<div>OK... I am a big one for admitting when I was wrong. </div>
<div>I was wrong. </div>
<div>The Hosts file, while a good Idea, will not help with the tor -> google issue. Google will serve up whichever version of google you need based on your IP from any of their servers that you request it from. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>test</div>
<div> </div>
<div>a ping of <a href="http://www.google.com">www.google.com</a> with an unmodified hosts file reveals the IP:<a href="http://64.233.161.147">64.233.161.147</a></div>
<div>a ping of <a href="http://www.google.ie">www.google.ie</a> (Ireland) shows the IP:<a href="http://64.233.187.99">64.233.187.99</a></div>
<div> </div>
<div>so I changed the hosts file with the line </div>
<div><font size="1"></font> </div>
<div><font size="1"><a href="http://64.233.161.147">64.233.161.147</a> <a href="http://www.google.ie">www.google.ie</a></font></div>
<div>
<p>I flushed the DNS thru ipconfig and then surfed to <a href="http://www.google.ie">www.google.ie</a> and was given the google ireland page. this was strange so I ping'd <a href="http://www.google.ie">www.google.ie</a> and was shown the new IP. so my computer is going to the English Google's IP address and retrieving
<a href="http://www.google.ie">www.google.ie</a>. I figure that they are just smart over there at google and serve up which ever google you request no mater which server you connect to.</p>
<p>I then realized that they are handling the web page change on their end of the connection (@google) so changing the IP address of <a href="http://www.google.ie">www.google.ie</a> on my end wouldn't help. I admit defeat.
<br><br>On the other hand I now have a much better handle on the hosts file and the DNS service in windows. <br>I now have to endorse <a href="http://www.google.com/ncr">www.google.com/ncr</a> as probably the only solution to this problem.
<br><br>good luck to all</p>
<p>-=Matt=-<br></p></div>