[SOLVED] Windows issue connected to trial watermark popup?

[magikai]

I've been battling this issue for months, and I'm running out of options.

So what actually happens?

1. Immediately after restart everything runs perfectly, everything fires up super quick, games run fine, and programs experience little to no lag or resource issues. I have an unregistered copy of Windows Pro, but the watermark is not visible when the machine is restarted.
2. After an hour or two of using the computer normally with no problems, the watermark reappears. I cannot find any specific trigger for the watermark's return, but after it shows up again things start slowly degrading. In order to really notice anything at first you must be playing a game or doing something resource heavy (possibly resource management issues?). But around 30-60 mins after the return of the watermark, the computer is completely unusable to the point that push-to-talk in discord will lag for about 3/4 seconds before picking up voice, I cannot surf the web without it acting like I have reverted to dial-up if I wait too long to restart.
3. These problems started around the time of that problematic windows update, I since fixed those issues with a reinstall, and faced with these new issues.

What have I tried to fix it?
-reinstall windows multiple times
-update drivers
-updated all software and removed unneeded software
-all maintenance steps (defrag, disk cleanup, registry scan, malware scan ect)

I can send any addition information needed, ie logs/specs. I'm just unsure what to include at this point.

 

[rgd1101]

is this activated?

 

[magikai]

is this activated?

No, it isn not activated, but the activate windows watermark disappears when machine is restarted, and reappears later.

 

[USAFRet]

No, it isn not activated, but the activate windows watermark disappears when machine is restarted, and reappears later.

Yes.

That watermark is not always there. It comes and goes.

 

[magikai]

Yes.

That watermark is not always there. It comes and goes.

it seems to be around the same time the issues start, but could be unrelated, not really sure. Just something I noticed.

 

[rgd1101]

full system spec?
malware scan the system?

 

[USAFRet]

it seems to be around the same time the issues start, but could be unrelated, not really sure. Just something I noticed.

That watermark has nothing to do with actual operation.

Where did this OS install come from?

 

[magikai]

OS Name Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
Version 10.0.19041 Build 19041
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name DESKTOP-3TJ8AKG
System Manufacturer LENOVO
System Model 10120
System Type x64-based PC
System SKU LENOVO_MT_1012
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4430 CPU @ 3.00GHz, 3001 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date LENOVO I1KT33AUS, 9/13/2013
SMBIOS Version 2.8
Embedded Controller Version 255.255
BIOS Mode Legacy
BaseBoard Manufacturer LENOVO
BaseBoard Product
BaseBoard Version 31900003 STD
Platform Role Desktop
Secure Boot State Unsupported
PCR7 Configuration Binding Not Possible
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume3
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "10.0.19041.1"
User Name DESKTOP-3TJ8AKG\comma
Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 8.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 7.93 GB
Available Physical Memory 3.16 GB
Total Virtual Memory 15.4 GB
Available Virtual Memory 7.87 GB
Page File Space 7.50 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
Kernel DMA Protection Off
Virtualization-based security Not enabled
Device Encryption Support Reasons for failed automatic device encryption: TPM is not usable, PCR7 binding is not supported, Hardware Security Test Interface failed and device is not Modern Standby, Un-allowed DMA capable bus/device(s) detected, TPM is not usable
Hyper-V - VM Monitor Mode Extensions Yes
Hyper-V - Second Level Address Translation Extensions Yes
Hyper-V - Virtualization Enabled in Firmware Yes
Hyper-V - Data Execution Protection Yes

Also using geForce GTX 750Ti with gameready driver 460.89

 

[magikai]

That watermark has nothing to do with actual operation.

Where did this OS install come from?

Install was initially preinstalled on the hd (was a bought replacement to replace a crapped out one) since i have only reinstalled from that, perhaps i should attempt to install home from scratch, issue with that is that I did that on laptop and that got all messed up too and completely unbootable now with what i assume is driver issues idk how to fix, so been afraid to do that as this is my only semi-working computer right now.

 

[USAFRet]

Whatever Win 10 version came on it from Lenovo, do a full reinstall with that.
If it came with Home, install Home.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

That will activate and get rid of that watermark.
It will also probably do away with whatever software issues ail it.

 

[magikai]

Whatever Win 10 version came on it from Lenovo, do a full reinstall with that.
If it came with Home, install Home.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

That will activate and get rid of that watermark.
It will also probably do away with whatever software issues ail it.

Will it activate even if I don't have the same HD that it was installed on? or stored in bios somewhere or something? That was the issue I had before and hence why I just bought a HD with pre-installed windows if I remember correctly because I was unaware of the ability top use an unregistered copy at the time.

 

[USAFRet]

Will it activate even if I don't have the same HD that it was installed on? or stored in bios somewhere or something? That was the issue I had before and hence why I just bought a HD with pre-installed windows if I remember correctly because I was unaware of the ability top use an unregistered copy at the time.

The proper Win 10 version will absolutely activate.
Drives die and get replaced. MS isn't that restrictive.

But only the same version it originally came with.

 

[USAFRet]

a HD with pre-installed windows

And THAT is almost certainly the cause of your software issues.
And absolutely why it is Unactivated and you're seeing that watermark.

Anyone that sells a drive with a "preinstalled Windows" is a scam.
Seriously.

 

[magikai]

And THAT is almost certainly the cause of your software issues.
And absolutely why it is Unactivated and you're seeing that watermark.

Anyone that sells a drive with a "preinstalled Windows" is a scam.
Seriously.

Well, will certainly do that once i have my backup fixed so if it goes terribly wrong- I'll at least be covered. ty. Appreciate.