Data Execution Prevention

Not 100% what this is, but it has needed to close everyday for the last 3 days.

Windows help says
Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is a security feature that helps prevent damage from viruses and other security threats by monitoring your programs to make sure they use system memory safely.

I have Windows Vista. Can this be shut off and it not hurt anything? It has happened when I am saving a picture off the internet that was posted on another forum so that I can re-post it on another thread.

They are not protected pictures, like the ones Repa posts and others post that they took themselves. Just so you know.

Just curious.

Holly, I can tell you how to do this, but I think you should read the following article first and then decide if you really want to do this:

http://ask-leo.com/how_do_i_turn_off_data_execution_prevention_errors.html

This article tells you how to turn off DEP, but also gives you an alternative: If you have a program you know is legitimate that happens to cause DEP errors, you can add it to a list of exceptions. This article shows you how to configure exceptions to DEP.