MD 3.0 has necessarily to be in a logical partition?

Hi everybody.

I received my 9400 2 weeks ago and since then i have a problem I can't solve with partitions and MediaDirect 3.0.
I've been searching on the web for days, but i wasn't able to find infos about MD v3.0, while there is a clear and full guide about v2.0 in this forum.

Here's the facts:

As shipped, the hdd was partitioned in this way:
1) recovery (78 MB)
2) primary partition with XP (88GB)
3) extended partition whit one only logical partition inside for MediaDirect 3.0
4) primary partition with Dell System Restore

I would like to find a way to have on my HDD a primary partition for XP and SOME logical partitions, without losing MediaDirect 3.0.

The problem is that the only extended partition available is taken by MediaDirect 3.0!

I was thinking to reinstall XP to create the partition I need (1 primary for O.S. and an extended one for my needed logical partititions).

Anybody know wich type of partition does MediaDirect 3.0 creates
when being REINSTALLED from its own cd (with the "reinstalling XP-procedure")?

Does MD 3.0 needs a logical partition?

Can i format, reinstall XP, make my partitions leaving space for MD and then reinstalling MD 3.0 in a primary partition?

I'd really appreciate any help...i feel lost!

Should be great even if someone has a link for good infos
about issues with MD 3.0!

ps - sorry if my english is not so good. i write from italy. ciao!

 

Hi, I just ordered an e1705 (9400) which will be arriving in some time, and I think I will have the same problem. Try the method in the following thread and tell me if it works for you. Note that the method is for Vista, but it might work with XP and MD 3.0.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=104333

 

Hi Sylenxor.

I checked the link, thank you. But what i wish to understand is what
TYPE of partition (primary or logical) MD 3.0 creates when it's reinstalled
in the way explained in the link or in other ways I've found on the web.

The question is: when reinstalling from its own CD, MD 3.0 creates an
extended partition and then puts itself in the only LOGICAL partition created inside?
If the answer is yes, the only way to have my extended partition AND MD 3.0
should be:
format, install xp, create my extended partition leaving 2 GB for MD.
then i should reinstall MD 3.0 from its CD.
Will this work?

Getting crazy...

 

To the best of my knowledge, I think the method says MD 3.0 creates and puts itself in its own logical partition. The OS would then reside in the primary partition.

 

Yeah, i'm almost sure that's like you say, and I'm very upset for this.
But I won't surrender until I have a "100% sure" answer to the question
I'm still waiting for a reply to my post in the dell community forum.

I sended an e-mail to dell support here in Italy and they olny answered that
modifying your table of partitions you modify your MBR,
so there'll be for sure problems with MD and System Restore.
They also told me that is not guaranteed that you can fix these problems
using Dell MediaDirect Repair Utility with MD 3.0...

Someone out there used the repair utility to fix MD 3.0?


Too bad if I'll have to delete MD in order to have my useful
logical partitions...
But I can't have only one big 88 GB partition on my HDD!
It'll cause problems with security, imaging & restoring, defragmenting.
It'd be a total mess!

 

I have 4 partitions : Primary 1 = Windows Vista , Primary 2 = Windows XP , Primary 3 = Data, Extended/logical = MediaDirect 3.

This is what I did :
I booted with MD3 DVD and prepared the disk for MD3 while letting it create 2 partitions, 20GB for Vista and rest (around 90GB) for another partition (120GB disk). Then I installed Vista on the first 20GB. After booting in to Vista I deleted the second ~ 90GB and made 2 new partitions using Windows Disk Manager. 20GB for XP and rest for Data. Then, installed MD 3 according to instructions given in the post linked above. Then installed XP, afterwards I had to repair Vista and use VistaBootPro to make XP and Vista work together.

Warning : Partitioning (preparing) with MD 3 DVD will completely wipe out your HDD !.

 

PheonixFX is right. You can setup your partitions the way that you want and still install Media Direct 3.

When you boot from the MD3 cd, you are able to redo your partitions. I left partition 1 (dell diagnostics) in place, but wiped the other 3. I then set up my partitions like this (for my 120GB HD).

partition 1: dell diagnostics 47mb
partition 2: Vista OS 30gb
partition 3: Data 80gb
partition 4: Media Direct 4gb

Notice that I got rid of the Dell Restore Partition (I can't imagine any situation where I would want to go back to all of the bloatware). If I remember correctly, the MD3.0 disk utility will only allow a max of 4 partitions. If you want more then you'll need to use another utility.

Once you have prepared your harddrive you can just boot into Vista and then run MD3.0 setup from the desktop.

If you ever reinstall your OS, then you should just need to reinstall MD3.0 from the desktop as long as you don't mess with the partitions again.

I hope this helps.

 

As you guys said, it's ok to wipe existing partitions, then create
3 primary partition and a logical one with MD3. And of course make it work.

Premised that I don't want to install Vista for now and I'll have XP only,
and that I'll wipe the Restore partition,
I'm trying to understand if MD3 works if installed in a primary partition,
because I'd like to use the only extended partition disposable in a HDD for my data.

When you installed MD3 from cd at boot, did it ask if the partitions to create were to be primary or logical?

 

I don't remember if it gave me an option of designating any of the partitions as primary or logical.

But, I just looked a little closer at my current HD layout and found:

partition1: Dell Diagnostics - EISA configuration
partition2: OS (C: ) (System, Boot,Page File, Active, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)
partition3: Data (D: ) (Logical Drive)
partition4: Media Direct (Primary Partition)

So, it seems that MD3.0 will by default create a primary partition for itself and leave the logical partition for your data (which is what I think you want to do).

 

I know that's possible to have 2 primary partitions (one for XP, one for data/another o.s.) and MD3 working properly.

But I'd like to have
1) dell diagnostic (1 primary);
2) XP partition (1 primary);
2) different data types stored in 2 or 3 logical partitions ( 1 extended partition);
3) MD3 in a PRIMARY partiton.

I'm starting to believe that it's not possible...

Still haven't found a positive answer to my question,
but not even a negative one.
That's why I'm annoying you with my replys

 

finally i've found him!

my last reply was just to clear my request.
(always afraid of not being clear enough with my english)

thanks robbirzell, you're the guy I was looking for!
I'll try to do as you did and then i'll let you know!

 

Great!

I thought that was the answer that you were looking for.

I've learned so much from the people on this site and I am happy when I can give something back.