[GUIDE] How to change your Dell MediaDirect button's functionality

NOTE: This was written for Vista back in 2008. I no longer have a Dell lappie with a MediaDirect button so I cannot adjust this for W7 nor test. See post here for W7 instructions.

- How to change your Dell MediaDirect button's functionality -​

There have been many posts asking how to change the function of the Dell MediaDirect button (the little house). I thought it might be easier for people to reference if the basics were all located under one thread. What follows is the process I use.

Couple of important bits of info before we begin:

1. This process DOES NOT require you have MediaDirect. Quickset is required as Quickset creates the Registry Keys which we need and handles the routing.

2. Tested and verfied compatible with MediaDirect 3.5, MediaDirect 4.0, Quickset 8.2.20+. Works with Vista 32/64, XP 32/64 and Windows 7 x64. (Thanks to arjunnedfor confirming XP and Win 7 x64)


BE AWARE, WE WILL BE EDITING THE REGISTRY. IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE OR CHANGE SOMETHING BY ACCIDENT, YOU CAN HOSE YOUR SYSTEM. BACK UP YOUR REGISTRY IF YOU FEEL THE NEED. IF YOU DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE, STOP NOW.

Without further delay, let's get started.

1. We will need to modify a couple of registry keys. Open REGEDIT via the RUN command (type REGEDIT). This will launch the REGISTRY EDITOR. (Again, if these keys are missing, just create them).

Find the following keys...

HKey_Local_Machine\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\MobilePC\HotStartButtons\0
HKey_Local_Machine\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\MobilePC\HotStartButtons\0
HKey_Local_Machine\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Control\MobilePC\HotStartButtons\0
HKey_Local_Machine\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Control\MobilePC\HotStartButtons\0​

*Note: You may note have ControlSet003 - if not, don't worry. Just proceed.

For each of these keys, there is an Application Path entry. This is the entry you will need to modify.

When looking at it, it will look like this:

"C:\Program Files\Dell\MediaDirect\MDirect.exe"​

2. In order to remap it to launch another application, just edit the path to whatever application you want. So, for example:

To map it to launch Windows Media Center, you would change the path to:

"C:\Windows\ehome\ehshell.exe"​

You now have the process to change the mapping to any application you have. Just point the application path to the application you want the button to launch.

*NOTE: After modifying the registry, you will need to reboot for your changes to take effect.


POWER OFF LCD


Fr0stbite posted a request to change the button functionality to power off the LCD. This is also possible. In order to do this, use the following process:

1. Download TurnOffLCDv101. It's a small 85kb application that is Freeware*

2. Extract the file to your desktop or another location.

3. Assuming you saved TurnOffLCDv101.exe to the Program Files folder, when editing the registry, you would change the ApplicationPath key to:

"C:\Program Files\Turn Off LCD.exe"

Thats it! Now after rebooting, depressing the MediaDirect button will turn off the LCD. Moving the mouse or pressing a a keyboard key will power on the LCD.

*Thanks to Taimur Asad for writing this little Application.


LOCK WORKSTATION, RESTART, SHUTDOWN:


You can also use this same process to perform these functions.

So, for LOCK WORKSTATION you would:

1. Right-click an empty space on your desktop, point at New, and then select Shortcut.

2. Type rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation in the location field and then press Next.

3. Type the name of the shortcut in the name box ("LockWorkstation").

4. Click Finish to create the shortcut. To keep the desktop clean and free of clutter, move the newly created shortcut to the root level of your C: drive.

5. Now, in the Application path of the registry edit process, change it to point to your LockWorkstation shortcut.

"C:\LockWorkstation"​

6. Reboot.

Pressing the MediaDirect button will now lock your lappie. Granted its probably just as fast to use keyboard shortcuts, but some people may find it useful.


Try this for a SHUTDOWN shortcut which will force all open application to close the system to shutdown:

Shutdown.exe -s -t 00 ​

or to give the system 30 seconds, use this:

Shutdown.exe -s​

For SLEEP, try:

Rundll32.exe Powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState Sleep​

for HIBERNATE, try:

Rundll32.exe Powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState Hibernate
​

Again, once you have identified the shortcut/application/file you want to link the button to, just go into the registry as before and change the Application Path. You can link to any shortcut you create... Why not set it to launch a favorite website like NotebookReview's Dell Forum? Kind of cool huh?


Well, there you have it. Enjoy! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

 

Really Useful guide thanks for posting BatBoy

 

Really useful! No doubt I'll be using this when I set up Dells into the future!

--Tom

 

Will this work for "any" dell notebook?

 

Great guide, I will use this when my M1730 gets here. Do you know how to set it to sleep or hibernate? I haven't been able to find a clear cut answer for Vista.

 

If you press the power button once it goes to sleep.

 

I suppose I could do that, but I was aiming for a shutdown and sleep button. I suppose I'll just opt for restart or map it to something else.

 

Great guide. umm Can you map it to boot xp?

 

wow...great guide, thanks

 

Yes. It will work with any Dell that has a MediaDirect button (house) on the keyboard and has Quickset installed.

 

Added SHUTDOWN, SLEEP AND HIBERNATE to Guide - see first post.

 

I really wish there was a way to make use of the button without requiring the Media partition, Quickset & Media Direct to be intact.

I'm surprised the OS doesn't see the Media button as another key through the Human Interface Devices service that runs in the background.

Last resort, someone has to probably code an app to see/detect the Media button and then allow the button to do custom commands.

Jay

 

I'm still looking for a way to map the key to turn on the media buttons on the front of the laptop (the lights) so that they can be seen in the dark when I want to switch songs and the such. They turn on for five seconds after depressing them, but then go black.

 

I dont think you'll find a way I highly doubt those LEDs are controlled by software or the BIOS. I'm thinking more along the lines of TV remote style - push activated, part of the button... ya know?

Would be cool though. Let us know if you ever find a way.

 

Remapped it to WMP on my XP pro system. Just letting you know.

 

Thanks for the confirmation. I'll update the Guide.

 

Well I can't get mine to work. I'm familiar with changing things in the registry so I'm not necessarily doing something wrong.

I've got a Dell Inspiron E1505 and have reinstalled Vista Ultimate on it from a clean hard drive (none of the dell stuff). I noticed that in the registry i do not have a ControlSet002 - just the 001 and 003. I tried to make the correct path and once i restarted it was gone, interesting.

Here's the path when i do a Copy Key Name (so spelling isn't an issue). Was i correct that the end was a zero and not an O?
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\MobilePC\HotStartButtons\0"
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Control\MobilePC\HotStartButtons\0"
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\MobilePC\HotStartButtons\0"

Then the I created a simple new string value - it didn't have to be special did it?
Here's what i got for that: "Application Path" and "C:\Windows\ehome\ehshell.exe"


Anything i'm doing wrong or will this just not work?

 

Nicely done. Rep to a very useful guide.

 

On a fresh Vista x64 install I don't have the 0's...just HotSTartButtons and then no folder inside of that. I guess you can't do it without Quickset and/or MediaDirect installed. Unless maybe I make my own 0 folder?

 

For nm3210 and DFIFan, check the first page. I've added exported registry entries for you to use since you are having issues. These entries are setup to utilize the 'Turn Off LCD.exe' app. The zip archive includes the Turn Off LCD.exe app.

Hope this helps.

 

Turn Off LCD is awesome and mapping it to the button works perfectly. Thanks all!

 

Well it doesn't work for me (even with the registry edits). For some reason whenever i restart my computer it deletes all the ControlSet002 stuff. Here's my fix:

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/57832/MediaCenterButton.zip (200KB)

An exe that you can throw into your startup that enables the button and then opens Media Center in full screen mode (although I can't seem to understand why it doesn't put it on top of other windows). Uses about 2MB ram with zero cpu, so it's not a major hog on resources. Made by an AutoHotKey script and then used their .ahk to .exe converter. Here's the actual script so you know nothing bad will happen to your computer (i'm using it, haha, my email is nm3210 AT gmail.com if you want to hunt me down):

Code:

#NoTrayIcon
SC112::
Run %SystemRoot%\ehome\ehshell.exe /directmedia:general
return

Basically it sets the AutoHotKey to not have a tray icon (you don't have to have it installed for this to work by the way) and then waits for button press 112 which is the MediaDirect button and then simply runs ehshell.exe.

 

Has anyone tried setting the MD button for Media Center? If so, does it simply boots into Media Centre? Or does it do the whole laborious boot-into-Vista-first thing? I saw a demo on YouTube of the MD button booting into Media Direct and thought it was pretty cool. However, since it doesn't do that anymore, I was wondering if it could do that with Media Center? Thanks!

 

Ok, I just tried it, and it works, but it still starts up Vista, which is annoying. It's still pretty fast though, so it's not too bad.

 

REP+

Thanks !

 

Hey guys. So I used to have Vista 32-Bit and I used this to start Windows Media Center instead of the Dell Media Center.

I recently reformatted my HD to 64-Bit and I erased the 2.5GB partition as I had no intention of re-installing Dell MediaDirect. I went into the registry editor and changed the settings to exactly what I had before (the controlset001, 002, and currentcontrolset), but now nothing happens whenever I hit the "home" button except for the button itself lighting up.

Will this process ONLY work if I have partitioned off 2.5GB of my HD?? Surely there's another way around it...

 

I have not had time to update my original post. I'll try to do it soon. For the updated version, check here.

-----------------------------------------------

@ kaaji1359:

I have not had a chance to test this on Vista 64. I don't see how it would be any different though.

Make sure you add the registry entries exactly as they appear:

HKey_Local_Machine\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\MobilePC\HotStartButtons\0

HKey_Local_Machine\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\MobilePC\HotStartButtons\0

HKey_Local_Machine\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Control\MobilePC\HotStartButtons\0

HKey_Local_Machine\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Control\MobilePC\HotStartButtons\0

You may not have an entry for ControlSet003 - if not, don't worry.

For each of these keys, there is an Application Path entry. This is the entry you will need to modify.

To map it to launch Windows Media Center, you would change the path to media center's .exe Remember, under Vista64 bit the media center app may be in the Program Files or the Program Files (x86) directory. Not sure which, but be sure you get the path correct.

The .exe for media center is ehshell.exe.

NOTE: After modifying the registry, you will need to reboot for your changes to take effect.

 

Thanks for the reply.

I've made sure the path's are correct (it's not under program files, but still under windows) and double checked everything. It still doesn't do a thing.

I ended up making a post on the DELL website and they said that since I deleted the 2.5GB partition, my laptop doesn't even recognize the fact that there's a "home" button. Basically I'm wondering if there's a way to make my laptop recognize that there is a "home" button.

 

That shouldn't matter. Hmmmm... Well, in the next couple of days when time permits I will be making the switch to 64-bit. Since I do not have the MD Partition it will be a perfect test case. I'll post back my findings once I give it a go...

 

I press it once, and it works - screen turns off, and stays off. I move the mouse to test it for mutliple tries, and the second time, it turns off, and then comes back on after a second. If I hold it down, it stays off, until I depress the button. Apparently the .exe is not meant to be used multiple times in a short amount of time? Otherwise it's just buggy at this point, or something wrong with my system? It works the first time after turning the system on, but after that one time, it's a hit or miss with the next tries.

 

@hankaaron57:

TurnOffLCD.exe seems to pick up certain levels of HDD / CPU activity. I see the same type of behavior as well. I think its normal and something we just have to live with...

 

I found the remedy! Which is kinda' hilariously stupid, in its own way, but, you just need to double press it. Press it twice in succession. It seems to load the dos window twice and the second one seems to override the first one closing...Works everytime when I press it twice, one right after the other.

It's such a great feature, because my roommate wakes up when I turn my screen on to check mail/what-have-you at night, so when I'm done, I can turn it immediately off when I leave the computer, rather than wait the 10 minutes for the screen saver to come on and/or screen to turn off on quickset's setting after 20 minutes. Granted I COULD change those settings as well, but it's nice to have your computer do its own things most of the time, and you step in when you have to. A+ on the guide

 

Glad to hear it worked out

 

What is the type for application path? String?

 

I have a similar question about changing the function of the media keys on the front of an E1505. I want to change the stop key to act just like the power button (basically have two power buttons). I have no experience modifying the registry, but am willing to try if someone could give me some ideas. Any thoughts?

 

Any ideas?

 

This is as far as I've gotten. I'm not sure where the application path entry s or how to modify it. Can anyone help the rookie plz?

 

Good find. I will take a look at it tomorrow after work and see what I can do. I know of a few 1730 owners who wanted to [including me] extend the amount of time the buttons lit up when you depress them, even though that seems like something that wouldn't be software based. Have to take a look!

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=310881

I actually created a thread regarding the same topic. Feel free to post in that thread too since this is getting off topic.

 

Hate to break it to you guys... but the 'HotStartButtons' are the entries to remap the media direct button. They don't control your Media Keys.

 

So I was trying this out and for the most part it worked very well (the whole turn off the LCD display part worked great)...but... I had changed it to open Firefox and I get two firefox windows every time. I'm not sure if it matters, but I only have the first and third control sets, no second one. Any idea what's happening?

 

This guide is awesome. Yea, the LCD turn off option is really cool.

 

Still trying to figure this out.. Help please

 

it was working for me very good, but recently my MediaDirect key stopped working xD
I also reinstalled it but it still doesn't work

 

Download the Zip file in POST#1

 

Don't want to push my luck here, but would it be possible to create a program to turn off the g15 LCD? That would be awesome, and map it to one of the 5 complementary buttons near it.

 

Finally, a practical use for that button.

 

bump
please help me !

 

Tagged for later!!!!

I'm glad I checked out the Dell forums. I was just thinking about how useless that button is to me currently. Thanks for the guide.

 

bump