unable to edit/save hosts file, even as admin

Running Windows 7
open notepad (as administrator)
open hosts file
make changes
File -> Save = "The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process"

below is my HJT log, not sure what else may be needed...

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 1:18:00 PM, on 9/6/2010
Platform: Windows 7 (WinNT 6.00.3504)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.7600.16385)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe
C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
C:\Windows\system32\taskhost.exe
C:\Program Files\Logitech\GamePanel Software\LCD Manager\LCDMon.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\Logitech\GamePanel Software\LCD Manager\Applets\LCDCountdown.exe
C:\Program Files\Logitech\GamePanel Software\LCD Manager\Applets\LCDPop3.exe
C:\Program Files\Logitech\GamePanel Software\LCD Manager\Applets\LCDMedia.exe
C:\Program Files\Logitech\GamePanel Software\LCD Manager\Applets\LCDClock.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG9\avgtray.exe
C:\Program Files\Spybot\TeaTimer.exe
C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SUPERAntiSpyware.exe
C:\Windows\system32\notepad.exe
C:\Windows\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jucheck.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HiJackThis\HiJackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = www.google.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost
O2 - BHO: WormRadar.com IESiteBlocker.NavFilter - {3CA2F312-6F6E-4B53-A66E-4E65E497C8C0} - C:\Program Files\AVG9\avgssie.dll
O2 - BHO: Spybot-S&D IE Protection - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\Spybot\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: STOPzilla Browser Helper Object - {E3215F20-3212-11D6-9F8B-00D0B743919D} - C:\Program Files\STOPzilla!\SZIEBHO.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Launch LCDMon] "C:\Program Files\Logitech\GamePanel Software\LCD Manager\LCDMon.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATICustomerCare] "C:\Program Files\ATI\ATICustomerCare\ATICustomerCare.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AdobeAAMUpdater-1.0] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\OOBE\PDApp\UWA\UpdaterStartupUtility.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SwitchBoard] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\SwitchBoard\SwitchBoard.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AdobeCS5ServiceManager] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\CS5ServiceManager\CS5ServiceManager.exe" -launchedbylogin
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG9_TRAY] C:\PROGRA~1\AVG9\avgtray.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [DAEMON Tools Lite] "C:\Program Files\DAEMON Tools Lite\DTLite.exe" -autorun
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Skype] "C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /nosplash /minimized
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SpybotSD TeaTimer] C:\Program Files\Spybot\TeaTimer.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SUPERAntiSpyware] C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SUPERAntiSpyware.exe
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - Startup: Dropbox.lnk = squid\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\Spybot\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search & Destroy Configuration - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\Spybot\SDHelper.dll
O18 - Protocol: linkscanner - {F274614C-63F8-47D5-A4D1-FBDDE494F8D1} - C:\Program Files\AVG9\avgpp.dll
O18 - Protocol: skype4com - {FFC8B962-9B40-4DFF-9458-1830C7DD7F5D} - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\Skype\SKYPE4~1.DLL
O20 - AppInit_DLLs: avgrsstx.dll
O23 - Service: AMD External Events Utility - AMD - C:\Windows\system32\atiesrxx.exe
O23 - Service: AVG Free WatchDog (avg9wd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\AVG9\avgwdsvc.exe
O23 - Service: SBSD Security Center Service (SBSDWSCService) - Safer Networking Ltd. - C:\Program Files\Spybot\SDWinSec.exe
O23 - Service: Steam Client Service - Valve Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Steam\SteamService.exe
O23 - Service: Adobe SwitchBoard (SwitchBoard) - Adobe Systems Incorporated - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\SwitchBoard\SwitchBoard.exe
O23 - Service: STOPzilla Service (szserver) - iS3, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\iS3\Anti-Spyware\SZServer.exe

--
End of file - 5295 bytes

 

no difference, still cant save

 

I use to check hijack logs with this online tool:

http://www.hijackthis.de

Seems clean, but i'm not an expert with that tool and not pretty sure if the website keeps updated.

I guess you're trying to edit logged as administrator right? Look carefully if you're opening the notepad with Admin credentials ^_^ or not.

I'd try this:

1- Close all apps (make sure all strange process are down or end them)
2- C:\Windows\notepad.exe (Run as Administrator)
3- Start > run > drivers (follow etc folder and drop the file into the notepad)

Optional

4- Install notepad++ and try to do the first 3 steps with notepad++

5- restart and try to do it in Safe Mode

6- Start > run > MRT (Microsoft Removal Tool, works better if you update windows constantly)

Hope it get you some idea.

Regards.:zzz

 

tried that analysis tool, it looked clean.
tried opening the hosts file with wordpad, got almost the same message "The document C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts is in use by another application and cannot be accessed." (notepad was already closed)
I suppose I probably could modify it in safe mode but, i'd still like to know what the problem is...

 

AS definiton please? :wave

Antispyware? =)