I have been using Win7 without problems for almost a year now. Yesterday I moved my install to a different hard drive using the Windows backup/restore function. Now suddenly a watermark "Test mode Windows 7 Build 7601" is shown in the bottom right corner of my desktop. Does this mean it does not recognize my (believe me, legitimate) Windows7 as genuine?

I did a search on Google for a solution, but they all looked dodgy to me (usually dealing with illegitimate cracks).

Just a thought.Have you tried re-activating it?

The System properties window shows that my "Windows is activated". I only get the option to "change product code". I'm not sure if I should try that for fear that it would make my current product key invalid and make Windows unusable?

Funny really, I would do a format c: without blinking an eye, but this license stuff tends to freak me out

I went ahead and did it anyway. Nothing changed and the "Test mode Windows 7 Build 7601" still appears.

In System properties where it shows my Product ID, I am also seeing an icon "ask for genuine Microsoft software". I don't remember if this was always there, or just now?

Check this out and use the bdcedit.exe feature. Be sure to right click and run command prompt as admin.
Bcdedit.exe -set TESTSIGNING OFF

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Foru...be-67313f78a515

Thank you! That did it

Now I just wonder what the heck caused this. I was afraid some Windows copy protection thing was at work. But even DCS Black Shark still runs fine without having to reactivate it

I ran some joystick program... maybe it was PPJOY or something similar.. maybe GlovePie I don't remember. For it to run I had to put my Win7 into "Test Mode" so that it would run drivers that weren't certified by Microsoft. Apparently it costs a lot of money to get a certified driver so often for more "poor" developers it's cheaper just to have you put windows in test mode instead.

Here is the article about it from MS: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/250924