bay? I'm new to all this as you can tell..

I just updated my post. Yes, you need to run the .bat file as Administrator. You'll have to update manually unfortunately. Download new file when you feel like updating it.

 

[Nickkk101]

I just updated my post. Yes, you need to run the .bat file as Administrator. You'll have to update manually unfortunately. Download new file when you feel like updating it.

Thanks, glad I could highlight that missed instruction for idiots like myself lol
How would you go about updating the list? I understand the lists are frequently published and updated by the people behind these host files but would it be a case of just re-running the procedure above with the latest dates batch file? are these easily available?

 

[TechAbstract]

Thanks, glad I could highlight that missed instruction for idiots like myself lol
How would you go about updating the list? I understand the lists are frequently published and updated by the people behind these host files but would it be a case of just re-running the procedure above with the latest dates batch file? are these easily available?

Download the zip from from that hostmvp website and run .bat file again.

 

[Steve Adams]

Try updating your hosts file. It works.

Hey Jazmac,

how do I do that? will it affect any other systems on my machines?

 

[Jazmac]

Hey Jazmac,

how do I do that? will it affect any other systems on my machines?

The short answer is no. The hosts file is all about the IP address. The wiki answer is "The hosts file is a computer file used by an operating system to map hostnames to IP addresses."

Many websites like MSNBC, Yahoo, this one and others, embed or attach the web address of other web sites that have an interest in what that sites visitors are doing. With that information, they can and do direct advertising to your browser. Nothing really wrong with that except that some sites have partners who pay them have stuff they want to sell as well. Many times its nothing you would ever be interested in so what devs have come up with is a way to minimize the impact of what they do by way of your browser.

You know them as AdBlock. Adblock does essentially the same thing as what this host modification does and tailors how your browser can be used. Unlike Internet Explorer, Opera, Firefox, Safari and others, Microsoft Edge has NO such protections like Adblock yet. So if you are going to use Microsoft Edge, and it is a very good browser BTW, you have to do yourself what Adblock is doing for other browsers. Make sense?
I hope I didn't over explain but I do this for purposes of others who may not be as aware.

But the answer to your question is no.

Note: I should say this fix isn't discriminatory. It treats all websites with the equal scrutiny. So be prepared for those eventualities. I have not had any trouble with my bank, or any site I visit using Microsoft Edge and this Host edit. I have heard one or two people in this thread bump into an issue connecting because the website insisted it needed to have full access to the browser of which I would question that need. But, those are outliers and there is no perfect solution.

 

[rhapdog]

I have heard one or two people in this thread bump into an issue connecting because the website insisted it needed to have full access to the browser of which I would question that need.

I might even question the websites' motives. Some of the blocks in that hosts file block sites that are known to plant viruses and other malware. It can keep you safer.

 

[Jazmac]

I might even question the websites' motives. Some of the blocks in that hosts file block sites that are known to plant viruses and other malware. It can keep you safer.

True dat. Which is why google has been cutting checks to adblock to allow them and their partners to continue to plant malicious code in your browser.

 

[Steve Adams]

I did not feel comfortable with modifying the things you were mentioning so I went back to IE. MUCH BETTER. Edge will be awesome, just not ready for primetime. MS needs to get this fixed asap. But what a difference in speed between the two. And another side benefit of going back to IE, my battery life on my notebooks have gone way up! I thought they were toast, but it was EDGE killing them with all the video and ads popping up everywhere.

 

[Skamath]

Edge is actually usable. I mean really usable. Even on Windows Central, the message board controls all behave normally. And its still speedy as you want.

I don't know if this is suppose to occur with the host files being updated as per the guide. Please advice if this is something to do with the host files or totally unique problem. All 4 tab did the same thing. Any fix for this issue? Cheers

 

[Jazmac]

I don't know if this is suppose to occur with the host files being updated as per the guide. Please advice if this is something to do with the host files or totally unique problem. All 4 tab did the same thing. Any fix for this issue? Cheers

Hmmm. It doesn't happen with me. I am using the same host file since I started the thread and I don't have trouble with sites in Edge or Firefox for that matter since the host file affects all browser traffic. That may have more to do with Java. Try uninstalling Java, reboot then install Java again.

 

[anthonyng]

Sorry but this is unacceptable, I'm all for viewing ads but killing my surface3 with 4gb? Its ridiculous, just kill the video ads, that would probably solve it

This site needs to model a good experience for everyone, look I only have one thing and one tab open! Tell me I need a new computer =p hehe

 

[Iosif Mila]

windowscentral.com is not loading in Edge for Windows 10 Mobile in Continuum Mode. It just hangs and not responding.

 

[HeyCori]

I'm using Ad Block for IE11. Anyone know if changing the host file is better than Ad Block?

 

[editguy]

Here is another one for the newbies. Quick and easy.

Download http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.zip
Extract to a folder. Right click mvps.bat and run as Administrator
It does back up original host file for you. Works great on Windows RT too by the way.

Thanks for this. It was quick and easy and now I'm loving Edge. I was ready to give up on Edge. Now it's fast and stable.