Stop/Start is sufficient.
I use some of the groups under the alt.test hierarchy that have less traffic, which makes it easier and faster to find my test posts. Try alt.test.d .
I'm using NewsXpress, which uses a file called NEWSRC to track groups and articles. It automatically saves a copy at startup; when I shut it down, I reload NEWSRC from the saved copy before restarting, so that it will scan the same set of articles again.
I don't care much about that -- I'm far more concerned with the posts that should be killed but get through anyway.
I have configured a second instance of NewsXpress that connects directly to the newsserver instead of to Nfilter. If I need to spot the kills by subject, I compare what I see in the filtered and unfiltered versions, then look at the headers on the posts that don't match.
-- Regards, Doug Miller
For a copy of my TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter, email me at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com