question on reformatting v0.132932

hey guys, i recently got in on the e1505 deal and have had it for a few days and am loving it! i uninstalled most of the bloatware but im still leading towards reformatting.

my question is, i've messed around with mediadirect, and really never see myself using it, but i really like the front panel buttons for use with windows media player! so, if i decide to reformat and chunk media direct, will i lose these buttons?

sorry if this has been asked before, and thanks for the help!

also, in windows explorer, i can only see my C drive, and not the media direct partition or the dell backup partition. are these hidden? i have windows set to view hidden files...

 

If you follow the Dell reformat guide everything will work just fine. I kept the media direct partition, since it's so small and I might actually use it. I think as long as you install the notebook system software (the first item installed after installing XP) the buttons will work.

You can't see those partitions, as they are hidden partitions. Click the Administrative Tools icon in your control panel, select the Computer Management plugin, and then you can manage your partitions under Disk Management.

I highly recommend reformatting. Dell computers ship with so many preinstalled junk programs that it pretty much slows you down to a snail's pace. Just make sure to follow the guide.

 

I'll give you my recommendation to minimize work on your part. If you want a simple 'reinstall' I'd leave the Dell partitions alone and just reinstall XP directly over the one you presently have on your laptop.

If you'd like the extra space the Restore patition uses up, that's a reasonable choice and I'd say go ahead and delete that partition during the reinstall.

Do NOT mess with the Utility partition. It is so small it's not worth trying to get the space back, and removing it creates some 'hassles' wrt MediaDirect operation [actually those are BIG hassles].

By reinstalling Windows you will be overwriting Dell's MBR boot code [actually you don't do it... Microsoft does...]. Because the Dell boot code is how MediaDirect 'works', you'll have to get that code back into the MBR.

Easily enough done by using the Dell MediaDirect REPAIR utility. This utility can be downloaded from the Dell download area [you'll have to make your own CD... I'd recommend ISORecorder] or you can find the Repair utility on the proper Dell Resource [Drivers and Utilities] CD for your model [In the MD2 directory of the CD]. Note: This is NOT the Reinstallation CD you may see referenced elsewhere.

Once you get XP reinstalled... Launch XP and pop the CD in the tray. If you're using the Resource CD, you'll need to close the Dell "Welcome Dell Customer...blah blah" screen. Reboot using the CD [ F12 key during boot, then use up/down arrow to select CD/DVD]. Run the repair.bat file in the MD2 directory. When you get a DONE message power OFF the computer.


hth

Mark

 

Mark,

You fail to mention the 30 min Dell flashing banner after the XP MCE install from the DVD. Its quite disconcerting when not expected.

Hermit

 

Lord... when it comes to me and computers.... EVERYTHING is disconcerting!!!

Mark

 

You can see these in Disk Mgr: RC My Computer > Manage > Disk Mgr

Hermit

 

I should be so lucky and have half your computer knowledge.

Hermit

 

Is this why I only show 87 gb available on my hot little 100gb drive that i PAID so much extra for? Where is the other 13gb?

 

Let' see...

Should be 1.4GB or so for MediaDirect in the host-protected area [HPA];

4.5GB for the Dell Restore partition;

Then there's the difference between 'marketing' GB [ metric] and binary GB which accounts for 7GB [i.e. the manufacturer says 100GB, but the computer doesn't care... It 'thinks' in binary which works out to around 93GB] Wikipedia info on Hard Drives

vr

Mark