Remove ads in skype

Remove-SkypeAds.ps1

# start as admin!
# prompt for username
$SkypeUserName = Read-Host -Prompt "What is your Skype username?"

# stop skype-process
try{
    if(Get-Process | ? {$_.Name -like 'skype'}) {Stop-Process -Name skype}

    # commit changes to hosts file
    $hostfile = "C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts"
    if ((gc $hostfile) -notcontains "127.0.0.1 g.msn.com"){
        Write-Host -ForegroundColor Green "Adding content to hosts file"
        Add-Content $hostfile `
               "`r`n127.0.0.1 rad.msn.com
                `r`n127.0.0.1 live.rads.msn.com
                `r`n127.0.0.1 ads1.msn.com
                `r`n127.0.0.1 tatic.2mdn.net
                `r`n127.0.0.1 g.msn.com
                `r`n127.0.0.1 a.ads2.msads.net
                `r`n127.0.0.1 bads2.msads.net
                `r`n127.0.0.1 ac3.msn.com" `
                -Force 
        } else {
            Write-Host -ForegroundColor Red "Your hosts-file most likely contains the correct values for redirecting URI for Ads to Localhost."
            }
    # set var for xml path
    $xmlpath = "C:\users\$env:USERNAME\Appdata\Roaming\skype\$SkypeUserName\config.xml"

    # check if xml is read only, set to false if value is true
    if (Get-ItemProperty -Path $xmlpath | ? {$_.IsReadOnly -eq $true}) {
        Set-ItemProperty -Path $xmlpath -Name IsReadOnly -Value $false}

    # commit changes to xml file
    Write-Host -ForegroundColor Green "Setting AdvertPlaceholder and AdvertEastRailsEnabled to 0"
    $xml = [xml] (Get-Content $xmlpath)
    $xml.config.UI.General.AdvertPlaceholder = '0'
    $xml.config.UI.General.AdvertEastRailsEnabled = '0'
    $xml.Save($xmlpath)
    
    # set xml to read only
    Set-ItemProperty -Path $xmlpath -Name IsReadOnly -Value $true
    }

catch {
write-host -ForegroundColor Red "There was some kind of error in here, I would suggest that you make sure you run this script as administrator or change your hosts file and config.xml manually."
exit
}
finally {
    try{
    $answer = Read-Host  "Start Skype and tell me if your ad ribbon is removed! Yes/No (Do NOT close this window before you've tried.)"
        if ($answer -eq 'N' -or $answer -eq 'No'){
            # set var
            $xmlbackup = "C:\users\$env:USERNAME\appdata\roaming\skype\$SkypeUserName\config.xml_old"
            $skypedir = "C:\users\$env:USERNAME\appdata\roaming\skype\$SkypeUserName"
                #kill process if exist
                Write-Host -ForegroundColor Green "Killing skype.exe"
                if(Get-Process | ? {$_.Name -like 'skype'}) {
                    Stop-Process -Name skype}
            # backing up config xml
            Write-Host -ForegroundColor Green "Backing up your config.xml file"
            Copy-Item -Path $xmlpath -Destination $xmlbackup -Force
        
                    # removing  read only
                    if (Get-ItemProperty -Path $xmlpath | ? {$_.IsReadOnly -eq $true}) {
                         Set-ItemProperty -Path $xmlpath -Name IsReadOnly -Value $false}
        
            # fetch the backup file and remove the content - then save as new config.xml
            Write-Host -ForegroundColor Green "Fetching the backup file, removing some content, then saving as a new config.xml"
            Rename-Item $xmlpath -NewName $skypedir\config_old.xml -Force
            gc $xmlbackup| ? {$_ -notmatch "Advert*"} | Out-File $xmlpath
            Set-ItemProperty -Path $xmlpath -Name IsReadOnly -Value $true

            Write-Host -ForegroundColor Green "Let's hope the ribbons are gone. If they're not, I don't think there's much more I can do. Give it a go :-)"

            } else {        
            Write-Host -ForegroundColor Green "Bye :-)"
            Exit
            }
    
    } catch {
        write-host -ForegroundColor Red "If I was you, I'd remove all that stuff manually. This script is clearly not made for your computer :-P"
        exit
    }
}