Editing boot.ini

[Derek]

I have been having a problem with installing ISS's "BlackICE PC Protector"
(Firewall) on a new computer (XP Home Edition). The problem is that after
installing BI my computer Blue Screens on shutdown and bootup (at bootup it
scans the HD every time and sometimes finds corrupted files). BlackICE
helpdesk has recommended changing the boot.ini file, which read

[operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=optin,



The recommendation is to change from optin to AlwaysOff, this stops the Blue
Screens. Will there be implications for other software or indeed the
operation of my computer?



Derek

 

[Jon]

I have been having a problem with installing ISS's "BlackICE PC Protector"
(Firewall) on a new computer (XP Home Edition). The problem is that after
installing BI my computer Blue Screens on shutdown and bootup (at bootup it
scans the HD every time and sometimes finds corrupted files). BlackICE
helpdesk has recommended changing the boot.ini file, which read

[operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=optin,



The recommendation is to change from optin to AlwaysOff, this stops the
Blue Screens. Will there be implications for other software or indeed the
operation of my computer?



Derek

That would turn off an SP2 introduced security feature called DEP (Data
Execution Prevention).
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875352

DEP can cause problems with 3rd party programs, so the advice is sound. Your
computer will operate as it did previously, albeit without that additional
security check.

Jon

 

[Derek]

I have been having a problem with installing ISS's "BlackICE PC Protector"
(Firewall) on a new computer (XP Home Edition). The problem is that after
installing BI my computer Blue Screens on shutdown and bootup (at bootup
it scans the HD every time and sometimes finds corrupted files). BlackICE
helpdesk has recommended changing the boot.ini file, which read

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=optin,



The recommendation is to change from optin to AlwaysOff, this stops the
Blue Screens. Will there be implications for other software or indeed
the operation of my computer?



Derek

That would turn off an SP2 introduced security feature called DEP (Data
Execution Prevention).
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875352

DEP can cause problems with 3rd party programs, so the advice is sound.
Your computer will operate as it did previously, albeit without that
additional security check.

Jon

Hi Jon,
Thank you for the information. How much of a risk am I running from
external sources (i.e.. Hackers etc.)?
My earlier computer also with XP SP2 and the statement "Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=optin", ran BlackICE (BI) without it choking
on this problem.
Derek

 

[S.Sengupta]

How to edit the Boot.ini file in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;289022

regards,
S.Sengupta[MS-MVP]

 

[Jon]

I have been having a problem with installing ISS's "BlackICE PC
Protector" (Firewall) on a new computer (XP Home Edition). The problem
is that after installing BI my computer Blue Screens on shutdown and
bootup (at bootup it scans the HD every time and sometimes finds
corrupted files). BlackICE helpdesk has recommended changing the
boot.ini file, which read

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=optin,



The recommendation is to change from optin to AlwaysOff, this stops the
Blue Screens. Will there be implications for other software or indeed
the operation of my computer?



Derek

That would turn off an SP2 introduced security feature called DEP (Data
Execution Prevention).
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875352

DEP can cause problems with 3rd party programs, so the advice is sound.
Your computer will operate as it did previously, albeit without that
additional security check.

Jon

Hi Jon,
Thank you for the information. How much of a risk am I running from
external sources (i.e.. Hackers etc.)?
My earlier computer also with XP SP2 and the statement "Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=optin", ran BlackICE (BI) without it
choking on this problem.
Derek

Well who's to say? It requires a slightly higher level of computing
knowledge (ie assembly language) to be able to take advantage of such an
exploit, than your average hacker would possess, so it's probably less
widespread, as exploits go, than your common or garden trojan script, or
..exe, via email. But there is always someone out there with the capability
of, and desire, to take advantage of it, so it just depends how paranoid
you want to be.

My earlier computer also with XP SP2 and the statement "Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=optin", ran BlackICE (BI) without it
choking on this problem.

Sometimes older, or newer, versions of the same program can be more
compatible, or you may possibly have other programs installed that are
conflicting with it.


Jon

 

[Derek]

Hi S.Sengupta,
My problem was not how to edit the boot.ini file but how much risk I would
be running by changing the statement "Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
/NoExecute=optin" to "No Execute=AlwaysOff". Jon, post above, has given me
some indication. Thank you for you for your help.
Derek

How to edit the Boot.ini file in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;289022

regards,
S.Sengupta[MS-MVP]

I have been having a problem with installing ISS's "BlackICE PC
Protector" (Firewall) on a new computer (XP Home Edition). The problem
is that after installing BI my computer Blue Screens on shutdown and
bootup (at bootup it scans the HD every time and sometimes finds
corrupted files). BlackICE helpdesk has recommended changing the
boot.ini file, which read

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=optin,



The recommendation is to change from optin to AlwaysOff, this stops the
Blue Screens. Will there be implications for other software or indeed
the operation of my computer?



Derek