yet another DEP prob

[Guest]

Hi all. 1st--I am not pc literate by a long shot so bear with me please.
For about the last month, on my new pc, I have been getting the DEP message,
trying to open a flight sim I have. Sequence is-- C/Microprose/Falcon4. All
is ok until I click Falcon4, then the errror, tho I can drag the dep window
out of the way, and still access the Falcon4 folders. I have had this flight
sim installed for years, with Service packs 1 & 2 without problems til now.
For certain reasons, I have installed/deleted/re-installed this sim a number
of times lately, and the DEP problem does not seem to appear constantly. I
have been trying to change settings as suggested, but my lack of pc knowledge
seems to be thwarting my efforts. So my questions are--can someone plz
explain very, very simply how I correct this, and why would this start now
after never having this problem before? Thank You. Rick

 

[Jim]

Hi all. 1st--I am not pc literate by a long shot so bear with me please.
For about the last month, on my new pc, I have been getting the DEP
message,
trying to open a flight sim I have. Sequence is-- C/Microprose/Falcon4.
All
is ok until I click Falcon4, then the errror, tho I can drag the dep
window
out of the way, and still access the Falcon4 folders. I have had this
flight
sim installed for years, with Service packs 1 & 2 without problems til
now.
For certain reasons, I have installed/deleted/re-installed this sim a
number
of times lately, and the DEP problem does not seem to appear constantly.
I
have been trying to change settings as suggested, but my lack of pc
knowledge
seems to be thwarting my efforts. So my questions are--can someone plz
explain very, very simply how I correct this, and why would this start now
after never having this problem before? Thank You. Rick

DEP didn't necessarily cause this problem. It is much more likely that DEP
revealed it.

My take is that Falcon4 has always had a data execution problem (the program
manages to get the cpu to execute data in addition to instructions), but
there was no way to determine this until DEP came along.

Jim

 

[Guest]

Hi Jim. I guess I understand what you are saying, but I wonder why this
situation has just recently come up? Between my 2 computers I must have had
SP2 for 8 months or so, and this business has only just recently started.
Perhaps as a result of some type of Windows auto-update? But the most
puzzling part for me is what does Windows perceive to be the threat? It is
just a computer game, played by thousands of people world wide. Something to
do with being able to play online? I have other pc games which also are
single player/online player and never see this affect any other game.
Anyway, thanks for your reply, and I guess I will just live with it. As
stated, I can still access all the files, so it is more very annoying than
anything else. Again, thanks for your time. Rick

 

[Pez D Spencer]

two questions, rick:

1. have you tried disabling DEP?
2. do you have a 64-bit cpu?

 

[Guest]

Hello Pez D. Well, bear in mind my very first words here---(I am not pc
literate by a long shot ) but it is an AMD Athlon 64 processor 3500+, so I
assume that means 64 bit? As far as disabling DEP---i don't like to fiddle
with stuff I don't understand, so no, I haven't. Best as I can understand,
Windows seems to think it is very important, and my limited knowledge told me
to leave it alone, lol. Can I, or do I really need to disable it? I don't
know if I made it clear, but I can access files and fly the sim. Thanks for
your input. Rick

 

[Pez D Spencer]

Hello Pez D. Well, bear in mind my very first words here---(I am not pc
literate by a long shot ) but it is an AMD Athlon 64 processor 3500+, so I
assume that means 64 bit? As far as disabling DEP---i don't like to fiddle
with stuff I don't understand, so no, I haven't. Best as I can understand,
Windows seems to think it is very important, and my limited knowledge told me
to leave it alone, lol. Can I, or do I really need to disable it? I don't
know if I made it clear, but I can access files and fly the sim. Thanks for
your input. Rick

yep, you have a 64 bit processor--that's what the 64 after the athlon
means. good choice 'cause that's a great processor.

so, if my understanding is correct, you're having DEP randomly
interrupt flight sim? and, it doesn't do it all the time, correct?

more questions:

3. what antivirus and antispyware softs are you using? are they
updated?

4. do you think your computer has been compromised by malware in any
way?

if you've scanned your computer with updated antivirus and antispyware
software, and nothing's come up, then you can probably rule out that
you have some sort of infection. if you don't have an infection, you
can just add your flight sim software to the DEP exception list and you
should get hassled anymore.

here's the microsoft page on configuring DEP on your computer, go ahead
and read it and see if you want to add that flight sim software to the
exception list (Enabling the DEP Exception List is one of the first
links on the page if you want to take a look at that first):

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/prodtech/windowsxp/depcnfxp.mspx

hope this helps.

 

[Guest]

Hi again Pez. Actually all that happens DEP-wise, is that when I click on
the Falcon4 folder,that's when DEP shows up. I can drag it out of the way and
still access all the files. DEP never comes into effect when I am in-sim.
Apart from not being able to properly access F4, you would never know DEP is
acting up. I have had dep happen on some installs, and not appear on some
others.
I have Avast 4.7 Home, Lavasoft Adaware, Spybot Search and Destroy, plus
whatever Windows puts on my pc. I have just finished scanning with my
non-windows stuff and no problems. I probably update them every day. If my
comp is compromised---it sure is elusive! But there is nothing strange
happening to make me think so--tho what do I know? lol. I will check that
link you supplied, and get back to you. Many thanks again. Rick

 

[Guest]

Hi again. Well, that was a bust lol. I think I added the right name in the
right place, yet it still has the same effect when I try to open the F4
folder. I tired it checked, and unchecked and anything else I could figure.
Oh well. : (

 

[Pez D Spencer]

Hi again. Well, that was a bust lol. I think I added the right name in the
right place, yet it still has the same effect when I try to open the F4
folder. I tired it checked, and unchecked and anything else I could figure.
Oh well. : (

hmm. i don't know where to go from here. maybe you've just gotta deal
with that window like you've been doing even though it is annoying.

but, at least, you've learned a little about xp in the process!

hopefully this is the exent of the problems you'll ever have with xp...

 

[Guest]

Yeah, was a learning experience of a sort. Still darn strange tho. Thanks
very much for your input and time, Pez.
ps--cool nickname lmao.