Dell Media Direct 2.0 ... Running on 9300/XPS M170 - Page 14

Wll, I decided to do the manual install outlined some pages back.

I converted my extended partition /D into a primary partition. After that I created another primary partiton meant for MD, formatted it and extracted there the contents of XPEI (that's the only one I have on my cd).

I then booted onto XP recovery console and was presented with both 1./C: and 2./E: options. I chosed 2.

Just to make sure I was doing things right, I ran dir, and I realized that I was reading the contents of C drive actually. I changed to the C drive, and I was reading the contents of E. Makes no sense to me, the drive letters seem to be switched.

At this point I was scared of doing anything else. Any advice on how to proceed?

The drive letters may be switched because of the layout of your partition table. Can you post a ptedit32 screenshot? If you do it to the wrong drive, it doesn't matter. So just do it to the one that appears to have the Media Direct installation and see what happens.

Ok, here it is:

<a href="http://img196.imageshack.us/my.php?image=capture0004gu.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/9731/capture0004gu.th.jpg" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>

I was forgetting that there would be no D7 partition...but, based on the number of sectors, it looks like the Media Direct partition is the third partition, so I would not have thought it would be C. Anyway, just try the fixboot command (on both, if necessary). As I said before, it doesn't do any harm to run it on an existing Windows XP installation.

Yes, the third partiton is the one destined for MD

<a href="http://img199.imageshack.us/my.php?image=capture0011jz.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/4704/capture0011jz.th.jpg" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>

I'm going to go ahead with the fixboot sequence now.

What model laptop are you working with??? Having only a single file is an indication that this may be for 'older' models/chipsets. Reason I say that is a version of MediaDirect Reinstallation that I tried which had only one file [DH371 part number] did not work on my E1505. Had to use RJ262 in order for the install to work....

Just so you know

Mark

Bad news. Logged on to the E/ installation of Windows. As expected, it contained the XP files. I did a fixboot c: since that partiton is the one with the MD files. Exited.

Now the system does not boot anymore, just a blinking cursor on the top lefp corner of the screen. Arrgh. Trying not to despair....

I have an XPS m140. The CD I am doing the reinstallation from is the one that I requested from Dell when ordering the system.

For Reinstalling Dell MediaDirect P/N YG694 Rev. 00

Do a fixboot e: as well. Perhaps this should be in the guide...I wasn't sure if that problem might occur. I mean, I think that, after doing a fixboot on your Media Direct partition, you will need a fixboot on the other as well (or else set the Windows XP partition back to boot type 80 using ptedit).

I ran thru all possible 4 fixboot combinations. Logged on to installation:

2./E > fixboot C
2./E > fixboot E
1./C > fixboot E
1./C > fixboot C

No comnination got my system to boot again.

Weird things:

2./E is not password protected, but when I log on and do dir, the contents of
the original XP installation (on C) are shown.

1./C Has administrator password. When I log on and ask for dir, I get the MD files.

Looks like something got swapped.

I booted with Winternls ERD Comander. Disk Commander shows that I have three volumes:

C:\Local Drive (0 MB RAW)
D:\ data (34405 MB NTFS)
E:\ Local Drive (1389 MB NTFS)

If I select the C\ drive, I get an error message telling me "the selected volume cannot be mounted".

Taking in consideration this swapping thing, could it be that it is not mounted because it became invisible like the MD partiton is. Or another tpye?

I'm just thinking out loud...

Strange. What happens if you run ptedit? Which partition is marked as 80 in the boot section?

Under the ERD Disk Maganement, partition C appears as active, but unknown type. The size confirms it's the original system partition.

Maybe this the reason it's not booting?

Stupid question. How can I ran ptedit when I am booting into this special boot emergency disk?

Run the DOS version from a boot disk.

Since I can't do a screen capture, I'll have to type the values.

1. 07 80 0 1 1 1023 254 63 63 4096587
2. 07 00 1023 0 1 1023 254 63 40965750 70461090
3. 07 00 1023 0 1 1023 254 63 111426840 2843505
4. all zero

Hope you can understand this.

tentonine....since I had all important data backed up, I decided to wipe my disk clean and start from scratch.

What would, in your opinion, be the best strategy for doing this again? I know I want to have a D partiton for my data files. Should this partition be extended or primary? And would it be best to create it before or after I try to install MD again?

Thanks a lot for your time and patience.

As for extended or primary...it might as well be primary. The only point in extended partitions is if you need more than 4. I would create the Media Direct partition before creating the data partition.

If you're interested, I'll offer a slight variation on tentonine's MediaDirect installation strategy....

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


1. Using Disk Management create data primary partition [drive label as desired]

2. Using Disk Management create 1.5Gb NTFS primary partition for MediaDirect with drive label 'X'

3. Extract MD Reinstall files to 'X' [For this I just double-clicked on the files and they self-extracted to 'X' on their own; There was no dialog box. Make sure to leave sometime for the operation to complete. Takes about 2 minutes or so]

4. Using PTEdit confirm slot 1 is system partition; slot 2 is data partition; slot 3 is MediaDirect partition

Note: Although not critical in terms of sequence, it IS important to properly identify the XP and MediaDirect partitions in the Partition Table and make sure the boot.ini files reflect which 'slots' hold which partitions

5. IF the Partition Table is as specified in Step 4, modify both boot.ini files as follows....

XP....

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Media Center Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Dell MediaDirect" /fastdetect /KERNEL=NTOSBOOT.EXE /maxmem=256

MediaDirect....

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Dell MediaDirect" /fastdetect /KERNEL=NTOSBOOT.EXE /maxmem=256

6. Using PTEdit set 'X' partition active; Change slot 1 'Boot' value from 80 to 00; Change slot 3 'Boot' value from 00 to 80

7. If you use CD to boot to DOS and perform PTEdit action, open the tray now and leave it open.

8. From Windows restart and let computer boot to 'X' partition and allow it to complete MD installation; Black and White progress screen followed by Dell MediaDirect "Welcome" screen

Note: If the version of MediaDirect is not compatible with your hardware, the boot will 'hang' and you'll need to 'back out' of the modifications by using PTEdit to get your XP partition set active.

9. Exit MediaDirect [When exiting MD application the computer will Shutdown]

10. From DOS reset active partition back to primary system partition [Basically... 'undo' step 6]

11. Reboot and use boot.ini menu to select desired action... Boot to XP; Boot to MediaDirect

Your done....

For me when I rebooted back to the primary system partition following step '11' I had the MediaDirect wallpaper!!! Odd.... but I reset it back to what I had and didn't see any other 'artifacts' after that...

Since there is no Dell boot code, from Power OFF pressing the MediaDirect button powers up computer and boots to the 'active' partition. In my case it was XP MCE and after Windows started Microsoft MediaCenter launched automatically.

Thought I'd pass that along


vr

Mark

Didn't even know the 9400 had a Media Direct Button.

Just to inform others who have an Inspiron 9200 like myself: installing MediaDirect will not work.
Through the help of others here in the forum, I have tried a manual installation of MediaDirect (wherein the MediaDirect partition becomes an option at the boot screen) using BOTH available versions; unfortunately, neither work.
I believe that MediaDirect will not work on any Dell earlier than the Inspiron 9300.