Installled additional hard drive, now Vista says ...Evaluation cop

T

Terry

I recently added 2 gig memory, a new processor and a new hard drive (C) to my
Dell XPS 420.

I used my "(Dell) Reinstallation DVD" to install Vista to the new hard drive
which is now C:. The original Vista is still on the old hard drive (E:).

FWIW, during the new HD install I sometimes booted the PC from the new drive
and the old drive.

At some point, Vista put that "Evaluation copy" at the bottom right of the
screen. Also, again at some point, Vista asked me to validate, which I did
without any problems.

Anyway, my question is how to make the ...Evaluation copy... notice go away?

Many thanks,
Terry
 
L

Leroy

This can be caused if test-sign mode is started.

To disable test-signing, use the following BCDEdit command:

1. Type CMD in Vista's Search box and when the CMD icon appears,
right-click on it and select "Run as administrator".

2. Then type (or copy & paste): Bcdedit.exe -set TESTSIGNING OFF

Note: After you change the TESTSIGNING boot configuration option,
restart the computer for the change to take effect.
 
T

Terry

Thanks for the reply. I did the bcdedit and it returned a message that it
had completed the action or something. But I still have the Evaluation Copy
notice.

I am just guessing, but I think Windows "saw" that I had Vista installed on
two hard drives for a couple days and put the Evaluation Copy on one of them.

I am now running Vista on only one hard drive. I formatted the original
hard drive and am using it for extra storage.

Any other ideas?

Thanks,
Terry
 
C

Curious

AFAIK 6200 was the original RTM release so at least you are not running an
evaluation copy.
Is there any reason you have not installed Vista SP1 or SP2 on your system?
 
C

Curious

My bad, however the OP may not have the RTM version of 6002 see the
following 6002 history quote:
"
Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Pre-Beta
Build Number 6002.16489.lh_sp2beta.080924-1740 (Version 105)
Released in October, 2008.

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta
Build Number 6002.16497.081017-1605 (Version 113)
Released December 4, 2008. Download became available in the Microsoft
Download Center.

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 RC Escrow
Build Number 6002.16659.090114-1728 (Version 275)
Released January, 2009.

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Release Candidate
Build Number 6002.16670.090130-1715 (Version 286)
Released February, 2009.

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 RTM Escrow build to Connect Beta Testers
Build Number 6002.17043.090312-1835 (Version ???)
Released March, 2009.
Available and can be installed via Windows Update

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 RTM Escrow
Build Number 6002.17506.090313-1730 (Version ???)
Released March, 2009.
Leak to file sharing websites.

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 RTM
Build Number 6002.18005.090410-1830
Released 28 April, 2009.
Official released by Microsoft via Windows Update on 26 May, 2009
"
 
T

Terry

New information

I reinstalled Vista and all my drivers and programs. No "Evaluation copy"
message. Then I installed SP1 and Vista ran well with to "Evaluation copy"
message.

Then I installed SP2 and the "Evaluation copy" message reappeared. Jeez, WTF!

Then I did System Restore back to just before the SP2 install and the
"Evaluation copy" message is gone.

When I installed the new hard drive I had been running SP2 for some time
without any problems. But now, it looks like SP2 is the source of the
"Evaluation copy" message.

I plan to stay with SP1 for a while and see how the system performs.

Weird,
Terry
 
D

Dave

IIRC, it's been a long time...
but I think you have to reboot a couple of times and then the "evaluation
copy" watermark will go away.
 
C

Curious

Did you confirm that you are not using a Beta or prelease evaluation copy of
SP2?
Did you download SP2 from MS WinUpdate after installing SP1?
 
T

Terry

Dave - I rebooted maybe 50 times.

I have solved the problem. Last message I stated that SP2 seemed to be the
source of the Evaluation Copy message.

I did not post that I installed SP2 from a DVD I made several months ago,
when SP2 was fairly new and the PC had the original processor and only the
original hard drive.

Well, Wed I let Windows do its online upgrade to SP2 and no problems. No
Evaluation Copy!

Seems like Vista does not want a person to use has personal DVD of SP2 if
there have been significant changes to the computer.

Thanks for the inputs everyone.

Terry
 
O

OldHand

Useful thread. May I ask if we can conclude that it is always possible to
have 2 versions of Vista on different physical disks on the same computer?

My own situation concerns an OEM Home Premium with a reinstallation DVD. It
will take me a little while to reinstall all my applications on the new
installation, so to continue working I will need to boot to the old
installation now and again.

I understand that a new install is better than trying to repair Vista, even
if such a thing were possible in my case.

Regards
 
T

Terry

Your second paragraph describes exactly what I did. I would work on the new
hard drive for a while, then shut down the computer and connect the old hard
drive and work from it.

I think you should be OK with Vista on two drives at the same time. Just
don't install SP2 from a DVD created by the Vista on the original hard drive.

Good luck,
Terry
 
C

Curious

If you are using the ATM release AFAIK legally a license for each copy would
be required.
 

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