Media Direct Button To Turn Off The Screen

Hello. First at all, sorry for my english. I´m Argentinian, and i live in Spain.

This is my experience changing the behaviour of media direct button INTO windows vista:
I have a Dell Inspiron 1720, with Vista Premium.
First, i have uninstalled Dell Media Direct (prefer media center), and i wanted the missing function in my Inspiron to turn off my monitor.
I have not formatted (still) the 2,5 or 3 gb hide partition that include Dell Media Direct, only uninstalled it from C:\.
Because it, if i press the button when windows vista is not running, the dell media direct, attempt to run.

My Dell 1720 don`t have the option to turn off the screen, and now, i assigned the "house" button to turn off the screen when i press it.

I was investigating, and I did not have the need to use any other software to do it than a very small program (36kb) to turn off the screen (monitoroff.exe), and put it into a new folder: (C:\program files\Apagar monitor\monitoroff.exe, for example.)
Only, i have used REGEDIT to edit the registry, and this small program.

If you want to do it, you must edit 3 entries named: "HotStartButton --> 0 --> ApplicationPath", and put the path to the program "monitoroff.exe" within each entry .

Next, you must delete the "PathName" and the "ProgramName" entries in: "HKLM\SOFWARE\DELL\MediaDirect", leaving them empty.

It´s that all folks!!! It rune fine in my Inspiron 1720 with vista premium. When i press the "house button", my screen turn off, and when press the keyboard or i move the mouse, the screen turn on.

I hope that this trick is useful for many people.

Rodrigo

 

wow very cool. rep+

Do you think there is a way to modify the program, so that the monitor stays turned off no matter what until you press on the "house button" a second time?

 

Yes, very good post! I have also seen a way to use the Media button to start Ubuntu.
I doubt you can force the monitor to remain off, because when the screen turns off as a result of a power saving plan, you can always get it back by hitting a key or moving the mouse.
Think of the screen turning off as an application, if you will, and the power plan/media button are shortcuts to that application.

 

Hey this sounds really cool, except I can't find the above registry entries. Where exactly are they? I have a clean install of Vista and I also totally deleted Media Direct and the partition it was on. So will this still work for me? Thanks

 

The entries are in these 3 sections of the vista premium registry, at least in my inspiron 1720:


HKLM\SYSTEM\CONTROLSET001\CONTROL\MOBILEPC\HOTSTARTBUTTONS\0\APPLICATIONPATH\...


HKLM\SYSTEM\CONTROLSET003\CONTROL\MOBILEPC\HOTSTARTBUTTONS\0\APPLICATIONPATH\...


HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\CONTROL\MOBILEPC\HOTSTARTBUTTONS\0\APPLICATIONPATH\...



There are other two great free and very small 32 bits (not 64 bits)

command-line programs, to doing MULTIPLE tasks with the "house" button, only puting them into a shortcut with multiple suffixes supported by these small utilities:

The programs are NirCmd.exe and NirCmdc.exe, and both have only 28 kb.

Visit: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd.html


You must crate the windows shortcut to one or other program, (in vista premium, i see that one program run better than the other with some suffix) in this manner, for ex:

"Shortcut path to nircmdc.exe or nircmdc.exe" monitor off --> to Turn off the monitor


"Shortcut to nircmdc.exe or nircmdc.exe" standby --> to put the pc in standby

etc.

Next, the registry entries must "to point" at the shortcut.


You can download these free and small utilities here.

Yoy can see the suffixes supported in this web.


Greetings to you all

 

has anyone tried this successfully for the m1530?

 

has anyone tried this on XP? sounds great, thank you!

 

I also use Nircmd to turn off monitor and do other things, with my phone (setup as a BT remote). Very good tool. I also have a hotkey combination, for me that’s easier than pressing the MD button

 

Thanks for the guide, but I don't seem to be able to get this to work. I have added the correct registry entries (HOTSTARTBUTTONS\0\APPLICATIONPATH\...) but I don't know what to put under that to get the program to work.

I am using a clean installation of Vista with no Media Direct partition present.

 

Hello:

You must put into this 3 entries:


HKLM\SYSTEM\CONTROLSET001\CONTROL\MOBILEPC\HOTSTARTBUTTONS\0\APPLICATIONPATH\...


HKLM\SYSTEM\CONTROLSET003\CONTROL\MOBILEPC\HOTSTARTBUTTONS\0\APPLICATIONPATH\...


HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\CONTROL\MOBILEPC\HOTSTARTBUTTONS\0\APPLICATIONPATH\...



the path to the executable monitoroff.exe, (where you have put it into your hard disc).

For ex., if you have the executable monitoroff.exe into a folder named "monitoroff", into "program files" folder, you must put into the APPLICATIONPATH entries:

"C:\Program Files\monitoroff\monitoroff.exe"




Besides, into the entry HKLM\SOFTWARE\DELL\, make a ney folder named "Media Direct", and put into it, two chains ("ab"), named "PathName", and other chain named "ProgramName",

In the "PathName" chain, type the same path to the executable monotoroff.exe, too.

Into the "ProgramName chain, type any name to the program monitoroff.exe. For ex., simply "monitoroff".

I hope can help you a bit.

Regards.

 

Hello:

Today I tried this, formatting all partitions (including Media Direct partition), and reallocating the size of my drive, and this method work perfectly as well.

Good bye.

 

Hi,
I followed your steps but cannot get the button to turn off the screen.. what could be wrong?
Thanks

 

Hello Darkond0:

1) First at all, you must create this folder: "C:\Program files\monitor off\", and put into it the "monitoroff.exe" program (see the first post to download it).

2) Execute "regedit.exe" with an administrator account.

3) Export all your registry to a file, for ex., to "Desktop" folder.
This is for safety.

4) Download and uncompress the ziped file attached to this post: (the .zip file contain 4 files: "0.reg" - "1.reg" - 2.reg" and "3.reg").
These files are simply, 4 registry entries.

5)Execute each file, accepting the warning message.

(Do not be afraid, because this 4 files won´t create any problems in your computer).
Then, 4 registry entries will be created into the registry.

6) Restart your PC.

This would be enough to make it work, at least, in Windows Vista on a Dell 1720.

Goodbye and Good luck.

 

Thanks so much it worked!! repped!

 

I am very happy that the trick has worked.

Goodbye.

 

Ok - how about this?

Using the MediaDirect (House) button to launch MediaCenter from within Windows Vista? My old 1705 had this however my 1710 under Vista Ultimate does not.

When pressing the MediaDirect button, MediaDirect will launch. Ideally, I would like the following functionality:

1. Laptop powered off - MediaDirect button launches MediaDirect

2. Laptop powered on - MediaDirect button launches Vista Media Center

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

does it work for vista 64x? for thats only for 32?

cheers beto

 

Hello Beto113:

I do not know if it works on 64-bit version.
The action of this button, in our DELL machines, is controlled by the following registry entries in Windows Vista:

"HKLM \ SYSTEM \ CURRENTCONTROLSET \ CONTROL \ MOBILEPC \ HOTSTARTBUTTONS \ 0 \ APPLICATIONPATH \ ...

HKLM \ SYSTEM \ CONTROLSET001 \ CONTROL \ MOBILEPC \ HOTSTARTBUTTONS \ 0 \ APPLICATIONPATH \ ...

HKLM \ SYSTEM \ CONTROLSET002 \ CONTROL \ MOBILEPC \ HOTSTARTBUTTONS \ 0 \ APPLICATIONPATH \ ...

HKLM \ SYSTEM \ CONTROLSET003 \ CONTROL \ MOBILEPC \ HOTSTARTBUTTONS \ 0 \ APPLICATIONPATH \ ... "

Etc.

I think that if the 64-bit version of windows vista has these registry entries, it should also function properly.
I can not verify this, because my version is 32-bit.

Anyway, the 64-bit version, must have some registry entries that control the behavior of the button in the house too.

Can anyone with 64 bits vesion to prove it?.
Greetings.

 

Hello BatBoy:

To launch Media Direct with the pc powered off, it´s necesary to have Media Direct partition (hide partition).
Really, this partition (Media Direct) is like a "small Operating System", therefore, the machine starts when hit the house button.


To do what you want, I think you should do the following steps:


1) If you still have the Media Direct partition in your PC, when you presses the house button with the computer powered off, it will launch the Media Direct program, calling directly to this partition, as the registry is not loaded into memory (the computer is powered off).
Therefore, for this, the retgitry does nothing.


2) On the other hand, i think that you must also change the registry entries below, (putting the path to Media Center: "C:\windows\ehome\ehshell.exe", at least in my pc):

"HKLM \ SYSTEM \ CURRENTCONTROLSET \ CONTROL \ MOBILEPC \ HOTSTARTBUTTONS \ 0 \ APPLICATIONPATH \ ...

HKLM \ SYSTEM \ CONTROLSET001 \ CONTROL \ MOBILEPC \ HOTSTARTBUTTONS \ 0 \ APPLICATIONPATH \ ...

HKLM \ SYSTEM \ CONTROLSET002 \ CONTROL \ MOBILEPC \ HOTSTARTBUTTONS \ 0 \ APPLICATIONPATH \ ...

HKLM \ SYSTEM \ CONTROLSET003 \ CONTROL \ MOBILEPC \ HOTSTARTBUTTONS \ 0 \ APPLICATIONPATH \ ... "

Etc.

* IMPORTANT: "APPLICATIONPATH", must to be an ALPHANUMERIC registry key value.


Finally, i think you must delete the "PathName" and the "ProgramName" entries in: "HKLM\SOFWARE\DELL\MediaDirect", leaving them empty.

I recommend make a copy of the registry, before manipulate it.

Best regards and good luck.

 

i will try it here then i will come back to let you know if its working or not....

cheers

 

nope... it didnt work... i have no dell media center stuff i dont know if its metter or not... but its not working here....

thx anyway

 

I have uninstalled MediaCenter application. The registry hack seems not to work in such case.

But there is an easy workaround - just grab any application capable of catching virtual keys (there must be tons of them around - e.g. powerpro) and assing any function you like to the button.

The MediaCenter button code is: VIRTUAL KEY 255, SCAN CODE 18

I have assigned it myself to lanch c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe - works instantly.

Piece of cake

 

Thanks! Would you know how to do this on an XP Home packaged Inspiron though? It doesn't seem to be the same

 

also have any idea where i can find this power pro app? i couldnt find it. or maybe the name of any other similar program?

 

monitoroff.exe is better than Turn Off LCD.exe cuz it doesn't show any cmd window !

 

+Rep for this awesome program! More battery life for me!

 

For vista x64

I Made a self installing monitor off and registry key all you have to do is execute the program and confirm for the registry keys changes

reboot and monitor off mod will be working in vista x64

 

Very good work. Thanks.