History Archive 2006

Current updates and notifications are maintained on the Change Log, Notifications page.

Updates For All Versions: November 2, 2006: An omission in "conftrim.cmd" caused the UNBLOCK Tool to erroneously remove the six leading lines from filter.conf (thanks to "Level 13" for reporting this). Several file download locations for ConFetch components have also been edited and some other minor annoyances have been fixed. You should run the Updater as soon as possible before using ConFetch again. The ConFetch Updater tool is located here:
Start > (All) Programs > ConFetch > ConFetch Tools

Mandatory Update For All Versions: October 14, 2006: This update must be applied to provide various updated files for all versions of ConFetch. When you download these updates, you will receive another installer that performs an in-place upgrade to the Updater's helper script, the "cfupins_.cmd" file. This update cannot be applied while the Updater is running, and should be installed AFTER you have completely finished any ongoing instance of ConFetch if the upgrade is detected this way. A separate Command Line Interface will be presented with yellow text. Simply follow the instructions provided and complete the installation once ConFetch has finished.

If you run The ConFetch Updater when ConFetch is NOT running, you should not see the CLI screen with yellow text (on black) and the updates will be installed right away. You will still need comply with the "cfupins_.cmd" upgrade installer the next time you run ConFetch. The ConFetch Updater can be found at: Start > (All) Programs > ConFetch > ConFetch Tools. These updates also fix several minor annoyances, such as removal of any unnecessary .CMD files that may have been caused by previous updates. If these updates are not installed, ConFetch may become unstable after applying future updates. Note that it will take several seconds for the Updater to negotiate with the confetch.com server before downloading any files to your machine.

If you have experienced any problems with previous updates that this update does not correct, please download a new copy, quickly uninstall your version of ConFetch, then re-install ConFetch, making sure to run the built-in Updater before starting ConFetch again. ((You do not need to uninstall TreeWalk DNS to do that.)) Backup your TreeWalk settings before uninstalling ConFetch and restore that backup after re-installing ConFetch if you are not going to run ConFetch soon afterward. Doing this will re-instate any previously existing ConFetch filter that was compiled before uninstalling CF.

Minor Updates For ConFetch X, PRO, LSE: September 20, 2006: Users of the "Bluetack, Bluemicro and hpHOSTS HOSTS Components" in ConFetch X, PRO or LSE (v.*.6.9.6) should run the built-in Updater to download and apply these updates. Minor link changes and improvements to their VBS components constitute these changes. Even though the Bluemicro site appears to have been unavailable recently, ConFetch versions that incorporate that component will use a local backup for inclusion into the ConFetch filter (as should all CF components when their download source is unavailable).

Minor Update For PRO and LSE: September 12, 2006: If you use the "Bluetack HOSTS Component" with ConFetch PRO or LSE 13.6.9.6, you should run the built-in Updater to download and apply this update. It corrects a change in the link for the HOSTS file location on their site.

Upgrades For All Versions: September 6, 2006: This upgrade provides the "Lookup Names" and "ConFetch Toggler" tools, minor scripting improvements and numerous small fixes to further reduce filter compilation intervals. There are no changes that affect previous operability but this upgrade further extends the ConFetch Updater to provide another installer when it's required for replacing core files that cannot be updated while ConFetch is running. The Bluemicro download has been re-instated for the PRO and LSE versions only, as has been done in the past. It is recommended to uninstall any previous ConFetch release and install the upgrade for your version in it's place. Please return here for links to new pages for the newest tools; it is hoped that their usage is self-explanatory in the interim.

Upgrades For All Versions: August 20, 2006: It is recommended to uninstall any previous ConFetch release and install the upgrade for your version in it's place. This Upgrade introduces completely new NT Batch Scripting files for all ConFetch versions and included Tools, including a new version of the Updater and the presentation of the new "LSE" version available from the ConFetch PRO and LSE page ("LSE" is the LAN Server Edition of "PRO" that runs unattended, without any user interaction).
Other changes include:
- "LSE" runs unattended and so can be scheduled (PRO and other versions will not have this capability)
- includes screen colors for better visual confirmations
- uses WMI and VBS to check Total Physical Memory. "%computername%" is placed by SED.exe into the auto-generated script so filter length, CPU and RAM statistics can be used to detect potential problems. If certain criteria are met, ConFetch will impose extra processes for better configuration file reloads on slower machines using larger lists even refusing to continue under extreme conditions, calling the ConFetch Uninstaller instead (bypassed by faster machines).
- more use of the Title Bar during list displays
- additional comments included in the scripts
- uses loops for monitoring file sizes during the creation process of large files. Shows activity for slower machines compiling larger filters.
- SED.exe flushes the output buffers more often to help slower machines along a little
- (PRO/LSE only) after Wget runs the confirmation in spider mode and no new names are determined, this one quits early thereby only restarting TreeWalk once, saving time.
- inserts a fictitious hostname into the config to test and confirm blocking before continuing
- includes several new "place-holders" in Updater for prospective, (yet) undeveloped tools. These will be available through Updater when they are finished.
- introduces tac.exe (40.5 KB) from the UnxUpdates package
- a version of Bluemicro's most recent, safe list is offered as a selectable Custom Install option in the installer's download menu.
- ALL ConFetch files are contained within the CF folder (Updater files are no longer stored in the system's "Local Settings\Application Data" directory)
- all of the CF tools have been revamped
Additional notes:
- written on W2K, tested also on XP (P III 500 MHz 128 MB RAM) and performs nicely on Pentium 4 and on Centrino CPUs, using +-5 MB lists
- (PRO/LSE only) current output for a Full Installation is >2 MB
- optimized for better performance on older units which should use 1 MB - 1.5 MB filters nicely
- it is possible to use much larger lists now with modern processors so it's imperative to introduce measures that will protect older CPUs from trying to load such filters.
- in all test environments used thus far, ConFetch works excellently to provide maximum blocking with minimal loading requirements [when matched to the system where CF is installed]
- (PRO/LSE only) a minimal, Custom Install of CF PRO/LSE still denies access to thousands of server farms and "worst-offenders" through the use of a small "database" list, so a user doesn't have to select any downloadable components to obtain minimal filtering
- base install directory is now <system>\dns\ but uses the same directory structure as previous versions (uninstalling any older, previous version is mandatory)
- the Updater is run automatically after starting any version of these plug-ins, but only for the first run (assumes that potential "CF LSE" users are going to test LSE scheduling)
- "Updater" uses a new folder in ConFetch (appdata\updater) where it stores file data to compare to new files on the server as they become available, and as you run Updater
- several auto-generated scripts are also auto-edited "on the fly" for repetitive use while ConFetch is running

WebHelper's CoolWebSearch Block List: Update! July 23, 2006: If your version of ConFetch uses this component you should download and install this update to reflect recent file location changes on WebHelper's new site: WebHelper's List changes (this Update will be included in a pending program Upgrade too). If you're using a ConFetch PRO version you only need to run the built-in "Updater" to download and install this file and any other important file changes that you haven't yet received.

Upgrades and new ConFetch PRO: May 11, 2006: "ConFetch PRO" is out of Beta! It's still the only version that incorporates the Wget scans that were used in the past to confirm and verify ALL of our ConFetch-generated lists. This upgrade greatly reduces completion times for the ConFetch (CF), CF 1, CF 2, CF 3, CF 4 or CF "X" versions and further improves many of the program's core files too, as determined with the invaluable help of some testers in the ConFetch groups provided at the TreeWalk Forums. You'll need to uninstall any previous ConFetch release and install the upgrade for your version in it's place.

Update - ConFetch 1, 2, 3, 4 and "X": April 7, 2006: Only the "ConFetch PRO" Beta now incorporates the Wget scans that were used in the past to confirm and verify ALL of our ConFetch-generated lists! You'll need to uninstall any previous ConFetch release and install the upgrade for your version in it's place. This update greatly reduces completion times for the ConFetch (CF), CF 1, CF 2, CF 3, CF 4 or CF "X" versions and further improves many of the program's core files, as determined with the invaluable help of some testers in the ConFetch groups provided at the TreeWalk Forums. Come pay a visit and check out the latest "ConFetch PRO" Beta and lend a helping hand if you have time!

Upgrades For All Versions: March 30, 2006: You needed to uninstall any previous ConFetch release and install the upgrade for your version in it's place. The update fixed or improved many of the program's core files, as determined with the invaluable help of the handful of testers in the ConFetch groups provided at the TreeWalk Forums. Come pay a visit and check out the latest "ConFetch PRO" Beta!

Update - ConFetch 1, 2, 3, 4 and "X": March 16, 2006: This update fixed an error in bogons.cmd that may have caused bogons.conf to double in size if the file deletion option was NOT selected. This could have caused TreeWalk NOT to start under specific conditions. The update included new editions of "bogons.cmd" and "bogons.old". This update did not apply to the basic "ConFetch" version ONLY.

Upgrade - All Versions: March 12, 2006: An upgrade for ALL versions of ConFetch Plug-ins was issued March 12, 2006 to eradicate a problem to remove a "hidden" character from the source lists. This annoyance resulted in duplicate entries in filter.conf where the extra character was added to the second entry, and could cause TreeWalk to NOT restart properly. Also fixed how backups for downloaded files are handled.

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