New Dell MediaDirect

Pls. when you recive it, can you guide me also to get the cd, I also need the installation CD for media direct

 

Pls. help me, I am staying in Saudi arabia and the service provider dont want to do this type service, can you send me a copy of this, I will pay for it you want, I am aslo having the same system

 

anybody, who wants to really help me for providing the media experience and media direct application installation cd, pls. contact me
[email protected]

 

Here is a download link for Media Direct 3. Read post #66.

 

Check your PM and e-mail. Good luck.

 

I was able to get a copy of it and the installation went well. Funny how Dell took longer to answer an email, and then told me it is not compatible with my system. Funny because I installed it, and it works.

 

Dell is always funny. Enjoy.

 

I've followed the previously posted instructions and have successfully copied taskmgr.exe to the correct location. Unfortunately when I boot directly into MD express (3) and press "ctl-alt-del" nothing happens. I've also copied the required files to play xvid files (xvidcore.dll and xvid.ax) to X:\windows\system32 and registered xvid.ax but xvid files still refuse to play. I have no problem with these files if I boot into Windows XP and use MD but not booting directly. I have an Inspiron 640m. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

If you have formatted your Dell MediaDirect Laptop's Hard Drive and you have the Dell Inspiron 9400/E1705 (Both Same Thing) I will upload the disk image. Windows will not be able to detect the Dell MediaDirect Partition as it is HPA Protected. This means that not even any Windows Setup Disks will be able to find it. So formatting the Hard Drive during the Windows Setup won't really erase the Dell MediaDirect Partition. It will just erase the command line that leads to it. So pressing the Dell MediaDirect button won't open Dell MediaDirect, so it is required that you make a disk containing a disk image that when boot from will repair the command line leading to Dell MediaDirect. I will post the files that are necessary on a seperate Web-Site. I will post the link to it later today. All you have to do is save the files to an empty folder on your Hard Drive, then insert a blank cd or dvd cancel whatever program opens or select Take No Action in a list menu that opens. Then, Drag and drop the files from the empty folder onto a your blank CD or DVD. Make sure that when you drag & drop the files that you complete the CD Writing Wizard which will open when you click the message in your taskbar that says there are files waiting to be written to a CD. Make sure you read the Readme as it will tell you exactly which files to put on the CD. If you don't have an Inspiron 9400/E1705 you can go to http://www.support.dell.com/ and select drivers and manuals. Then select support by product and find your Laptop. Please note that you should make sure that you have Dell QuickSet as Dell MediaDirect won't work if you don't have it because it Configures the Hardware Hotkeys. Please note that you can obtain Dell Quickset for your Laptop from the Drivers and Downloads are on the Dell Support Site.

 

Hey guys, I just got my XPS m1330, and to all our good fortune, it came with a Dell Media Direct 3.3 Reinstallation disk, I've made an iso and hosted a torrent:
http://www.torrentbox.com/torrent_details?returnto=/account-cp.php&id=123798
Not quite sure why the file size is so small (only 594MB) but that is an ISO made straight from the disk.

I hope this helps you all
jscinoz

 

Anyoine figure out a way to get divx to work with media direct yet? (Not in windows)

 

Can anyone confirm getting MD3 working on a Vostro machine with Flash Cache turned on (ie you had to install intel matrix driver during install).

On mine MD blue screens every time I try to boot and I think it's becuase it's missing the intel matrix driver... but I if someone else got it working then then that would mean that's not true.

 

If you look around, it shouldn't be too hard to find the Dell MediaDirect 2.6GB ISO image online. My download should be done in 2 hours. Does anyone know if this will work on my M1210?

 

To: jscinoz

Please seed ;-)

 

default, I'm seeding it, and there appear to be 5 other seeds, so you should be able to get it now.

 

I just bought a Vostro 1500 with 120GB 5400RPM HD with XP Pro. Not even thinking about MD a the time, I ordered a 200GB 7200RPM Hitachi HD from newegg. I then downloaded something called Hiren's boot cd 9.2 and used something on their call Acronis True Image to copy over the partitions with it's clone disk feature. At first, it wanted to size all three partitions proportionately, but I decided to manually make partitions 1 and 3 (FAT and FAT32) exactly the same size from source to target, thereby maximizing the space for my OS. All went well, I actually used my alienware which had two SATA spots in it to do the image copying. I then shelved the original Dell HD (for backup, warranty, and troubleshooting purposes). My new drive booted fine in XP Pro and I was set.

A few days later, I decided to press the MD button while the laptop was off. Much to my dismay, it booted into Windows, I typed my password, the it launched a windows app that looked like MD. This was not what I was used to with my xps1210. This sucked. How was I going to type in my password with that little remote? Why did I have to wait for the whole stupid windows to load? I popped back in the original HD, press the MD button and it went straight into the MD standalone app. Whew. Acronis must have screwed up. OK, so I thought I would just use the MD CD that came with it and reinstall MD. It wanted to reformat!!! Unacceptable. I already spent days installing every thing and don't want to do it again. I then started reading the BAT files spawned from autoexec from the MD CD to see if I could somehow skip the repartition step (since my partition were already copied as the right size and type). I found setupmd /disk=0 /type=DD and tried from a commandline and found I could also do setupmd /logical=1 if I wanted. I found md3patch which takes an optional numeric arguement which can be 0 through 4 (seems to be which disk it boots). I also found the mapup which is for the diagnostic stuff. I did all the steps the bat file did (stage1/doit.bat), then booted into windows. From there I tried to install the md app just using the autorun from the CD. This slowly went to about 13% then said comlpeted. Odd, looks like it skipped something and just gave a premature finish. I then dug around in the directories. The important things I found were v15001.exe, v15002.exe (both self extracting zips expecting an X: drive) and a md3util which displayed command line options for finding, mounting and unmounting these special partitions. Great. I mounted the MEDIADIRECT partiton with this utility as X: (which was the default showed in the dialogs) and had an X: drive which looked like the MD WinXP subinstall or xp embedded install. I am also guessing you can put in taskmgr from here as well. I extracted the zips to there, powered down, pressed the MD button, nothing, just an MD splash screen. I went back into windows XP, and mounted again. I did notice a boot.ini on the X: drive (MEDIADIRECT). I wnet into there and copied it to my main XP's boot.ini. I then tried booting with it and got an error message. I then changed partition from 4 to 3 in boot.ini and then tried to boot to it again. It looked like it almost worked, got the custom progress bar media direct splash screen, but ended up at a blank desktop with just a mouse pointer. I feel I am getting close, but just missing a few pieces here and there.

My main questions are:
How exactly does setupmd.exe work and what does it do? md3patch.exe?
Can I use this MD button to both another OS? Linux, Vista, a second XP?

I would first like to get my MD working and dont want to be told the simpleton, just blindly follow the procedure. I would rather micromanage this process so I can learn.

Then I would like to either read or prepare one myself, a howto on the innerworkings of this MD button, and the MD application. I might want to slipstream another app into this embedded nature. Maybe a wifi finder or just a simple web browser so I can just hand it to my wife and say press this without having to explain windows stuff.

 

I installed XP Pro on a new (July 2007) Dell Inspiron 1520 that came with Vista Home. I did NOT delete the MediaDirect partition during the XP install. Pressing the MediaDirect button trashed the XP installation.

I did a 2nd clean reinstall of XP last night, deleted the MediaDirect partition and all others, created new C and D partitions, left about 10 GB unpartitioned space, then reinstalled all drivers, upgraded BIOS to A03, etc. So far the XP reinstall works fine, but I have NOT hit the MediaDirect button again!

A Dell rep just confirmed by phone that the MediaDirect 3.3 reinstall CD that came with my new Inspiron 1520 is NOT compatible with XP. She is sending me a reinstall CD for MediaDirect 3.0 that she says works with XP.

There is still one minor symptom that may be MediaDirect related: right after the BIOS screen at bootup, I get a screen asking me to confirm which of two Windows installations I want to launch. Both listed installations are labeled "Windows XP Professional." I have only launched the first listed XP Pro, because I think the other one may be MediaDirect in disguise (generated by the BIOS?).

I don't know whether I'll risk crashing my XP installation again by installing MediaDirect 3.0, but she assured me it's compatible with XP. I'll probably just leave well enough alone and hope nobody hits the MediaDirect button.

Questions, if anyone can respond:
1. How do I auto-bypass the screen asking me which Windows installation I want to launch?
2. IS MediaDirect 3.0 in fact compatible with XP?
4. Can I install MD from XP without blowing up XP (there should be more than enough unpartitioned space on my hard drive for MD), or do I have to "prepare" the hard drive first with the MD reinstall disk, and then reinstall XP again, and then run the MD reinstall disk?
3. Will the front panel volume and media buttons work independent of MediaDirect, or will they try to launch it, possibly trashing my system?

My inclination is to leave well enough alone and give up the MD functions, but I'd rather reinstall it if feasible, rather than risk having it blow up my XP later after I have a lot of data files.

 

1. edit boot.ini
2. works for me -> I have a vostro 1500, and am using media direct 3 and did an online update to the latest (3.3 I think).
4. it is probably alot easier to just prepare it with the md install disk. However if it is really important that you dont want to blow up XP, you may be able to "edit" the doit.bat file (from the C: ramdrive and not the A: drive) to bypass that part. I think it has something to do with dellpart.exe which copies the ini files (either 1drive.ini or 2drive.ini to HARDDRIVE.ini) and sets up your partitions from there. You can edit these ini files and make it only do part of the process. Long story short, the easies whould be to do what you said "prepare" the hard drive first with the MD reinstall disk, and then reinstall XP again, and then run the MD reinstall disk"
3. independent - I use it to control volume, etc

 

So I am doing the remove Vista and install XP trick on my new as of Jan 08, 1330. I became aware of the MediaDirect issue recently and called Dell to request a MediaDirect install disk for XP (I understand there is a different version for each os). The Dell guy got his shorts in a twist and said the Dell warranty & support is only good for the config that was originally shipped. He went on to say that he could not send me the xp version of the disk because its not part of my original config...QED - no support on non-original systems. So, can somebody point me to a source of a .iso image for MD 3.3 for XP? He also said something that I can't believe (now understand that tech support ppl arnt necessarly the sharpest knives in the drawer...) that the chipset for the 'new' 1330 only support Vista. Since when are chip sets 'tuned' to an OS?!?!? I am pretty sure he meant that the dell installation of vista has the necessary drivers etc to make vista 'work' on this machine...but it got me thinking....collusion??
Anyway, any help is appreciated...
-j

 

Hi Svenfran,

Lucky U that living in supported region of DELL. I have the same problem with you but cannot get the MD Re-Installation CD that work with XP because my location is out of DELL Support Area. Could you please upload the CD you got to somewhere for downloading. Thx so much.

 

I heard that there is a new Media Direct 4.0 Comming up. Anyone has got hands on it?

 

Not yet , will keep an eye for it
Thanks for the heads up , i personally dont use it but my misses does

 

Hi all,
I got my Inspiron 1520 back in January, I hadn't really used media direct till recently. The other day I watched a DVD using it and found MediaDirect to be quite nice, but when I try to play a movie which is stored on my harddisk, I can't navigate to it because it doesn't display my directory structure.

I presume this is because I deleted the MediaDirect Partition when I wanted to create a few more partitions to organize my Disk.

I can't reinstall windows because My Hard Disk is quite full, nearly 160GB of data, and so I don't have anywhere to transfer it to.

Presently when I press the mediadirect button when the laptop is off, it opens Vista, asks me to choose my user and then opens the MediaDirect application in Vista.

I must mention that while it doesn't show any folders, it does show my drives, but they appear empty in it. Also I can't add music either because of the same problem, but when I ask it to search my computer for music, it finds all my music, unfortunately such a system doesn't exist for videos.

I do have the MD3 Reinstallation disk.
Also my OS disk is the recovery disk which is shipped by most manufacturers.


What would be a work around to get the media direct button to work correctly and also show the files on my hard disk.

 

Where is the Instant Office? When I boot up my Mediadirect and go to INstant Office, all there is available is Contacts. Yes, I have MS Office 2007 installed, if it has to do with anything.

 

I believe that is all it is supposed to do, allow you to view your contacts, your presentations and your calender. The button for presentations is at the bottom. The contacts are picked up from Microsoft outlook and the presentations from your HDD.

 

Ya one more thing regarding my query, when I start the laptop with the media direct button, I get a splash screen of the Media Direct, before Vista loads. Rest of the process is as described above.
If anyone has any idea about what I could do, do reply.

 

Did anyone have problem like mine?
After installing vmware the MD doesn't work at all.
i wonder if i backup the MBR before install vmware and then restore it after that, will it work?

 

Have you tried it yet? Because logic says that it should work. Since MD is run from the small 2gb partition, which is independant of the remaining system. with vmware, the MBR is the only thing which can affect MD, that can be changed.
Hope it works out.

Though I'm still looking for an answer to my question. Any answers????

 

I was wondering if anyone could upload an image of their MD partition...that is MD3.3. Then probably I can create a partition out of it, make changes in the MBR and get it to work....Do try...:smile:

 

http://support.dell.com/support/top...&component=-1&lang=-1&doclang=en&toggle=false

MediaDirect 4.0 continues to evolve the MediaDirect line by providing support for Blu-Ray content. MediaDirect 4.0 supports both BD Profile 1.1 BonusView and BD Profile 2.0 BD Live. Additionally, MediaDirect 4.0 no longer requires a separate partition on the hard drive. The program installs into the standard C:\ partition.

 

Need to get a copy of this one way or another. Current customers get a free upgrade? Maybe?

 

This would definitely be nice to have. I really hope Dell makes it available to current dell owners.

 

Okay, has anyone actually managed to backup image the MD partition.. and restore it successfully getting the MD button to still function?

in Vista.

 

i always rollback my system to previous snapshot whenever i have software conflict/problem....MD works fine after i restore my previous snapshot.

 

Roll back? using System restore? what do you use?

 

i'm using Rollback Rx8.1

just google it and you'll know what i mean.

i dont use windows system restore.....piece of crap

 

When I have to reinstall my OS, i normally format the partition with Vista, install the OS and when it's installed i install the MediaDirect app. from CD provided by Dell. And everything works great - booting to MD by pressing "house" button, in Vista it starts MD by pressing it again, everything is as it have to be. So i think that you don't need to repartition your drive again and again if you want to reinstall the OS. MediaDirect works fine after every reinstalation of Vista that i have made.

 

To update your MediaDirect to the newest version first download the update from http://support.dell.com/support/download...

Once this is downloaded the same link has "Installation Instructions".

The main step after you install the update Windows side is to shut down the system, and then press the MD button to boot MediaDirect. After MediaDirect boots click on the update button. This should apply the update for MediaDirect.

If that version of Dell Media Direct isnt the newest version, plz inform me, ill provide you with a newer link if i can.

I hope this answers your question.

 

Deleted this post
sry

 

I have been trying to find out if Media Direct 3 (3.5, etc) is compatible with the Dell XPS M140 with MCE 2005 since it originally came with v2? I was in the process of installing v3.5 on a brand new hard drive before I get the following error:

[DOIT.BAT]MD3PATCH - Error setting up the MD3 power button
strike a key when ready...

I'd appreciate any help or information.. Thanks!!

 

I think there's a MD 4 out now.
By the way, i've managed to create an image of the media direct pertition and the diagnostics partition using "active boot disk" and "active disk image". Haven't restored it though

 

Hello
I have dell inspiron 6400 with windows vista home basic and i moved to windows xp professional but unluckily i install windows xp on my recovery partition and format the drive so i have lost my recovery data provided by dell is anyone tell me how to recover that data. I have also not recovery disks. plz help me...
Any suggestion will be inappreciable. thanks in advacne

 

I would suggest software that can retreieve information that's been accidently overwritten or deleted. However, in this case it's a restore partition. Given that I would not recommend trying to recover that data and attempt to install it. You'd be better served obtaining dell OS disks and doing it from media that you know is reliable rather than potentially corrupted data.

 

Does anyone happen to have MD4 that they could share? When i buy new hard drives to do a raid on my m1730 I would rather not have to deal with MD 3.5 again. Those partitions and that software have caused me much misery.

Dell had to send me a factory imaged hard drive because media direct would not install correctly no matter how many times I attempted it. I pray I don't accidently hit the media direct button at this point.... I still don't trust the software nor the machine.