Welcome to BrainlessIdeas

Congratulations, I’ve done no page ranking, have paid google nothing, did not answer the door when bing rang, and ignored their wailing begging from my porch, eventually getting a PFA from them, and yet here you are.

This is my site of collected links and data I’ve deemed too important (to me) to trust to the originator to keep available. The site itself has risen from the ashes of a not-backed-up-free-hosting account that actually survived for over a decade. There is a lot to wayback through, so for some time you will see both fresh and ancient content added in a truly random fashion. Go ahead, base your RNG on it. Ok, maybe don’t.

Don’t forget about this one, Craig:
Arcade

Pi-Pico RX – Breadboard Version — 101 Things 0.1 documentation

SDR is the new HAM, and here is a great way to get deep into it.

Source: Pi-Pico RX – Breadboard Version — 101 Things 0.1 documentation

Install and boot from an NVMe SSD on a Dell OptiPlex 3010, 7010 or 9010

Whoa – this is some techno magic here

Source: Install and boot from an NVMe SSD on a Dell OptiPlex 3010, 7010 or 9010

Royer Mansion B&B

This looks like a nice getaway – One night or two?

 

Source: Historical Society | Royer Mansion | 3909 Piney Creek Road, Williamsburg, PA, USA

The Darlington – Get your Transylvanian food fix

http://www.darlingtoninn.com/

Not nearly enough Transylvanian-Hungarian restaurants out there – and this one is kinda close!

 

HawkinsRails – Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian

At a certain age, one falls for trains again.

Source: HawkinsRails – Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian

New Images From Euclid Mission Reveal Wide View of the Dark Universe

We simply can not be alone.

Download – Tonocracy

Guitar Pedal Sim now free

Source: Download – Tonocracy

MS-DOS Links

Source: MS-DOS Starter Pack – PHILSCOMPUTERLAB.COM

It seems I’m forever putting together a DOS rig… One of these days I’ll get around to finishing this project, till then… links!

https://www.retro-exo.com/exodos.html and
https://www.retro-exo.com/index2.html

https://dosbox-x.com/

Heimdall Application Dashboard

A open application dashboard for linux.. allows for realtime updates directly from the apps being monitored.

Source: Heimdall Application Dashboard

Lenny’s, Hackett’s and more

I’ve mentioned the Tytoona Cave here before, here are a few more local trips.

Lennys Classic Car Collection | Altoona PA | Facebook

http://www.swigartmuseum.com/

https://www.facebook.com/rockhilltrolley

how to get the HEVC codec for free : Windows11

Does anyone know how to get the HEVC codec for free
byu/true_White_Knight inWindows11

How to configure Password Expiration in Windows 11/10

In my continuing series of Microsoft can eat a bag of Dicks, here is how to disable required password changes due to expiration.

For disabling password expiration, execute this in a elevated command prompt:

wmic UserAccount where Name=”username” set PasswordExpires=False

Shunpiking

Super Star Trek Online

Every bit as fun as it use to be!

Source: Super Star Trek 1978 meets 25th Anniversary by emabolo

Changed Block Tracking (CBT) on virtual machines

In order to use Iperium Backup with Vmware’s esxi environment, you need to enable Change Block Tracking.

In vmware esxi, edit settings -> VM Options -> Advanced -> Configuration Paramaters, Edit Configuration and add:
ctkEnabled = “TRUE”
scsi0:0.ctkEnabled = “TRUE”

The option ctkEnabled = “TRUE” is a VMX option which controls the general CBT configuration for the virtual machine. To disable CBT for the complete VM, set the value to False to disable CBT. This setting is stored in the Virtual Machines configuration file ,vmx in the VM folder. For more information, see Changed Block Tracking (CBT) on virtual machines (1020128). For each virtual disk fo the VM, there are additional options named scsix:x.ctkEnabled = “TRUE”. To disable CBT on individually on eac

Source: Changed Block Tracking (CBT) on virtual machines (1020128)

Sideloading Windows 8 Applications

I present for your enjoyment the hoops one must alight through to work with Windows 8 in 2024.

 

Sideloading Windows 8 Applications

https://archive.org/details/Win8AppxArchive

How to install metro apps on windows 8.1 using wsappbak
byu/randomusername12308 inwindows8

–>

Open PowerShell. Get a Windows developer registration using this command:

Show-WindowsDeveloperLicenseRegistration

If it doesn’t work the first time, try a few more times. If everything stops working after a certain amount of time, you will need to run this command again to renew the license. If you have the Enterprise edition, you will not need to do this.

After that, install the app using

Add-AppxPackage *name*.appx/appxbundle

The app is now installed, but you may notice that if you launch it, it won’t work. What you need to do is to go to C:\Program Files\WindowsApps. This directory is hidden by default, so you might need to type the path out or show hidden files. You won’t be granted access at first, so you should change ownership of the folder to your account.

After that, find the folder where the app resides and copy it’s path. If WSAppbak is in the same place as your appx file, delete the appx. Start WSAppbak and paste the folder path into the command prompt. After it has finished, you will find a .cer. Install it to the local machine > trusted root certificates. Delete the app. Install the newly generated appx.

Add-AppxPackage *name*.appx/appxbundle

when I typed it throws an error(the ”name” already replaced with the app package directory

No, you need to install the appx using PowerShell, then type the installed app’s directory into WSAppBak.

· 7 mo. ago · edited 7 mo. ago

I got an error while trying to install the .appx

add-appxpackage : Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x800B0109, A certificate chain processed, but terminated in a root certificate which is not trusted by the trust provider.

error 0x800B0109: The root certificate of the signature in the app package or bundle must be trusted.

Is there anything I’m doing wrong?

Edit: i didnt store it in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities, found my problem. My other problem is that the app cannot open.

Edit 2: It actually worked for Fresh paint. Woohoo! however i had to struggle with some flickers, i didnt have to restart but had to lock my pc once to get it to stop flickering. and after some time, it worked.

Edit 3: Anytime the app is fullscreen, it kept flickering. maybe it might be my display driver or adapter

Edit 4: starting the app after a few seconds crashes the app

· 2 mo. ago · edited 2 mo. ago

didnt store it in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities, found my problem. My other problem is that the app cannot open.

If the app doesn’t open just unpack the appx in any location, delete the signature file and use add-appxpackage -path appxmanifest.xml -register Remember that removing the folder will not uninstall the app but leave it broken in your apps screen, you can delete it by right clicking it and selecting uninstall

Windows Sandbox configuration

As part of cutting cableTV we have been using Windows Sandbox a lot. I never really looked into configuring Sandbox much as I had used Sandboxie in the past and it is super configurable.  Sandboxie is starting to show it’s age, and Windows Sandbox is still here so…

Here is a MS Support page going over how to configure Sandbox – turns out there is quite a bit one can do with it!

Windows Sandbox configuration – Windows Security Microsoft Learn

Source: Windows Sandbox configuration – Windows Security | Microsoft Learn

Controlling Microsoft via firewall rules

A post for my business brethren, or anyone with a firewall on their network (which, really, please consider!).

Microsoft is at war with my company. They forcibly introduce internet sites that have nothing to do with my business to my users, limiting the productivity of my employees and exposing my network to potentially compromised websites with the only purpose of creating additional profit for them.

What started with easing their financial burden of hosting Windows Updates (Delivery Optimization) – but in reality was a strong-armed attempt to get me to pay for the electricity and bandwidth required to deliver updates to unknown parties the world over – has turned into paid advertisements being foisted upon my users on a continual basis. And here we thought forcing Candy Crush on us was bad, now they are pushing (likely) un-vetted websites on our systems constantly. Attempting to subvert any web content controls we may have in place to create profit (for them) at the cost of productivity (for us).

Not to mention the security nightmare that they have created by pushing these sites into our networks.

I continually look for a replacement OS that actually cares about my business’s productivity. (PLEASE RED HAT, SAVE ME!) And have never considered Apple in a more positive light than I do currently. But as it is, I am stuck with over 100 Windows computers.

As such, I have taken to banning Microsoft sites in my firewall in order to restore a level of security and control back into my network. I will keep a running list of sites in this thread that I have found contribute to unnecessary exposure and risk. I put these sites into a DROP ALL rule that is at the top of my firewall security policies. Unfortunately MS actively fights back, so constant diligence is needed, but at least it is something.

Banning these IP’s/Sites will result in the “search highlights” presented when you click on Windows search bar, and the “weather” widget next to your clock no longer able to provide content (or at least it does on my network).

Please contribute any sites/addresses that you find as well.

204.79.197.203
*.aria.microsoft.com
*.azurefd.net
*.msedge.net
strict.bing.com
th.bing.com

Taste the Success!

ℹ️ How to downgrade from Thunderbird 115 to 102 (the previous version before “Supernova” redesign)

Ain’t news to anyone that the newly redesigned Thunderbird is a giant turd. No idea why the developers felt the need to screw with a fully functioning application, but they sure did fsck it up!  If you fell for the old please upgrade trick and want to go back to a usable program, here is some help.
Tips & Tricks from Reddit
  1. Delete compatibility.ini from Thunderbird’s profile folder:

    1. Open Thunderbird

    2. Open the Troubleshooting page via Menu ☰ -> Help -> Troubleshooting information

    3. Click Profile Folder -> Open folder

    4. Close Thunderbird

    5. Delete compatibility.ini from the folder

  2. Download Thunderbird 102.15 installer or portable version.

  3. Use the installer to re-install the older version (overwrite the newer one)

  4. Launch Thunderbird with the --allow-downgrade switch:

    1. Right-click your Thunderbird shortcut

    2. Suffix --allow-downgrade to the end of the program’s file path

    3. Launch

Prevent future updates by:

  1. Opening Thunderbird’s program folder (e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\Thunderbird)

  2. Create a new folder called distribution

  3. Create a new text file policies.json with the following content:


{
	"policies": {
		"DisableAppUpdate": true,
		"DisableFeedbackCommands": true,
		"DisableSystemAddonUpdate": true,
		"DisableTelemetry": true,
		"ExtensionUpdate": false
	}
}

ℹ️ How to downgrade from Thunderbird 115 to 102 (the previous version before “Supernova” redesign)
byu/TheQueefGoblin inThunderbird

How to downgrade from Thunderbird 115 to 102 (the previous version before “Supernova” redesign)Tips & Tricks Delete compatibility.ini from Thunderbird’s profile folder: Open Thunderbird Open the Troubleshooting page via Menu ☰ -> Help -> Troubleshooting information Click Profile Folder -> Open folder Close Thunderbird Delete compatibility.inifrom the folder Download Thunderbird 102.15 installer or portable version. Use the installed to re-install the older version (overwrite the newer one) Launch Thunderbird with the –allow-downgrade switch: Right-click your Thunderbird shortcut Suffix –allow-downgrade to the end of the program’s file path LaunchPrevent future updates by: Opening Thunderbird’s program folder (e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\Thunderbird) Create a new folder called distribution Create a new text file policies.json with the following content:{ “policies”: { “DisableAppUpdate”: true, “DisableFeedbackCommands”: true, “DisableSystemAddonUpdate”: true, “DisableTelemetry”: true, “ExtensionUpdate”: false }}

How to disable every version of copilot?

I’m yanking this off Reddit for when they delete the thread (happening more frequently!!).  How to get rid of copilot…

Did a bunch of digging today. It looks like you can also disable it via Intune, using a configuration profile. Thanks to https://www.reddit.com/user/maxpowers156/ for posting it.

*EDIT* 9-25 this config policy failed for all my win11 clients. I tried making a win32 app and pushing out the reg change and that is generating errors also, so YMMV. Right now we’re manually using command line to edit the registry.

Here is what I got, still testing this out in our environment:
Custom Template

Name: Disable Windows Copilot OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/WindowsAI/TurnOffWindowsCopilot Data type: Integer Value: 1 Copilot is only applicable to the Insider Preview build currently: WindowsAI Policy CSP – Windows Client Management | Microsoft Learn

I made a dynamic group that finds windows 11 OSes to target it. will test monday.

 (device.deviceOSVersion -startsWith "10.0.2")

lastly, here is the reg setting if you just want to push out an Intune app, thanks to https://www.reddit.com/user/kheldorn/. I had this work on 1 test machine, and not work on a different one. it’s Fun!

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot] "TurnOffWindowsCopilot"=dword:00000001
See https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/client-management/mdm/policy-csp-windowsai
9
User avatar
level 3

I couldn’t get the CSP to work either. I have Powershell disabled for my users so I patched together a Remediation to apply it to the users HKU instead of HKCU as system. Tested and confirmed working.

Detection:

New-PSDrive HKU Registry HKEY_USERS | out-null
$user = get-wmiobject -Class Win32_Computersystem | select Username;
$sid = (New-Object System.Security.Principal.NTAccount($user.UserName)).Translate([System.Security.Principal.SecurityIdentifier]).value;
$key = "HKU:\$sid\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot"
$val = (Get-Item "HKU:\$sid\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot");
$off = $val.GetValue("TurnOffWindowsCopilot");

if($off -ne 1)
{
    Write-Host "Not Compliant"
    Exit 1
}
else
{
    Write-Host "Compliant"
    Exit 0
}  

Remediation:

        New-PSDrive HKU Registry HKEY_USERS | out-null
        $user = get-wmiobject -Class Win32_Computersystem | select Username;
        $sid = (New-Object System.Security.Principal.NTAccount($user.UserName)).Translate([System.Security.Principal.SecurityIdentifier]).value;
        New-Item -Path HKU:\$sid\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows -Name WindowsCopilot -Force
        $key = "HKU:\$sid\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot"
        $val = (Get-Item "HKU:\$sid\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot") | out-null
        $reg = Get-Itemproperty -Path $key -Name TurnOffWindowsCopilot -erroraction 'silentlycontinue'
        if(-not($reg))
        	{
        		Write-Host "Registry key didn't exist, creating it now"
                        New-Itemproperty -path $Key -name "TurnOffWindowsCopilot" -value "1"  -PropertyType "dword" | out-null
        		exit 1
        	} 
        else
        	{
         		Write-Host "Registry key changed to 1"
        		Set-ItemProperty  -path $key -name "TurnOffWindowsCopilot" -value "1" | out-null
        		Exit 0  
            	}

 

How to disable every version of copilot?
byu/davidS2525 insysadmin