I just did a new install ofWindows Server 2008 SP2 Beta, Standard Editionand get a footnote in the bottom right corner saying"Windows Server (R) 2008 Standard/Evaluation copy. Build 6002".I understood that the SP2 part was beta and figured I was eventually going to have to uninstallSP2 beta and install the real SP2.But is this whole install actually an evaluation copy?And I'll have to reinstall the whole thing rather than replace the final bits of SP2?Say it ain't so...Thanks, DaveDave

Hello, According to the description, I suggest that you post this question to the Windows Server 2008 SP2 Beta forum so that you can get the most qualified pool of respondents. For your convenience, I have list the related link as followed. Windows Vista Service Packs/Windows Server 2008 Service Packshttp://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/itprovistasp/threads/ Hope the issue will be resolved soon. Best regards,Vincent Hu

I did post there but since a Vista IT Pro forum, am not holding my breath that I'll get a answer regarding Server 2008 especially since I did not install just the SP2 beta on top of 2008 but rather installed the entire server with SP2 beta.Certainly someone here has isntalled Server 2008 beta and knows if the whole thing needs to be re-installed later or just the final SP2 bits?Thanks, DaveDave

Hello Dave, Did you install a released copy of Windows Server 2008, then install the SP2 beta on top of that as a separate package? If yes you should be able to uninstall SP2, then reinstall the RTM version of SP2 and be good. Or did you install an integrated version of both Windows Server and SP2? In which case you may have to reinstall.Thanks, Darrell Gorter[MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

Dave, That is standard for a beta of a service pack. I have a similar message on my licenced and activated version of Vista since I installed SP2 RC. Windows Vista (TM) Evaluation Copy. Build 6002Bill

I uninstalled SP2 from my Server 2008 x64, and the Evaluation label went away.

Darrell Gorter[MSFT] said: <snip> Or did you install an integrated version of both Windows Server and SP2? In which case you may have to reinstall. Thanks, Darrell Gorter[MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights Yes,this is exactly my concern. That I would have to start over from scratch sinceI downloaded an integrated image of Windows 2008 Server with SP2 beta as part of the image.What is the KB for SP2 beta? Is itKB948491 as I do list that andKB955430 as the only two updates on my system. IfKB948491, then perhaps I can just uninstall the SP2 beta and re-install the real deal later?Thanks Bill and bnborg for the other comments as that gives me some hope!DaveFor some reason, I am no longer getting alerts on updates to this thread...so sorry I did not reply and thank sooner.Dave

Now I have installed SP2 RC on my Server 2008. Again I have the "Evaluation Copy" label on the desktop.Winver shows it too. It also shows an expiration date of 4/1/10, 6 PM.

WhatKB number(s) didyou uninstall for SP2 beta? Thanks, DaveDave

I think it was KB948465, but I don't really remember exactly how I uninstalled it.This confuses me since the new release candidate has the same KB948465 label as part of the file name, Windows6.0-KB948465-X64.exe.I downloaded the eta last December and the RC Feb. 28. The eta is about 42 MB larger than the RC.Go figure.To uninstall an update, you go to Control Panel\Programs and Features, and click on "View installed updates" in the upper left corner.On my machine, I see Service Pack for Microsoft Windows (KB948465) listed, among all the other updates.

Thanks bnborg,I only show KB948491and KB955430 after installing the integrated beta and unfortunatley do not show KB948465at all.And I can find no reference toKB948491anywhere!KB955430 shows asrequired for SP2.I'm concerned that I can't findKB948491 and may not be able to uninstall SP2 beta in order to install the RC or final bits. Hope that is not the case as I've got a lot of work into this setup already...Thanks, DaveDave

KB955430 was installed on my machine immediately before SP2 RC during the "Download Updates" phase of the SP2 install.If you have a release copy Windows Server 2008 Standard, you might be able to do a so called "inplace upgrade" of your existing installation.The question is, will setup let you do it if you launch it from the release DVD?

Well after talking with several MSFT support folks that could find nothing on KB948491, I finally found one person that found one article marked MSFT Confidential and he said the update was pulled and was some sort of help file update but he could not tell for what. I uninstalled it. Don't know how it got on my system but presuem WU after all since the date was 2/25 though the only updates I added were 2/26 and the original install was much earlier in the month.As far as adding SP2 RC or the final SP2, since I installed a 2k8 server with SP2 beta integrated, I cannot uninstall SP2 beta and when I tried to run SP2 RC it said SP2 was alrady isntalled. So the MSFT tech support guyalso suggested all I could do was use the WAIK to make a slipstreamed 2k8 system with the SP2 RC or final and then do an inplace upgrade install with that image.So that's my plan. I will post if that ends up not working. Thanks bnborg et al!DaveDave

To put some closure on this, I downloaded the Windows 2008 Server image that had SP2 RC integrated into it and did an in place update which worked fine. Build still shows 6002 but version shows v.286 not v.113 and HAL version shows 6.0.6002.16670 now.KB955430 is the only update shown in Installed Updates and Windows Update Agent 7.2.6001.788 is the only update in Windows Update History. I will do a similar inplace update when the RTM bits for SP2 arrive presuming Microsoft also integrates them into an iso image for the 2k8 server install. I'm very relievedall theconfiguration etc. was not in vain and did not have to start over!Thanks to all. DaveDave

You can use this link below to remove watermark evalution copy 6002 build of vistahttp://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/11/03/get-rid-of-and-remove-evaluation-copy-watermark-in-vista-after-installating-sp1/RegardsGood4youStill Learing

Dave, I have set my dev env on WinSever 2008 and it is the same copy as yours (i.e SP2 RC integrated into it). I frequently get this message that it is a pre-release version and it will expire in another 3 days. I wanted to know what is the implication of this. Will I not be able to use Windows or only support is going to go away. I am fine with the second case, but if I cant use Windows then I will have to shift my dev env immediately. Thanks, Kapil