Fix Random Windows 7 Freezes, Test Mode

Learn how to stop Windows 7 from freezing at will, remove a mysterious "test mode" watermark, and find out exactly what version of Windows you're running.

Of all the hassles that can plague a PC user (and, trust me, there are many), few are as infuriating as random lockups. There you are, typing along, when suddenly everything just freezes. No error message, no blue screen, just a locked-up, unresponsive system. I've been there. I feel your pain.

If you're a Windows 7 (or Windows Server 2008 R2) user, you may be in luck: Microsoft recently issued a hotfix for systems that stop responding randomly.

What causes the problem? Microsoft says it's "a deadlock condition between the Lsass.exe process, the Redirected Drive Buffering Subsystem (Rdbss.sys) driver, and the Winsock kernel." Well, duh! That was going to be my first guess.

The hotfix is available for both 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows 7. (Fun fact: you'll often see these versions represented as "x86" and "x64," respectively.) To get it, go to the appropriate Microsoft Support page, click "View and request hotfix downloads," accept Microsoft's terms, choose the hotfix compatible with your system, and provide your e-mail address. Click "Request hotfix," then check your e-mail inbox for a message containing a link to the download.

I'm not sure why Microsoft makes you jump through these hoops, but, then again, I'm not sure why Microsoft does half the things it does.

Remove the 'Test Mode' Watermark from Windows 7

Isn't it cute the way Windows always finds new ways to surprise and annoy you? Like today, for instance, I booted my system and noticed something new in the lower right corner: 

Test Mode 
Windows 7 
Build 7600

I've been using this licensed and activated version of Windows 7 for nearly a year. What's with the bizarro watermark all of a sudden?

Who knows? I've also been trying to troubleshoot a weird, out-of-the-blue "security warning" message that appears whenever I click a Start Menu program. As I regularly tell my dad when crazy stuff like this happens: "That's Windows for you."

Don't get me wrong--I like Windows 7 a lot. I'm just a little fed up with this kind of thing. And I recently gave up coffee, so I'm a little cranky. Anyway, if you've encountered that same watermark in Windows 7, here's how to get rid of it:

1. Click Start and type cmd. 
2. Right-click cmd and choose Run as Administrator. 
3. At the command prompt that appears, type bcdedit.exe -set loadoptions ENABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS 
4. Press Enter, then type bcdedit.exe -set TESTSIGNING OFF 
5. Press Enter, then type exit and press Enter one last time. 
6. Reboot your PC. 
7. That should send the watermark packing; it did on my system. 

Oh, Windows--what exciting surprises do you have in store for me tomorrow?

Quickly Determine Which Version of Windows You Have 

You probably know if your PC is running Windows XP, Vista, or 7--but do you know which version of Windows it is? For example, is it XP Home? Windows 7 Ultimate? And is it the 32-bit or 64-bit variety? 

Knowing the answer to the last question is increasingly important these days, as you can't run 64-bit software on a 32-bit OS. Likewise, if you do have 64-bit Windows (often referred to as "x64"), you should always opt for 64-bit versions of your favorite applications (when available).

Windows doesn't paste this information anywhere in plain sight, but it's easy enough to find. In Vista and 7, right-click your Computer icon and choose Properties. Presto: all the information you need in one handy box. You can also click the Start button, type version, and then click Show which operating system your computer is running.

Windows 7 Ultimate

Windows 7 Ultimate is more than just spin. It's stable, smooth, and highly polished, introducing new graphical features, a new taskbar that can compete handily with the Mac OS X dock, and device management and security enhancements that make it both easier to use and safer. Importantly, it won't require the hardware upgrades that Vista demanded, partially because the hardware has caught up, and partially because Microsoft has gone to great lengths to make Windows 7 accessible to as many people as possible.

Windows 7 isn't as buggy as Vista, it's the successor to Windows XP that Microsoft wishes Vista had been, and finally places it on competitive footing with other major operating systems like OS X and Linux. Windows 7 support both 32-bit and 64-bit systems. The bare minimum requirements for the 32-bit include a 1GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB available hard-disk space, and a DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver. 64-bit systems will require at least a 1 GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 20GB of free space on your hard drive, and a DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver.

User Account Control, or UAC, is back in Windows 7. Microsoft has tweaked the feature so that it's less intrusive, but it's not clear whether that means you're actually more or less secure than you were in Vista. UAC was one of the biggest changes in Vista. It tightened program access, but did it in such a way as to frustrate many owners of single-user computers. Windows 7 provides more options for user customization of UAC.

Windows 7 feels faster than Windows XP and Vista, but it turns out that's not always the case--sometimes, it's the slowest out of the three operating systems. CNET Labs tested four 32-bit Windows operating systems: Windows 7 RTM build 7600, Windows 7 Release Candidate build 7100, Windows Vista with Service Pack 2, and Windows XP SP3, all on an Inspiron Desktop 530 Mini Tower running an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E4500 at 2.20 GHz, with a 128MB NVIDIA 8300 GS graphics card, 4GB of RAM, and two 320GB SATA 7,200rpm hard drives.

Windows 7 looks like the operating system that both Microsoft and its consumers have been waiting for. By fixing most of the perceived and real problems in Vista, Microsoft has laid the groundwork for the future of where Windows will go. Windows 7 presents a stable platform that can compete comfortably with OS X, while reassuring the world that Microsoft can still turn out a strong, useful operating system.

Download your copy of Windows 7 Ultimate now