Data Execution Prevention Tab - No Xd/Nx Processor; Software-Enforced Dep - Compaq dc5100 - Microtower PC Frequently Asked Questions Manual

Data Execution Prevention Tab - No XD/NX Processor

The following image shows the Data Execution Prevention tab on a system without an XD/NX-enabled
processor. Windows notifies the user that the system does not contain a processor capable of XD/NX, but
that software-enforced DEP is available.
NOTE: To prevent Windows XP SP2 from using DEP, set the operating system to /alwaysoff in the
BOOT.INI file.

Software-Enforced DEP

Software-enforced DEP is a set of DEP security checks built into Windows XP SP2 that can be used with
any processor that supports Windows XP SP2. Software-enforced DEP is a more limited form of protection
for the exception handling mechanisms in Windows. It is used when hardware-enforced DEP is not avail-
able, usually because the processor does not support XD/NX or is disabled in BIOS.
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