Very informative, though I followed the long way (I have 1 partition, I deleted all of the others when I got it), I altered everything according to your directions, and now the MediaDirect button just starts into windows when I press it. Any thoughts? I've tried to Repair, but it still just gives the MediaDirect splash screen and then goes into windows. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

DDBat

Can you give some details wrt the original configuration [model, number and type of partitions] and what the present Partition Table looks like...

vr

Mark

I'm running an E1505 from April 2006 (updated bios to A06). I deleted all partitions (but am running the original Dell hard drive that came with it) and made 1 windows partition (the primary) and 1.5gb is unallocated (due to reading about possibly needing that to restore MediaDirect).

This is the partition table:
1: 00 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2: 07 80 0 1 1 1023 254 63 63 228508497

The first row is all zeros due to the instructions. Boot works fine, but MediaDirect button shows splash screen and then boots to windows when pressed while system is off and then launches MediaDirect when windows gets to the desktop.

I'm running Windows XP Professional w/ Service Pack 2.

I'm running MediaDirect 2.0 and have all Dell discs to repair and reinstall.

What that leaves is something with the boot code itself. Which MediaDirect Repair utility did you run?

Mark

I ran the MD2 repair. I have a disc I called Dell for and startup from it, press Q, then cd \MD2, then Repair, enter..etc.

Could you generate a track0 file [see above]??? I'll send you a PM with my email address....

From reading the 'notes' on the A06 BIOS it doesn't appear that MediaDirect should be impacted, but you never know....

The track0 file will help at least see what the boot code looks like....

Mark

Thank you very much for your help Mark. I'm going to try the dual boot type method. I'll post the results! Thanks again.

DDBat

just ordered the E1705 and i probaly do the re-format, and like to know if theirs a easier way for the MediaDirect 2.0 to be installed? this is just too much for me. noob here.

Your best bet is to leave the Dell Utility [~40MB] partition alone when reinstalling Windows and then after Windows is 'finished' run the MediaDirect 2.0 Repair utility [See the Step-by-Step 'Short Repair']. That's about all you need to do.

hth

Mark

Thanks fo muh MARKMCK for giving me great instructions! My MEDIACONNECT WORKS!!!! Yay!!

hey thanks for the help

So I am instaling windows and I made sure to parition a 40 MB space beofre formatting the hard drive for Windows. So what steps should I follow now?

After you get Windows squared away, you'd do the steps listed in the 'Short Repair'.

hth

Mark

Ok thanks a lot man

MarkMcK,

I followed your instructions on post #11 since I did delete ALL partitions on the harddrive and have the newer version of MediaDirect repair off the website.

When I press the MediaDirect button, I get the MD splash screen then this message:

"Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check booth path and disk hardware. Please check the Windows documentation about hardware disk configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information"

I believe the harddrive has the HPA portion with MediaDirect on it, since it seems Dell does this now with MediaDirect systems. I never ran MD before reformating the computer.

I only have one partition and it shows as 91.75GB. What should I do?