Reassigning the mediadirect button- an adventure...

Hi all. Well, here is my exprerience with the mediadirect button. I initially was going to keep mediadirect, so I downloaded autohotkeys, and set it up so the media direct key would open a google page instead of mediadirect. I thought I could disable the mediadirect part when the computer was on, and then have it use mediadirect if the computer was off...

Problem was, it would open mediadirect AND a google web page when the computer was on. Whoops. So, then I uninstalled media direct and reclaimed the 2.5 gig media direct partition using the drive manager in vista.

Now the key rocks. This is why- I think the mediadirect key is set to load a skeleton operarating system to run mediadirect. If pushing the button does not find the mediadirect OS- the computer goes to the default- vista! So, the mediadirect button now functions as a power button.

Even better- I downloaded and installed autohotkey. An awesome shareware program that allows you to do more than you ever wanted with your keyboard/hotkeys/etc. I used the autohotkey program to place an autohotkey.exe file in my startup folder. This program tells the mediadirect key to open a google page. I could set it to do just about anything with the autohotkeys program, though. It rocks!

So, now my mediadirect key is a power button if the computer is off, and whatever I program it to be when on! yay! To make this easier if you wish to do it- the mediadirect key id for autohotkeys is;

SC112

So, my autohotkey.ahk file looks like;

~*sc112::
run www.google.com
return

I compiled it and put it in the startup folder. Wham, instant double-featured key. Sweet. I could also alter the autohotkey.ahk file to call up windows media player instead of a webpage- but haven't gotten around to it yet. Google is fine for now. BTW- I don't think the~* in the script above is necessary, but I left it in there, if it works don't fix it, we noobs say.

So to those of you wanting another role for your mediadirect key, it can be done!!! I'm a total noob to hotkeys, so any of you guys should be able to figure it out (the autohotkey software) pretty easy.

Also, I think I could have kept the mediadirect, but I was too lazy to figure out how to use the autohotkey program to kill the mediadirect app and just do what I told it. So if you want mediadirect to run while your computer is turned off, and the key to do something else while the computer is on- you can do it if you can find out how to kill the mediadirect program! Sweet!
The script might look like this, dunno if it would work though- the text after kill might have to be different...

~*sc112::
winkill, mediadirect
run www.google.com
return


Now, I need to find a free program that will merge my partitions! I have 4.

1)dell
2) d: 10 gb, used to be recovery partition
3) c: operating system
4) e: 2.5 gb- used to be mediadirect.

Rock on y'all.

 

I deleted every trace of MediaDirect from my HD and still when the laptop is off it tries to load it with no success.

How did you manage to make it work as a power button?

 

Well, when I press the mediadirect button, the mediadirect screen comes up for a sec while the bios tries to find the mediadirect OS, and when it can't, it just goes right to vista.

I think it might be advisable to format over the media direct partition. Ah, I also went through the registry and deleted all of the entries I could find that contained mediadirect. That might be it too... I wish now that I did a clean install!

I would try formatting the mediadirect partition first, that might work.

 

Excellent find!! Thank you!

 

would be cool to tie media direct button to WinXP in dual boot machine

 

I'm having Dual Boot. XP is primary OS and Vista secondary. But when I press the mediadirect button it starts the mediadirect os and then bsod, cause it does not find anything.

 

Hey Cypher-
I wonder why you get the blue screen of death, and I don't? I know I messed around with my boot sector a bit. I have vista selected as my default OS. Believe it or not, it isn't the default, at least, it was not on mine!

Maybe that will take care of your bsod problem... There is a program called Vista boot pro. It's freeware. You could try that. After installing it, run it and go to the manage OS entries button. Then select Vista as default. Let me know if this helps! Or try XP as default?

I suppose somebody knows how to get into the bios and actually change what the mediadirect hotkey executes if the computer is off... But I haven't tried it yet, I'm not sure you can do it with vista.

 

Hmmm... try XP as the default. Then mediadirct tries and then XP loads? Worth a shot. It might just take you to the choose an OS screen.

Then you would have to choose vista when you press the main power key, I believe. A tough one. We can figure it out.

 

wow thank you! i just needed the sc112 code got it to load up iTunes on press of MediaDirect, i still have mediadirect too, just have to push it when my computer is off
(i used my way of formatting)

do you have a list of codes for the dell media buttons?

 

a couple of questions...

1) what did you put, instead of "www.google.com" in the first example, to make it launch iTunes?

2) can you confirm that, by pressing the MediaDirect button in Vista, it only launches iTunes, and not also the MediaDirect Windows software? And that the MediaDirect OS launches if the button is pressed when the laptop is off? if so, i think I shall do a clean install following your youtube instructions

3) on a small tangent, is it ok to delete the recovery partition (since it's bloat-tainted anyway) during your format scheme at the stage when you choose the partition for windows?

 

I'm wondering if this could be mapped to run a linux install when the OS is powered off? Would be convenient for a little war-driving on the fly.

 

this might be useful for any further investigation into getting this even more customized in the future.

 

1) run C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe
2)yes, this is because i used my way of formatting, follow my video thats linked in my signature
3) yes its ok, i still don't know how to join up all the partitions into one final hdd partition

 

hey, here are the codes for the rest of the keys;

sound off SC120
vol down SC12E
vol up SC130
play SC122
review SC110
ffwd SC119
stop SC124

also, to get a key code-
run a script which has the command;

#installkeybdhook

in it, then open the autohotkey window. next go to view/keyhistory and script info (or just press ctrl + k). this will show you the last key pressed, just press a key, then F5 and you will see its code. it is easy go confirm it's working right, just press some letters and you will get the hang of it. hope this helps.

what are you planning on doing with the keys?

 

Heres one for Winamp, taken form their page:

~*sc112::
Run %A_ProgramFiles%\Winamp\Winamp.exe
return

Thanks again for the find. I'm glad I will have some functionality out of the button.

 

Ya this is a neat program!

No BS, it just works.

 

here's an idea from computernerd to boot a second operating system.

the mediadirect key boots the mediadirect partition with the mediadirect command (mediadirect.exe? not sure- i don't have mediadirect anymore so i can't check). so, if one were to reformat the mediadirect partition with an operating system (you might have to enlarge it) and change the name of the OS winload.exe file to mediadirect.exe or whatever it would then boot the os? haha. would be wild if it worked. i'm talking out my ass now.

it might be even easier than this- if you just put the OS in the partition over mediadirect it might boot the new OS 'cause the mediadirect key boots some cheap OS from the mediadirect partition. just insert your OS and away you go? an easy fix if it works!

 

I might play around with this once my 1400 gets here tomorrow and I get back from Vegas (gotta make sure it works for movies!)

 

hey, biohzrd. let me know if this works for you. if you get it to work, i might just install xp to themediadirect partition. booya!

 

does this autohotkey app work with the fn key?

 

Glad it works for you, I dual boot Kubuntu and Vista, and when I press the mediadirect button it boots up a nice blue coloured text version of GRUB. Which makes booting quicker because it doesn't take the time at the Dell logo when you usually turn the computer on.

 

hmm... can't get it with keybkhook. don't know. there is a forum for autohotkey. i'll bet it's there or you could ask there!

 

Awesome thread !!

Did anybody had luck in dual booting Win Xp and Vista thru this media direct button ?

 

i haven't seen anyone that was able to do this yet. i would try it if i had a copy of XP. maybe we need another thread...

dual boot XP with the mediadirect button and save the cheerleader...

hehe..

 

How did you manage to get that?
I have a dual boot Kanotix-Vista, but since I've deleted the media direct partition, resized Vista's partition and created some new 8 logicl NTFS volumes plus a bunch of EXT3 partitions, I don't feel like trying to press the media direct button until I understand what it really does.

Some say it boots the last primary partition on the disk. Other say it boots the last partition (even if it's a logical volume? or tries to boot the first sector of the extended partition?)

I think that once it is known exactly what partition it tries to boot, all is needed is to install Grub ( or any other bootloader) on that partition to achieve the power up functionality we're after.

Can you tell us what are your partitions, and on which one you've chosen to install grub?

 

Wow, I just found this other thread that was a totally simple way to reassign the mediadirect key without having to install anything special!

Summary: Just make a copy of your exe of choice and rename it dmx.exe, then add it and the path to HKLM/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/App Paths.

http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=87097&highlight=mediadirect+dmx.exe

 

This is my script:

Code:

#NoTrayIcon
~*sc112::
Run C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
return

the notrayicon removes, the tray icon when running the script, no kidding!


this works perfectly, thank you

 

You can make the MediaDirect button start any Windows Vista application you want, from both power on and power off states, without using autohotkey.

First you need to arrange things so that from power off, the MediaDirect button boot into Windows Vista rather than bricking your notebook. I did this by using the rmbr utility on the MediaDirect CD, giving the same partition number twice: rmbr.exe DELL 1 1. (There are other threads talking about this utility here on Notebook Review.) Then I booted into reovery from the Windows Vista installation DVD and ran bootrec/fixmbr and bootrec/fixboot. With this done the MediaDirect button on my M1330 boots Vista, rather than attempting to boot a nonexistent MD partition.

That done, just set this registry key to whatever application you want the MD button to start. My example starts Windows Media Center:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\MobilePC\HotStartButtons\0]
"ApplicationPath"="\"C:\\Windows\\ehome\\ehshell.exe\" /directmedia:general"

The "HotStart" mechanism in Windows Vista allows the OS to capture hardware buttons regardless of whether the machine is running - if it isn't, the BIOS catches the button press and saves it into a buffer that Windows Vista checks once it's started up. Works a treat.

 

Will that work with XP too?

 

No; HotStart is a new feature in Vista.