Data Execution Prevention (DEP) Overkill - can I kill it?

[Lyndon]

I am running Vista Home Premium, with SP1, and I am trying to play some NASA
Space Shuttle videos, for gosh sakes! Internet Explorer closes with a DEP
error - what gives? If I can't watch a NASA video, how can I totally get rid
of DEP, which I did not want in any case? I don't know which programs within
NASA site are causing this and don't want to use the DEP control that lets me
add an exception! How can I disable this program which violates common user
friendly rules and terminates IE without any options or warnings???? Help!

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

It would be my guess you have some problem in your Media Player. I watch
Nasa TV with no error.
Premium has Media CENTER, and may be having some video driver problem. I
would look for video driver info on the greenbutton site.
http://thegreenbutton.com
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[SacredHeart]

To turn off DEP, Control Panel - System-Advanced System settings.-
Advanced Tab-Performance Settings-Data Execution Prevention tab. Here
you can only use certain system programs or enter an exception for
IEXPLORE.EXE to turn off DEP.

hope it helps...

The other option is to use Start-Run-"iexplore.exe -extoff" to start
explorer without any addons this usually helped me when I had problems
with Iexplore.exe

good luck.

 

[zachd [MSFT]]

DEP errors indicate that someone is doing bad things with memory. It
indicates that there is (likely third party) software running on your system
which is doing things which are generally considered unacceptable - and
potentially dangerous.

Do you get any data about these DEP errors in the Problem Reports and
Solutions Center control panel? That data might help finger the bad
software - in which case you could update to a working version of that
software and have this issue go away the right, safe, way.

 

[SacredHeart]

DEP errors indicate that someone is doing bad things with memory.  It
indicates that there is (likely third party) software running on your system
which is doing things which are generally considered unacceptable - and
potentially dangerous.

Not always the case. I had these problems for instance when Explorer
was trying to create thumbnails for .AVI files. It could be due to
some GP fault (like trying to execute data instead of code) by a bug
in program. I remember that the problem was solved by some video
Codec update for AVI files.(Search MS knowledge base for this) DEP is
a good measure against viruses that exploit the Buffer overrun error
in Windows. IF you you are certain that the program does not have any
virus and still causes DEP faults then it's pretty safe to turn it off
for that particular program only....

 

[zachd [MSFT]]

We start off on the same page, but then we diverge on the conclusion. =)

It's really not the best idea in the world to have my mom or dad trying to
guess what is "safe". DEP isn't about viruses, it's about exploitable
conditions in code. You probably do not want to turn it off but instead
would want to get working good code from the vendor.

Two of the biggest pushes in Vista are entwined here: security and
stability. The AVI codec you're referring to was evidently insecure and
thus unstable. It's probably the best practice to *not* gloss over bad
errors like this.

I respect that you're just speaking towards "how can I quickly make this
dialog go away", but I prefer the other approach of "how can I properly make
this dialog go away." =)

--
Speaking for myself only.
See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
--

DEP errors indicate that someone is doing bad things with memory. It
indicates that there is (likely third party) software running on your
system
which is doing things which are generally considered unacceptable - and
potentially dangerous.

Not always the case. I had these problems for instance when Explorer
was trying to create thumbnails for .AVI files. It could be due to
some GP fault (like trying to execute data instead of code) by a bug
in program. I remember that the problem was solved by some video
Codec update for AVI files.(Search MS knowledge base for this) DEP is
a good measure against viruses that exploit the Buffer overrun error
in Windows. IF you you are certain that the program does not have any
virus and still causes DEP faults then it's pretty safe to turn it off
for that particular program only....

 

[SacredHeart]

Zach(?)
I respect your opinion and knowledge about the matter. However I was
involved with computers since the day of PDP8 that used paper tape to
input programs. (remember DEC?). If you dont know what that is you are
probably too young to remember it. So you are correct: one should
never assume what is safe and what is not. You can never be too
careful in this day and age. I for one am very security conscious and
get suspicious anytime some strange thing like DEP error occurs. So
I make peace...
Good Day.

 

[zachd [MSFT]]

LOL - I am glad that those days are behind us. =)

As a kid I used to go with my dad to the University of Washington computer
labs with our box of punch cards...

I'm much happier with this whole USB flash drive concept and that lot. =)

--
Speaking for myself only.
See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
--

Zach(?)
I respect your opinion and knowledge about the matter. However I was
involved with computers since the day of PDP8 that used paper tape to
input programs. (remember DEC?). If you dont know what that is you are
probably too young to remember it.