Remove Windows 7 Service Pack 1 "evaluation copy" watermark

Who SP1 for Windows 7 is installed, you will see the following icon on the desktop: "Windows 7 - Evaluation copy Build 7601".

You can hide the watermark from the desktop in a few simple steps:

1. Click here to view the "RemoveWatermark" patch - many thanks to Deepxw for the patch!

2. Unzip the file and open the unzipped directory in Windows Explorer:

3. If you are using a 64-bit version of Windows 7, right-click on "RemoveWatermarkX64.exe". For the 32-bit version, click on "RemoveWatermarkX86.exe".

Select "Run as administrator". Then press "Y" to remove the watermark!

After a restart, the watermark has finally disappeared!

Sincerely,
Yours, Sandro Villinger

By Sandro Villinger

Founded Windows Tweaks as a teenager in the 90s. His helpful PC tricks made it Germany's most visited Windows site (back then this is what Sandro looked like). He then went on to write elsewhere, such as for PC-Praxis, Computer Bild and PCWorld in the USA. Microsoft also poached him from us. Now Sandro is back, finally sharing his tweaks here again. For a stress-free digital everyday life. You can reach Sandro via e-mail.

View all of Sandro Villinger's posts.

7 comments

Dominik says:

11. September 2010 at 9:40

Very useful tip.
Thank you very much.
😀

Reply
Ralf says:

30. October 2010 at 12:05

Top tip
Thank you

Reply
Sandro Villinger says:

30. October 2010 at 13:49

Gladly! 🙂 Also works with the new SP1 Release Candidate!

Reply
Max says:

1. November 2010 at 10:08

Hatte Probleme mit dem neuen SP1 RC. Da stand Original Software (mit dem Sternzeichen von Microsoft) und deneben Evaluierungskopie (nanu, was ist das denn ? o.O), hatte sogar „WindowsActivationUpdate“ runtergeladen, aber ohne Erfolg. Danke Sandro und Deepxw für den Patch, jetzt geht alles wieder. Happy Halloween =)

Reply
Johannes says:

6. November 2010 at 19:32

Thanks for the help !!!

Reply
Joch111 says:

12. November 2010 at 15:26

Why did Microsoft actually do this?
I mean, on the surface you can see that it's Windows anyway.
And you can also pack this version somewhere else.

^^^^^^^^^
This post belongs here and not in the topic above.

Reply
Walter says:

19. March 2011 at 15:38

Hallo Sandro, bei mir kam Heute eine Meldung bezüglich der Evaluierungskopie und dass meine Berechtigung innerhalb 13 Tagen ausläuft od. so ähnlich. Nunmehr bin ich Ihren Anweisungen gefolgt und das Evaluierungskopie Build 7601 unten rechts im Desktop ist nunmehr verschwunden – vielen Dank hierzu.

Nevertheless a question, maybe another reader can answer this for me. QUESTION: Has the problem with the message and the possible blocking of my Win7 version been solved?

I originally upgraded my Vista Home 64-bit version with an upgrade to Windows 7 HomePremium 64-bit and then I thought I had only installed SP1, then the watermark evaluation copy appeared!

Or do I still have to enter the original license key of my Windows 7 HomePremium 64-bit license somewhere?

Many thanks in advance.

Best regards
Walter

Reply

By Sandro Villinger

7 comments

Leave a comment Cancel reply