Question Avast custom installation

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Victor M said:
DEP is a setting since way back, I had always used the option 'turn on DEP for all programs',
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That makes sense to me. I'm not sure if it was set, for some reason in the settings only for essential Windows programs and Avast correctly changed it to allowed for all programs? But I'm not sure why or if Windows would have initially set it that way? But, I'll leave it as it is on both laptops.
 
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Victor M said:
I think execution in memory space is when programmers use 'system.exec ("some command") ' . 'some command' is a data string residing in a section of memory reserved for data.
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So it sounds like a normal user wouldn't have to worry about leaving it in the Windows default, being enabled for all programs and services. I've never noticed or had any issue that I'm aware of.
 
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Victor M said:
The default is 'turn on DEP for essential'
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Then why were both of my notebooks enabled for all? Did both F-Secure (in a setting below) and Avast change it?

Screenshot 2025-12-10 221255.png
 
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Victor M said:
I don't know. Never used F-Secure before.
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No problem :) With Avast, does it think it's protecting our PC's better by enabling (suggesting) DEP for all, wouldn't that be a more secure environment for a normal user?

edit: @lokamoka820 I changed DEP back to its default, restarted my laptop and ran a Avast Smart Scan. It seems to want to change it to the "more secure" enable for all option? I did the same thing with my F-Secure laptop, ran a Quick scan but it didn't give me a notification that I had changed the DEP setting.

DEP2.jpg
 
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Jonny Quest said:
Then why were both of my notebooks enabled for all? Did both F-Secure (in a setting below) and Avast change it?

View attachment 293625
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I'm answering my own question, F-Secure did not make the DEP change, Avast did. I previously had Avast on both Laptops before I uninstalled it on one and replaced it with F-Secure. I'm sure on the initial Avast Smart Scan, I allowed it to change DEP for all programs and services. When I uninstalled it, it did no revert the change back to only for Windows essential programs....my mornings wake up epiphany LOL :)

I asked for Perplexities advice, and it seems for the average user, Avast was changing it (asking to make a change) as a security enhancement. @Victor M thank you for your posts :)

Enabling DEP (Data Execution Prevention) for all programs does improve security, but it can occasionally break older or niche software. The safest general approach is to enable it for all programs and add exceptions only if something you trust stops working.

Microsoft’s guidance​

Windows enables DEP by default for core system programs and services. Microsoft and security vendors state that protection can be increased by having DEP monitor all programs, not just essential Windows components.

Pros and cons of “all programs”​

Turning DEP on for all programs extends this memory protection to your entire userland, reducing the chance that a vulnerable third‑party app is used as an entry point. However, some older or specialized applications that generate or execute code in unusual ways (for example, certain compilers, simulation tools, or in‑house utilities) may crash or refuse to start under strict DEP.

Typical issues you might see​

  • Older 32‑bit or legacy business apps failing to launch or crashing immediately.
  • Custom tools or obscure utilities being terminated with a DEP error even though they are benign.

In short: yes, use DEP for all programs for better security in most setups, but be prepared to whitelist only the rare, trustworthy applications that cannot run under it.
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lokamoka820 said:
@Jonny Quest I searched for the settings that Avast modifies during the "Operating System Scanning" phase and found them. The one I mentioned called "Data Execution Prevention" and appear in the following image:

View attachment 293621

To check if it has been modified in your system, you need to do the following:
  • Open the Control Panel.
  • Click System and Security > System > Advanced System Settings.
  • Once you are on the Advanced tab, click Settings.
  • Click the Data Execution Prevention tab.
The default setting should be as shown in the following image:

View attachment 293622

If the other option is selected, then Avast has modified it.

This was really difficult to find. 😫
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The same result of Norton smart scan.
 
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Victor M said:
DEP is a setting since way back, I had always used the option 'turn on DEP for all programs',
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Do you support Avast's recommendation to modify the default settings for Data Execution Prevention (DEP)? Is this better?
Jonny Quest said:
No problem :) With Avast, does it think it's protecting our PC's better by enabling (suggesting) DEP for all, wouldn't that be a more secure environment for a normal user?

edit: @lokamoka820 I changed DEP back to its default, restarted my laptop and ran a Avast Smart Scan. It seems to want to change it to the "more secure" enable for all option? I did the same thing with my F-Secure laptop, ran a Quick scan but it didn't give me a notification that I had changed the DEP setting.

View attachment 293626
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As far as I know, only the Avast antivirus family changes this setting, other antiviruses don't because the user will be safe anyway. I think this is just a way to show that Avast is doing more, while I think this setting will make Windows use more resources to scan each application rather than the essential ones.

Regarding your F-Secure laptop, are you sure you have never installed Avast or AVG on it?
 
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lokamoka820 said:
Do you support Avast's recommendation to modify the default settings for Data Execution Prevention (DEP)? Is this better?
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I always change DEP settings to all programs; I use MD, so I need every possible, single help.
In case I caused app malfunction (never encountered before), I can easily add it to the "allow" list.
Capture.JPG
 
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Apologies, but I didn't realize there was also this option until Gemini mentioned it. We can't tweak those settings during install, but we don't need to go to Windows Apps/Avast/ Modify like I previously mentioned. Instead, go to the Avast UI Settings/General/Troubleshooting/Still having problems?/Add modify components, will bring us to that window and the feature options to enable, or disable.

2025-12-22_11-13-00.jpg
 
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Jonny Quest said:
Apologies, but I didn't realize there was also this option until Gemini mentioned it. We can't tweak those settings during install, but we don't need to go to Windows Apps/Avast/ Modify like I previously mentioned. Instead, go to the Avast UI Settings/General/Troubleshooting/Still having problems?/Add modify components, will bring us to that window and the feature options to enable, or disable.

View attachment 293932
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Does removing components actually work, or does Avast just hide them from the GUI? I remember once installing just the core components of Avast, and it was larger than 1 GB.
 
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lokamoka820 said:
Does removing components actually work, or does Avast just hide them from the GUI? I remember once installing just the core components of Avast, and it was larger than 1 GB.
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I'm not sure, that's a good question :) It may be a bigger file size in case you upgrade, it will load from there into the app, without having to uninstall the free version to install the upgrade? I know at one time, is probably still the case, where the BD Antivirus Plus was the same install folder size as Total Security, so that if you upgraded from AV+ to Total, it would just unpack it from that folder.

Edit: The folder size may not change when we disable a feature, in case we enable it again, it will be easily re-accessed from the folder. We can probably confirm it by trying to run or load that feature, when its been disabled?

2025-12-22_12-13-02.jpg
 
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lokamoka820 said:
Does removing components actually work, or does Avast just hide them from the GUI? I remember once installing just the core components of Avast, and it was larger than 1 GB.
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Your guess is correct; all components already have landed on drive, regardless of which one you select to install.
You can even notice adding or removing components doses not take more than a couple of seconds.
 
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