Vista Tutorial - DEP - Turn On or Off for Programs

**Brink**

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 3.

OR

2. Open the Start menu.
A) Right click on Computer and click Properties.

3. Click on Advanced system settings.(in upper left green area)

4. Click on the Continue button in the UAC prompt.

5. Click on the Settings button under Performance section. (See screenshot below)

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

7. 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 9.

8. 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.

C) Navigate to the program's .exe file that you want to add to the DEP exclusion list and select it, then click on Open.

9. Click OK to apply. (See screenshot below step 8B)

10. Restart the computer to apply changes.

That's it,
Shawn

Crest · 08-01-2007

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.

**dblack** · 12-21-2007

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!

**Brink** · 12-21-2007

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

**RavenWing71** · 01-11-2008

	Quote:	Crest
	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?

**Brink** · 01-12-2008

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

matt531320 · 09-13-2008

When i try to open the program up, it's grayed out (attached file) and even when i do it in command prompt (administrator mode) it'll say it's successful, but the program won't work. It'll still give me a DEP error message, even if i restart my PC. HELP!!!

**Brink** · 09-13-2008

Hello Matt, and welcome to Vista Forums.

It looks like DEP has been disabled. See if enabling DEP again from this tutorial (step 5) will allow you change your DEP settings afterwards.

DEP - Enable or Disable

Hope this helps,
Shawn

matt531320 · 09-13-2008

that didn't work, by the way.
but thanks for help

i got it to work, after a heck of research. use:

bcdedit.exe/set nx AlwaysOff
bcdedit.exe/set nx AlwaysOn

to disable and enable DEP. I've tried it and it works, disabling and enabling.
if you've been having problems, try this.

**Brink** · 09-13-2008

Thank you for the feedback Matt. I have included the AlwaysOn as a secondary option in the tutorial.

Shawn