Vista SP1 makes Vista an evaluation copy or am I reading it wrong?

[ButchN]

Hi guys/gals.

I just installed SP1 X64, no issues, went smooth, but now in the lower right of my desktop it reads:

Windows Vista

Evaluation Copy. Build 6001

I did do a search & didn't see an answer, unless I used the wrong search variable.

So, am I moron & reading it wrong?

Is the RC the eval copy since I can still see my product key & the Windows is activated message in my computer properties screen?

Also, anyway to get rid of that text?

Thanks.

[vDub]

Because you're using a pre-release version of Vista SP1, it is an evaluation copy. There is a way to get rid of the watermark, and all it takes is a little web searching to find your answer

[cluberti]

More to the point, how do you NOT know that you're installing a pre-release of SP1, considering the code hasn't hit RTM yet?

[ButchN]

OK, so it is the pre release of SP1 making the "watermark", which I did not know it was called a watermark.

Some of us aren't as knowledgeable as the rest of you are in terminology, etc., when it comes to PC software which is why the rest of ask questions!

Thanks for clearing things up!

And cluberti, I do not know what you mean.

I DL'd it directly from Microsoft.

Edited January 26, 2008 by ButchN

[cluberti]

And cluberti, I do not know what you mean.

I DL'd it directly from Microsoft.

I am quite sure you did download it, but there was a link on that page you should have clicked. You'll note that a lot of the text there speaks to this being a time-limited package, that there are steps to install this RC that will not be necessary when the final SP1 package is actually released, Microsoft does not recommend you install this on primary or mission-critical machines (Microsoft would NEVER state this of a real, RTM service pack, only betas and RCs), and most importantly that you downloaded and installed a Release Candidate - an RC is a package that MIGHT become the RTM version of the package, if nothing changes between the release date of the RC and the RTM cutoff.

Release Candidate and the final package are actually two different things. From that link, under the "time-limited" software section link:

This is pre-release code and will change before the final release. Windows Vista SP1 Release Candidate is for individuals, organizations, and technical enthusiasts who are comfortable evaluating pre-release software. This pre-release software is provided for testing purposes only. Microsoft does not recommend installing this software on primary or mission critical systems. Microsoft recommends that you have a backup of your data prior to installing any pre-release software.