DEP error

[shawntkeating]

Having an issue with my computer where I receives a Data Execution Prevention error that does not allow me to login to any secure websites or download anything from the internet. I checked the Data Execution Prevention settings on the computer and they were enabled for only essential windows programs and services. After that I did a search for boot.ini and boot. Neither showed up in the search with hidden folders and files being shown. I then looked for the file manually so that I could edit the file and turn off DAP completely, it was missnig from the C:\ directory as well.

Machine seems likely to be infected.

I am going to try and scan the Computer for anything malicious but assuming nothing turns up what are my options? I also have access to another computer that is on the same network and is running the same OS and similar programs.

[cluberti]

Which webbrowser is causing the DEP failures, or is it consistent across multiple browsers?

[shawntkeating]

Which webbrowser is causing the DEP failures, or is it consistent across multiple browsers?

It is also when trying to use secure logins. The computer is using IE. I just am wondering if the boot.ini is actually missing and if so to disable DEP won't I need to do that within boot.ini? Or is there somewhere else I can completely disable DEP?

[cluberti]

I doubt it's missing, or you would be unable to boot.

As to DEP causing an issue, are you using IE6, 7, or 8? If you're using IE7 or IE8, try running "iexplore.exe -extoff" from Start > Run and see if the problem goes away. If it does, you have a misbehaving activex control, which you can use Manage Add-Ons to try and find with trial and error. If it still fails running IE with extoff, you probably have a browser helper (not an activex) that is causing it, and at that point the only thing you can do is to start using a tool like autoruns to try and clean out things that are loaded in your IE via the "Internet Explorer" tab in Autoruns to try and find the culprit.

[shawntkeating]

I doubt it's missing, or you would be unable to boot.

As to DEP causing an issue, are you using IE6, 7, or 8? If you're using IE7 or IE8, try running "iexplore.exe -extoff" from Start > Run and see if the problem goes away. If it does, you have a misbehaving activex control, which you can use Manage Add-Ons to try and find with trial and error. If it still fails running IE with extoff, you probably have a browser helper (not an activex) that is causing it, and at that point the only thing you can do is to start using a tool like autoruns to try and clean out things that are loaded in your IE via the "Internet Explorer" tab in Autoruns to try and find the culprit.

I will try a couple things as well as the things you mentioned above to try and see more clearly what is going on. I thought Windows could actually boot with a corrupt or missing boot.ini as long as it was a defaulted install and it would try the default directory on the first partition it can find. I doubt this is the problem, but I was just thinking ahead as to the steps to take and fix the boot.ini through recovery.

[shawntkeating]

Yes it only does it in IE.