Finally got the XPS M170, but have a few questions

I've loving the new machine but a few things don't seem right. For the following questions, everything is stock install straight out of the box.

1) When trying to use the MediaDirect, I push the play button on the front of the machine. The system turns on and shows the MediaDirect spalsh BUT then it boots up XP completely and goes into Media Center. I actually see the desktop, etc. I thought the whole point of MediaDirect was to NOT boot into XP. Am I wrong?

2) You can change the LEDs around the Laptop in the BIOS. Problem is, the color scheme I choose in the BIOS only works until XP is completely booted up. The LEDs then change back to the default settings (saphire). I thought I contolled the LEDs completely, not just during startup.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

I can only answer the first question because it is an i9300/xps m170 answer. The MediaDirect function wasn't built into the i9300/xps gen2/m170. When you do push the play button, windows has to boot to open the media direct software. The not booting up came after the i9300/xps m170 with the xps m140. The e1705 is the second computer to have the feature. The new series of Inspirons/XPS should have the MediaDirect built into them. Sorry, but that is how is it.

Edit: Isn't there a windows program that controls the lights? I think there should be. I would check into that.

 

Dang, kind of defeats the purpose!! Well I'm about to go through the process of doing a fresh install. I wonder if I can get MediaDirect to work as it does with the e1705 or M140 by following the directions from the MediaDirect post that's been so hot lately. If it doesn't work, oh well, I can just do a standard install. We'll see how it goes.

Thanks for the info ccbr01!

 

Yeah, it defeats the purpose. When they designed the i9300 and XPS Gen2, they never expected to ever having a MediaDirect program to begin with. They just had to intergrate it somehow, and booting windows was how they intergrated it.

 

I thought the XPS series did have the function of powering up with Media Direct. That's just what i've heard from a few other users, but that might not be the case.

As for your second question, use Dell Quickset to change the lights. According to dell, you should have a setting in Quickset for your color schemes.

SG

 

It doesnt. I have this machine and my problem is that it overheats and when playing a game it starts stalling and freezing to the point where the game is unplayable. Besides that the machine is great

 

I would download i9kfangui and control the fans. Have you used compressed air any?

 

SG, I tried Dell Quickset but it only has options for power settings and hybernation; nothing on color schemes or LEDs.

I turned them off in the BIOS, but again, once MCE booted up completely, all the LEDs came on!

 

hmm,that's weird. I would download Quickset from dell's website, and install it again. If you right click on Quickset and select open, the color changes should be under the gaming tab (lower right hand color). I don't have an XPS system, so I'm not 100% sure if that is right. Just going off of what someone else said.

You have to quickset running for the light changes to take place, so when you reboot, if you don't have it checked in MSCONFIG, then it won't run unless you manually start it.

SG

 

When I right click on Quickset, I have these options:
-Disable On Screen Brightness Meter
-Disable On Screen Volume Meter
-Wireless Activity Indicator Off
-Hold 'Play' to launch MediaDirect
-Help
-About
-Exit

The first 4 allow me to "check" on or off. The only one checked is "Hold 'Play' to launch MediaDirect" I'll download and install Quickset after I finish Benchmarking everything.

 

Those are the same options for my Quickset too. The new version of Quickset v7.0.10 says "XPS - LED color control." It should work.

 

You might have to double click on Quickset to open it up. I imagine there is a special version of Quickset on Dell's website under Driver's and download that has that option for changing the colors.

The other thing mentioned in the manual for the M170 was to change the system start up settings in the BIOS, but that is what you have been doing.

 

Holly crap! When I double click there is a whole other series of options (feeling stupid). This is where the "XPS Gaming Interface" option is. When I click on "XPS Gaming Interface," I have 3 tabs: "LED Control" "Power Settings" and "Gaming Options". By the way, there is a cool feature that allows you to link LED intensity to display brightness.

Oh this is great; I'm having a blast now!

Thanks SG, and ccbr01.

 

There is also a winamp plugin that makes the LEDs flash in all colors with your music!