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    Point of MediaDirect and Recovery Partition?

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by DMAK02, Sep 17, 2007.

  1. DMAK02

    DMAK02 Notebook Evangelist

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    I have a Dell Inspiron 1520 and I extended my main drive, so I could dual boot. BUT! I got this problem
    I am guessing it's because I have to much partitions (3 total). What is the point of Media Direct Partition and Recovery Partition? Don't they have all those on discs?
     
    DMAK02, Sep 17, 2007
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  2. Devedander

    Devedander Notebook Evangelist

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    Yup too many partitions.

    Recovery lets you put everything back the way it was out of the box (software wise) and Media Direct is a special partition that loads a slim XP install that is ment for playing media files and such.
     
    Devedander, Sep 17, 2007
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  3. DMAK02

    DMAK02 Notebook Evangelist

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    So, in a sense. They are useless.

    I was reading this link
    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=165176&highlight=1520+Windows+xp+driver

    It mentions that...

    I am trying to dual-boot here. Would my XP / Vista work after changing that?
     
    DMAK02, Sep 17, 2007
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  4. Devedander

    Devedander Notebook Evangelist

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    You can do that, or I believe you can slipstream or otherwise load the Intel Matrix Storage drivers to make XP work with flash cache.

    I think if Vista was installed with flash cache on it may not work with it off.

    Search more here on that, I am pretty sure I read some reviews of people installing XP with flash cache on.

    Oh and those partitions are useless if you feel what they contain aren't useful I guess... it's personal. I like the idea of media direct, and the restore partition can save your butt in a pinch (say you are on the road and a nasty virus hits and you need to get back in action somehow). But like I said, it's all personal taste.
     
    Devedander, Sep 17, 2007
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  5. DMAK02

    DMAK02 Notebook Evangelist

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    What is flash cache?
     
    DMAK02, Sep 17, 2007
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  6. DMAK02

    DMAK02 Notebook Evangelist

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    There is CD recovery equivalent to the recovery partition right?
     
    DMAK02, Sep 17, 2007
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  7. DMAK02

    DMAK02 Notebook Evangelist

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    /bump

    *10 letters
     
    DMAK02, Sep 17, 2007
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  8. mlkok98

    mlkok98 Notebook Guru

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    My m1330 came with 4 partitions and this is preventing me from dual-booting. You're gonna have to sacrifice one partition. Windows allows a maximum of 4 primary partition. I tried using GPART to created another one. 5 partitions is definitely a no-no.

    You can use the recovery CD. It will install Windows Vista sans the bloatware. It's slower.
     
    mlkok98, Sep 17, 2007
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  9. DMAK02

    DMAK02 Notebook Evangelist

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    That sounds like a yes to my question.
     
    DMAK02, Sep 18, 2007
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  10. frazell

    frazell Notebook Deity

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    frazell, Sep 18, 2007
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  11. DMAK02

    DMAK02 Notebook Evangelist

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    Just wondering, but are you a mod?

    If you actually answered my question, then i wouldn't mind the small little comment, but don't post comments trying to bash people.


    Back on topic,

    I deleted my recovery partition and created a new one for my XP. I then disabled the 2 things in BIOS, and I will update with the dualboot later.
     
    DMAK02, Sep 18, 2007
    #11