diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index dcba09d539..af0ce66650 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1983,9 +1983,6 @@ if(WIN32)
     set(USE_WIN32_LARGE_FILES ON)
   endif()
 
-  # Use the manifest embedded in the Windows Resource
-  string(APPEND CMAKE_RC_FLAGS " -DCURL_EMBED_MANIFEST")
-
   # We use crypto functions that are not available for UWP apps
   if(NOT WINDOWS_STORE)
     set(USE_WIN32_CRYPTO ON)
@@ -2001,9 +1998,6 @@ if(WIN32)
 endif()
 
 if(MSVC)
-  # Disable default manifest added by CMake
-  string(APPEND CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS " -MANIFEST:NO")
-
   string(APPEND CMAKE_C_FLAGS " -MP")  # Parallel compilation
 endif()
 
diff --git a/lib/setup-win32.h b/lib/setup-win32.h
index 70d83ad8e9..35fe513a84 100644
--- a/lib/setup-win32.h
+++ b/lib/setup-win32.h
@@ -93,12 +93,6 @@
  * newer symbols.
  */
 
-#ifndef _WIN32_WINNT_NT4
-#define _WIN32_WINNT_NT4            0x0400   /* Windows NT 4.0 */
-#endif
-#ifndef _WIN32_WINNT_WIN2K
-#define _WIN32_WINNT_WIN2K          0x0500   /* Windows 2000 */
-#endif
 #ifndef _WIN32_WINNT_WINXP
 #define _WIN32_WINNT_WINXP          0x0501   /* Windows XP */
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/version_win32.c b/lib/version_win32.c
index 21a122f2a6..d58dbec724 100644
--- a/lib/version_win32.c
+++ b/lib/version_win32.c
@@ -113,88 +113,12 @@ bool curlx_verify_windows_version(const unsigned int majorVersion,
     /* we are always running on PLATFORM_WINNT */
     matched = FALSE;
   }
-#elif !defined(_WIN32_WINNT) || !defined(_WIN32_WINNT_WIN2K) || \
-    (_WIN32_WINNT < _WIN32_WINNT_WIN2K)
-  OSVERSIONINFO osver;
-
-  memset(&osver, 0, sizeof(osver));
-  osver.dwOSVersionInfoSize = sizeof(osver);
-
-  /* Find out Windows version */
-  if(GetVersionEx(&osver)) {
-    /* Verify the Operating System version number */
-    switch(condition) {
-    case VERSION_LESS_THAN:
-      if(osver.dwMajorVersion < majorVersion ||
-        (osver.dwMajorVersion == majorVersion &&
-         osver.dwMinorVersion < minorVersion) ||
-        (buildVersion != 0 &&
-         (osver.dwMajorVersion == majorVersion &&
-          osver.dwMinorVersion == minorVersion &&
-          osver.dwBuildNumber < buildVersion)))
-        matched = TRUE;
-      break;
-
-    case VERSION_LESS_THAN_EQUAL:
-      if(osver.dwMajorVersion < majorVersion ||
-        (osver.dwMajorVersion == majorVersion &&
-         osver.dwMinorVersion < minorVersion) ||
-        (osver.dwMajorVersion == majorVersion &&
-         osver.dwMinorVersion == minorVersion &&
-         (buildVersion == 0 ||
-          osver.dwBuildNumber <= buildVersion)))
-        matched = TRUE;
-      break;
-
-    case VERSION_EQUAL:
-      if(osver.dwMajorVersion == majorVersion &&
-         osver.dwMinorVersion == minorVersion &&
-        (buildVersion == 0 ||
-         osver.dwBuildNumber == buildVersion))
-        matched = TRUE;
-      break;
-
-    case VERSION_GREATER_THAN_EQUAL:
-      if(osver.dwMajorVersion > majorVersion ||
-        (osver.dwMajorVersion == majorVersion &&
-         osver.dwMinorVersion > minorVersion) ||
-        (osver.dwMajorVersion == majorVersion &&
-         osver.dwMinorVersion == minorVersion &&
-         (buildVersion == 0 ||
-          osver.dwBuildNumber >= buildVersion)))
-        matched = TRUE;
-      break;
-
-    case VERSION_GREATER_THAN:
-      if(osver.dwMajorVersion > majorVersion ||
-        (osver.dwMajorVersion == majorVersion &&
-         osver.dwMinorVersion > minorVersion) ||
-        (buildVersion != 0 &&
-         (osver.dwMajorVersion == majorVersion &&
-          osver.dwMinorVersion == minorVersion &&
-          osver.dwBuildNumber > buildVersion)))
-        matched = TRUE;
-      break;
-    }
-
-    /* Verify the platform identifier (if necessary) */
-    if(matched) {
-      switch(platform) {
-      case PLATFORM_WINDOWS:
-        if(osver.dwPlatformId != VER_PLATFORM_WIN32_WINDOWS)
-          matched = FALSE;
-        break;
-
-      case PLATFORM_WINNT:
-        if(osver.dwPlatformId != VER_PLATFORM_WIN32_NT)
-          matched = FALSE;
-        break;
-
-      default: /* like platform == PLATFORM_DONT_CARE */
-        break;
-      }
-    }
-  }
+#elif defined(UNDER_CE)
+  (void)majorVersion;
+  (void)minorVersion;
+  (void)buildVersion;
+  (void)platform;
+  (void)condition;
 #else
   ULONGLONG cm = 0;
   struct OUR_OSVERSIONINFOEXW osver;
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 0969d81650..b3b4fd0535 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ listhelp:
 
 if HAVE_WINDRES
 .rc.o:
-	$(RC) -I$(top_srcdir)/include -DCURL_EMBED_MANIFEST $(RCFLAGS) -i $< -o $@
+	$(RC) -I$(top_srcdir)/include $(RCFLAGS) -i $< -o $@
 endif
 
 dist-hook:
diff --git a/src/curl.rc b/src/curl.rc
index 475dfbe896..389b483b4b 100644
--- a/src/curl.rc
+++ b/src/curl.rc
@@ -63,51 +63,3 @@ BEGIN
     VALUE "Translation", 0x409, 1200
   END
 END
-
-/* Manifest */
-
-#if defined(CURL_EMBED_MANIFEST)
-
-/* String escaping rules:
-     https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/aa381050
-   Application Manifest doc, including the list of 'supportedOS Id's:
-     https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/aa374191 */
-
-#ifndef CREATEPROCESS_MANIFEST_RESOURCE_ID
-#define CREATEPROCESS_MANIFEST_RESOURCE_ID  1
-#endif
-#ifndef RT_MANIFEST
-#define RT_MANIFEST  24
-#endif
-
-#define _STR(macro)   _STR_(macro)
-#define _STR_(macro)  #macro
-
-CREATEPROCESS_MANIFEST_RESOURCE_ID RT_MANIFEST
-BEGIN
-  "<?xml version=""1.0"" encoding=""UTF-8"" standalone=""yes""?>"
-  "<assembly xmlns=""urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1"" manifestVersion=""1.0"">"
-    "<assemblyIdentity name=""The curl executable"" version="""
-      _STR(LIBCURL_VERSION_MAJOR) "."
-      _STR(LIBCURL_VERSION_MINOR) "."
-      _STR(LIBCURL_VERSION_PATCH) ".0"" type=""win32""/>"
-    "<compatibility xmlns=""urn:schemas-microsoft-com:compatibility.v1"">"
-      "<application>"
-        "<supportedOS Id=""{e2011457-1546-43c5-a5fe-008deee3d3f0}""/>"  /* Vista / Server 2008 */
-        "<supportedOS Id=""{35138b9a-5d96-4fbd-8e2d-a2440225f93a}""/>"  /* 7 / Server 2008 R2 */
-        "<supportedOS Id=""{4a2f28e3-53b9-4441-ba9c-d69d4a4a6e38}""/>"  /* 8 / Server 2012 */
-        "<supportedOS Id=""{1f676c76-80e1-4239-95bb-83d0f6d0da78}""/>"  /* 8.1 / Server 2012 R2 */
-        "<supportedOS Id=""{8e0f7a12-bfb3-4fe8-b9a5-48fd50a15a9a}""/>"  /* 10 / Server 2016 */
-      "</application>"
-    "</compatibility>"
-    "<trustInfo xmlns=""urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3"">"
-      "<security>"
-        "<requestedPrivileges>"
-          "<requestedExecutionLevel level=""asInvoker"" uiAccess=""false""/>"
-        "</requestedPrivileges>"
-      "</security>"
-    "</trustInfo>"
-  "</assembly>"
-END
-
-#endif
diff --git a/winbuild/MakefileBuild.vc b/winbuild/MakefileBuild.vc
index 06fec81ee7..cb3d0fef43 100644
--- a/winbuild/MakefileBuild.vc
+++ b/winbuild/MakefileBuild.vc
@@ -415,8 +415,6 @@ GEN_PDB = true
 
 !IFDEF EMBED_MANIFEST
 MANIFESTTOOL = $(MT) -manifest $(DIRDIST)\bin\$(PROGRAM_NAME).manifest -outputresource:$(DIRDIST)\bin\$(PROGRAM_NAME);1
-!ELSE
-CURL_RC_FLAGS = $(CURL_RC_FLAGS) /dCURL_EMBED_MANIFEST
 !ENDIF
 
 # Runtime library configuration