Am I right in assuming that the new version of Avast may be really ready for release except that the Microsoft SP2 has problems with AMD64 and Data execution prevention (DEP).
Does MS need to fix the Data execution prevention (DEP) in SP2 first?
a61
Uhh… well Microsoft doesn’t need to fix anything - it’s avast that does not work, not Windows… 
Please see e.g. this thread: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=7014
This problem will be fixed in the next avast program update.
Thanks
Vlk
When I read this it sounds like MS needs to fix it.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=875352
a61
Hmm, I didn’t find anything in that article implicating there’s a problem in SP2 – it really is a problem in avast (that is, avast was not designed with DEP in mind [well I guess we’d have to have a crystal ball at that time - years ago] and now needs to be updated).
Thanks
Vlk
After I read this "By default, DEP is enabled in Windows XP SP2, and you cannot disable it. 64-bit applications will not run from the stack or from the default process heap. Applications that want to allocate executable memory may do so by using the VirtualAlloc() function with one of the PAGE_EXECUTE* memory attributes."
And this "We are investigating methods to disable or enable DEP on a per-application basis for 32-bit applications. By default, 64-bit applications are expected to function with DEP enabled. A DEP exception will cause the STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xc0000005) status code on Windows systems. In most processes, this will be an unhandled exception and will cause termination of the process.
I got the impression it may be something they are working on for the SP2, because SP2 uses a newer (DEP).
“Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 uses a new data execution prevention (DEP)”
But if you say it’s really something Avast will fix do you have an idea when?
a61
Hmm, this text seems to be a bit outdated. There IS a way to turn DEP off in XP SP2, both system-wide and based on applications.
This is done as follows:
- Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
- In Classic View, double-click System.
- Click the Advanced tab, click Performance, and then click Settings.
- In the Performance Options dialog box, click the Data Execution Prevention tab.
- Select Turn on DEP for all programs and services except for those I select, and then click Add.
- In the Open dialog box, locate and select the application, and then click Open.
- Click Apply, and then click OK. A prompt appears and informs you that you must restart your system for the setting to take effect. Click OK.
The avast update will be released during this month.
Cheers,
Vlk
You’re right, it must be outdated material, for you can turn it off if need be. I don’t think I will turn any of it off though.
Thanks!
a61
I took the plunge and installed the SP2 on my PC and everything works just fine. It’s firewall checks out ok too, plus I like the new things for OE/IE. ;D
a61_a61
a61 - Welcome to the forums! 
And please remember this … XP firewall has NO outbound protection. Should your computer get infected in other ways than inbound through the XP firewall, it is very possible that you could infect other computers. 
I’m sure you know a lot more than I do about this. Can you tell me how if something that gets in my PC can get into your PC? I don’t understand what I could get that could be passed on to someone else from not having outbound Firewall protection. Is there a example of this happening.
I have read somethings about Firewalls, but never read anything about it. I’ll get a different Firewall that will protect outbound stuff, but what outbound stuff will I be stopping that can hurt another PC?
A61
Some viruses access through the internet and spread there. With only inbound protection nothing will stop these viruses from using various ways to connect to another person’s PC and travel over there. This is really really simplified but I hope you understood it.