Hello!

Since installing the shiny new Vista first service pack; I had been getting some problems browsing - although I hadn't actually changed anything apart from installed SP1.
It was mainly websites that were running on flash or those that used ActiveX controls that seemed to be having problems loading.

So decided to roll back the settings on IE, this to didn't come without it's own problems but did solve the ones listed above; but unleashed a new one. DEP; my understanding is that MS have been using DEP in Windows since Server 2003 - not sure why I've only just come across it.

Never before have I seen an error message from it or had any problems with it for that matter. Until today that is...once I navigated to a website I got the 'Internet Explorer has stopped responding' after a few of these I noticed a little dialog box in the bottom left hand corner - explaining that it had been closed by Windows DEP (Data Execution Prevention).

Great I thought - now how do I stop it?

Well there's the problem, MS obviously didn't design DEP to be turned off. In fact the options for it; well there's two of them: to enable DEP for all windows processes apart from ones you chose, or only the main ones. Not a mention of how to stop the blasted thing!

So after contemplating launching my laptop through an open window (my only concern was it hitting one of my neighbours and explaining it to the insurers) for several hours I did what any techy does when in need; I Googled it! Thankfully it allowed me a few minutes peace to find a way of turning the hyperactive cyber guardian off - Windows Command Prompt.

And it was so easy to do even I could do it! Just need to make sure you open Command Prompt but run it as an Administrator. Then just type the following -

bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOff

But I've found it won't actually turn it off until you restart your system, and you may need to take out the {current} for it to work. But should you decide to forgive your new found cyber protector (more like a fine concoction between the Terminator and a hyperactive Tigger) you can use a similar process to reinstate it.

I perfectly understand that it was proberbly put there to protect us and our (usually) loyal computers from cyber harm; but surely there's a less annoying way of going about it?

I hope this sort of thing won't happen to often now my desk is next to an open window; I may need to chain my laptop to the desk - just in case!

Dazza