halfgeek.codes

As of this weekend, I've replaced the power supplies on both of our XBOX ONE machines. (To be clear, I'm talking about the external "bricks" that plug into the machine on one end, and plug into a power outlet on the other.)

My Amazon purchase history shows I replaced the first last July. Nearly a year later, it just happened that the product I chose to replace the power supply on the second box is the same one I chose last year.

Both of our model 1540 machines were manufactured in 2015, making the life expectancy of the power supplies, based solely on my experience, between four and five years. Information I saw on a Microsoft Community thread suggested the warranty is only 90 days.

Replacement power bricks on Amazon cost between $25 and $31.

Know what? I'm tired of it.

I didn't spend money on the Microsoft Windows 10 Pro operating system just so you could make me spend even more to not see adds on your blasted revamped pork- stuffed Solitaire game. And YOU didn't EITHER.

Behold, the nuclear option: YouTuber Craig Weinhold shows us how to use Windows Defender to block the program from communicating to the Internet. If it can't talk to the outside world, it damn sure can't download its annoying ads.

Like I said, it's a pretty blunt-force approach, and enabling the rule will cut off all communication from the program. I have a feeling one's scores and progress are kept in the cloud, so if you're serious about leveling up, this could kill that capability. But, if you're a casual player who's just using it to kill time in 5 to 7 minute increments, read on.

1. Open the Microsoft Solitaire Collection, and start a game of Solitaire. If you like playing against the clock, pause it by opening up the options menu or something.

2. Open Task Manager, view details, then click the Details tab. Scroll until you see Solitaire.exe. Now right-click on it, and select the option to open it in Windows Explorer. It'll take you to an unusual path, like this (you may have to click in the search bar to make it read this way):
   
   C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.MicrosoftSolitaireCollection_4.7.5012.0_x64__6jolb2ks9cfq2
   
   Keep that window open... you'll need it in a moment.

3. Open Windows Defender Firewall. In the menu options listed down the left side, click Advanced Settings. Next, click Outbound Rules in the left panel. In the panel on the right, click New Rule... and the New Outbound Rule Wizard will appear on the screen.

4. Leave the Program radio button selected. Click Next.

5. Leave the This Program Path radio button selected. Click Browse... to open the file dialog. Next, paste into the file dialog the path to Solitaire that you found in Windows Explorer.

6. Basically, Click Next until the wizard reaches the point where it asks you to name the new outbound rule.

7. Name your new outbound rule and finish the wizard.

8. Close all that stuff you opened, including the Solitaire game.

9. When you re-open Solitaire, you should see it can't connect to the Internet, and that no ads are loading.

If I can find a better way to do business here, I'll update this post. But, I've restarted my machine and I've moved up a level, so... the only downside I've seen so far is that the app complains about not being able to connect to the cloud from time to time.