DEP - Enable or Disable

How to Enable or Disable DEP in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8​

   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 a program is being closed by DEP, then make sure that it is a DEP compatible version and check for an updated version. If it is not DEP compatible, then you can uninstall the program or turn off DEP for that particular program.

   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. Remember DEP stopped the program for a reason. Either it is just a improperly running program, or some sort of malware trying to get into restricted memory.

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's UAC (User Account Control). It asks you for permission first for anything that wants to run with full access to the computer.

EXAMPLE: DEP Enabled and Disable
NOTE: DEP is enabled by default. If you installed Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET), then it will be used by Windows instead of DEP and gray out the DEP settings like below.

​

​

OPTION ONE

To Enable or Disable DEP in Vista

NOTE: If you have a 64-bit CPU, then you may also have a no exectute option in BIOS that is the built in DEP on the CPU.

1. Open an elevated command prompt.​

​

2. To Enable DEP​

A) In the elevated command prompt, type in bold below and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: If for some reason this command does not enable DEP after restarting the computer, then use the bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOn command instead.​

bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx OptIn​

​

B) You should get a success message back​

​

C) Close the elevated command prompt.​

​

D) Restart the computer to apply.​

​

​

3. To Disable DEP ​

A) In the command prompt, type in bold belowand press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOff​

​

B) You should get a success message back.​

​

C) Close the command prompt.​

​

D) Restart the computer to apply.​

​

​

4. To Verify the Status of DEP ​

A) In the command prompt, type in bold below and press Enter. (See screenshot below table)​

wmic OS Get DataExecutionPrevention_SupportPolicy​

​

B) You will get a number (see table below) that will tell you the status of DEP.​

​

C) Close command prompt when done.​

​

   Note

2 is the default setting.

   Note

​

​

[TABLE=class:-grid,-width:-500][TR][TD]
Number
[/TD]
[TD]
Description
[/TD]
[TD]
Status
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]

[/TD]
[TD]
AlwaysOff
[/TD]
[TD]
DEP is disabled for all processes. (Step 3 above)
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
1
[/TD]
[TD]
AlwaysOn
[/TD]
[TD]
DEP is enabled for all processes. (Note under step 2)
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
2
[/TD]
[TD]
OptIn
[/TD]
[TD]
DEP is enabled for only Windows system components and services have DEP applied. Default setting. (Step 2 above)
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
3
[/TD]
[TD]
OptOut
[/TD]
[TD]
DEP is enabled for all processes. Administrators can manually create a list of specific applications which do not have DEP applied. (How to Turn DEP On or Off for a Program)
[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

OPTION TWO

Enable or Disable DEP in Internet Explorer

NOTE: This will be for the 32 bit version of Internet Explorer.

• For a 32 bit Vista version: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
• For a 64 bit Vista version: C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

   Warning

Some Active X Internet Explorer add-ons may not work with DEP on. It can cause them to crash and prevent the startup of IE by DEP closing it. If this happens to you, then see: How to Fix a Crashing Internet Explorer in Vista or disable DEP again.

1. Open the Start Menu.​

​

2. Click on All Programs and right click on Internet Explorer, then click Run as administrator.​

NOTE: If you cannot get IE7 to open using step 2, then click on All Programs and Accessories. Next, right click on Internet Explorer (No Add-ons) and click on Run as administrator instead.​

WARNING: If you do not use Run as administrator, the Enable memory protection to help mitigate online attacks option will be grayed out in steps 5 and 6 below, and you will not be able to enable or disable it.​

​

3. In Internet Explorer, click on Tools and Internet Options.​

​

4. Click on the Advanced tab. (See screenshot below)​

​

5. To Enable DEP for the 32 bit Internet Explorer​

A) Under Security, check Enable memory protection to help mitigate online attacks.​

​

B) Go to step 7.​

​

6. To Disable DEP for the 32 bit Internet Explorer​

A) Under Security, uncheck Enable memory protection to help mitigate online attacks.​

​

7. Click on OK to apply.​

​

​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Turn Windows Features On or Off in Vista
• How to Turn DEP On or Off for a Program
• Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET)
• How to Create a "DEP System Properties" Shortcut in Vista and Windows 7

 

[GBUKNinja]

Re: DEP - Turn On or Off for Programs

I tried the command prompt way of turning off DEP and it worked. i then turned it on again using the bcdedit /set {current} nx alwayson and now it wont let me change it in command promt anymore.
i get. the boot configuration data store could not be opened
access is denied.

anyone have any ideas?

 

[Brink]

Hello GBUKNinja, and welcome to Vista Forums.

See if using the bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx OptIn command instead may work better for you. Be sure that you are in a elevated (Run as administrator) command prompt to do this.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[GBUKNinja]

thanks i think its fixed now. i wasn't running it as admin. dammit im never gonna be a programmer. lol i've still got to find a way to play starcraft mods without DEP stopping them. anyway thanks shaun

 

[Brink]

LOL, you're welcome GBUKNinja. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted out.

 

[blueblazer8]

I tried both the command prompt and the "turn on for all except selected" ways but neither worked. Command prompt said that the operation was completed successfully but Microsoft Works Word Processor still shuts down when I copy and paste. All I really want now is to scrap the whole DEP crap and be done with it. Advice?

I would also like to mention that the options are greyed out but it still kills works word every time I try to paste something.... this is so obnoxious and I curse windows for designing it.

 

[Brink]

Hello Blublazer8, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Since you have a 64-bit CPU, you may also need to disable the DEP or No-Execute Memory Protect option for the CPU in the BIOS as well.

However, you should also see if there is an update for your version of MS Works Word processor that may address this problem though. It would be best to keep DEP and No-Execute enabled for the best security.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[naxself]

Fantastically useful. Thanks, Brink!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Naxself.

Shawn

 

[Shaythong]

Hi I have a "MP3 Control" mod for my GTA: VC game and it runs via a .asi file. I tried to add gta_vc.exe to the exclusion list and even tried to turn off DEP but it still closes down when I try to start it with an icon in the taskbar saying that DEP has closed it. Can this be fixed in any way or is this a problem with the mod itself?

 

[Brink]

Hello Shaythong,

You might see if there is an update or new version of the program that addresses this issue. It seems to be incompatible.

 

[ken j]

brink, this is the first time on this site, and i hope you can help.
i have vista home prem. dep keeps closing google tool bar notifier,
when i follow the dep command prompt instructions above, (bcd.exe)etc.
i get "the boot config store could not be opened". what can i do?

 

[Brink]

Hello Ken, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Are you running the command while logged on to an adminstrator account and with a elevated command prompt (run as administrator)?

 

[ken j]

i am logged on as an admin, and i somtimes get must be logged on as admin even when i am logged on as admin.
please explain elevated command.

 

[Brink]

That would be from UAC. You would need to double check to make sure that your using a elevated command prompt.

 

[ken j]

thank u for the education on command pr(admin).
the default was 1, i tried to change it to 2 (OPT IN),
it said op completed successfully,but when i checked it, it still said 1

 

[Brink]

In Performance Options, do you have the top option selected as in the left example screenshot?

 

[ken j]

performance ops, dep, nothing is checked and i have a grey screen, i cant adjust

 

[Brink]

If it's grayed out, then DEP is disabled.

 

[ken j]

if dep is not enabled, why am i getting the dep popup "google toolbar notifier" stopped by dep?

this happens at startup and when i access IE

 

[Brink]

Double check to see if you have DEP enabled inside Internet Explorer from OPTION TWO in the tutorial. Quite frankly, I would recommend to disable or removed the "Google Toolbar Notifier" add-on since it is tripping DEP by trying to execute in restricted memory and leave DEP fully enabled. There may be some for of malware trying to get through.