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DEP - Turn On or Off for Programs

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DEP - Turn On or Off for Programs
Published by Brink
05-24-2007

How Turn DEP On or Off for a Program in Vista
Information
  Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is a security feature that can help prevent damage to your computer from viruses and other security threats. Harmful programs can try to attack Windows by attempting to run (also known as execute) code from system memory (RAM) locations reserved only for Windows and other authorized programs. These types of attacks can harm your programs and files. If DEP notices a program on your computer using memory incorrectly, it closes the program and notifies you with the DEP stop error. DEP is ran in a software mode and in a hardware mode. If your processor supports DEP (NX for AMD, and XD for Intel), then you will have hardware and software DEP. If it doesn't, then Vista will just use software DEP. 64 bit applications will have DEP enabled all the time by default, but 32 bit applications do not and must have DEP manually enabled for them. For more information, see: Windows Help and Support: Data Execution Prevention: FAQs
NOTE
  If you choose to protect all programs, you can still turn off DEP for individual programs if you know that they are safe. If a program does not run correctly when DEP is turned on, check for a DEP compatible version of the program or an update from the software publisher before you change any DEP settings.
WARNING
  Do not disable DEP, or exclude (OptOut) a program, unless you have adequate protection and are having problems only with a known safe program that DEP will not let run and you cannot live without it.



Adequate Protection:
  • Antivirus program with realtime scanning (EX: Avast or AVG are good ones)
  • A spyware/adware program with realtime scanning (EX: Windows Defender, Spybot Search and Destroy)
  • Enable Vista UAC (User Account Control). It asks you for permission first for anything that wants to run with full access to the computer.
RELATED LINKS:
Here's How:

NOTE
  64 bit programs will always have DEP turned on. You cannot change this.
1. Open the Control Panel. (Classic View)
A) Click on the System icon.
B) Go to step 2.
OR

1. Open the Start menu.
A) Right click on Computer and click Properties.
2. Click on Advanced system settings.(in upper left green area)
3. Click Continue button for UAC prompt.
4. Click on the Settings button under Performance section. (See screenshot below)

Properties.jpg

5. Click on the Data Execution Prevention tab. (See screenshot below)

6. Turn DEP On for Essential Windows Vista Programs and Services Only -
NOTE: This turns on DEP for only the 32 bit system programs and services. This is the default setting.
A) Dot Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only.
B) Go to step 8.
7. Turn DEP On for All Programs and Services Except for the Ones you Select -
NOTE: This turns on DEP for every 32 bit program except for the ones that you add to the list. The listed program will have DEP turned off for it.
A) Dot Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select.
B) Click Add to add the programs (32 bit) that you do not want to use the DEP feature.
Options.jpg
C) Navigate to the program's .exe file and select it, then click Open.
Browse.jpg

8. Click OK to apply. (See screenshot below step 7B)
9. Restart the computer to apply changes.
That's it,
Shawn
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Applies to
All Vista Versions
64 Bit & 32 Bit

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Old 08-01-2007  
Crest
Newbie


  Crest is offline

DEP - Enable or Disable

I know this is a pretty big bump. However I came across this post from searching on Google about Disabling DEP temporarily. I have a old game that seemed to get blocked by DEP all the time.

I tried what you said with CMD and I disabled it. it said Success. I rebooted. And it worked. However the app was unstable and too time consuming so I uninstalled it.
So I did the same thing with the CMD.exe. But used the "alwaysOn" approach and it said Success. But now my DEP settings are still greyed out.

I'm using Vista x86 Ultimate. It's completely up to date.
I'm using AVG Anti-Virus as well.

System Restore didn't do the trick either. Any Ideas? Thanks.
Old 12-21-2007  
dblack
Newbie


  dblack is offline

Re: DEP (Data Execution Prevention)

If your DEP option is disabled (greyed out) in IE Settings, you haven't opened IE in "Administrator mode". Note that the DEP option is not listed in IE Settings if you are specifically running the Internet Explorer 64-bit version listed in Start | Programs.

Even if your User Account is an Administrator, Vista runs every program as a "normal/non-admin user" for additional security. I'm pretty sure that this additional security measure is independent of the User Account Control (UAC) setting that you use. I don't believe that there is anyway to diable this security feature. The only way (TMK) to specifically run a Program in "Administrator mode" is to right-click the icon or executable and select "Run as administrator". If you create a shortcut to a program and you always want to run the program in "administrator-mode" you can enable this by right-clicking the shortcut | Properties | Shortcut Tab | Advanced Button and click "Run as Administrator".

So, to disable DEP in IE, you must right-click the IE icon and select "Run as administrator".

*** Note that when you are installing programs you should always run the Setup or Install program in administrator-mode ***

HTH!
Old 12-21-2007  
Brink's Avatar
Brink
Administrator


  Brink is online now

Re: DEP (Data Execution Prevention)

Hi dblack,

Welcome to the forum.

Thank you for adding this information for the tutorial on IE7. The tutorial has been updated to include this.

Shawn
Old 01-11-2008  
RavenWing71
Newbie


  RavenWing71 is offline

Re: DEP (Data Execution Prevention)

Quote:
View Post
I know this is a pretty big bump. However I came across this post from searching on Google about Disabling DEP temporarily. I have a old game that seemed to get blocked by DEP all the time.

I tried what you said with CMD and I disabled it. it said Success. I rebooted. And it worked. However the app was unstable and too time consuming so I uninstalled it.
So I did the same thing with the CMD.exe. But used the "alwaysOn" approach and it said Success. But now my DEP settings are still greyed out.

I'm using Vista x86 Ultimate. It's completely up to date.
I'm using AVG Anti-Virus as well.

System Restore didn't do the trick either. Any Ideas? Thanks.
I am suspitious of the instructions on this page. From my experience with WindowsXP I would think that the proper command to turn DEP back on would be...
bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx OptIn
Has anyone tried this command instead?
Old 01-12-2008  
Brink's Avatar
Brink
Administrator


  Brink is online now

Re: DEP (Data Execution Prevention)

Hi RavenWing71,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

Thank you for pointing out this error. It should be bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx OptIn instead of
bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOn. The tutorial has been updated to reflect this.

DEP - Enable or Disable

Thank you,
Shawn
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