|
| |||||||||||||||||||||
From Windows XP MCE------------------------------------------
a. Prerequisites????
For the Insprion 9300 ...'QuickSet... is necessary for Dell MediaDirect to function. Changing or disabling QuickSet’s default settings can limit Dell MediaDirect’s functionality.' It is unclear if this holds true for MediaDirect 2.0
Dell Media Experience [aka DMX] is NOT needed [However, see para 4.a. for XP Pro/Home]
b. 'Normal' Operation
With Power ON and complete boot to Windows XP MCE, momentarily depressing the MediaDirect button will launch Microsoft MediaCenter [Note: This is NOT Dell Media Experience]; Depending on which option you select when exiting the application, Microsoft MediaCenter will either 1) Close MediaCenter and resume Windows 2) Log Off 3) Shutdown the computer, 4) Restart the computer or 5) Place the computer in Stand By
From Power OFF
With Power OFF, momentarily depressing the MediaDirect button powers on the computer and causes the BIOS to display a momentary MediaDirect 'splash' screen. If present, the Dell boot code will then launch Dell-Cyberlink MediaDirect [On my system it was version 2.0.20060118c.CH756]. The first time MediaDirect is run you will be displayed a black and white 'progress' screen followed by a 'Welcome to Dell MediaDriect... Building your Dell MediaDirect files' screen. This takes about 30-45 sec or so. On subsequent starts, MediaDirect will load quite quickly.
Function Keys
F1 - Help
F7 - Toggles Speaker On/Off
F8 - Volume Down in 5% increments
F9 - Volume Up in 5% increments
Upon exit of MediaDirect, the computer will resume a Power OFF state.
Current Laptop Deals
|
a. Dell Utility partition; ~39MB [F12 key at appearance of Dell logo splash screen] -- Following Pre-Boot Assessment performed by BIOS, launches Dell diagnostic utilities. On exit, system will reboot.The sizes and location of the three partitions can be confirmed by using Windows Disk Manager [Right click 'My Computer'; select 'Manage'; open 'Storage' tree and select 'Disk Management'].
b. Win XP MCE partition ['Normal' boot process] --
c. Dell PC Restore partition ~4.8GB [Ctrl + F11 keys at appearance of www.dell.com 'blue bar' screen] -- Will restore PC to 'as-delivered' state; Following restore, computer will reboot and you'll be presented Dell EULA, Service Tag info etc
d. Dell-Cyberlink HPA ~1.5GB [Accessed by depressing MediaDirect button with Power OFF] -- Applies power to computer and launches Dell - Cyberlink MediaDirect application; Upon exit of application, computer will turn off.
1. 'Invokes' the hard drive's host-protected area [HPA] so it can be accessedUpon exit of MediaDirect the application is closed and power is removed from the computer, but MediaDirect is not 'finished' reconfiguring back to the original state. A couple of additional 'steps' are required. These steps are performed upon any subsequent power ON and 'normal' boot to the hard drive...
2. Modifys the Master Boot Record Partition Table by copying the partition values located in Row/Slot 4 and placing them in a storage location within the boot code. It then overwrites Row/Slot 4 with values associated with the HPA [These 'values' are read from within the boot code itself]
3. Sets Row/Slot 4 as the 'Active' partition
4. Continues with the boot into the MediaDirect [Windows XP Embedded] operating system
1. At next power ON the hard drive controller 'rehides' the HPA>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
2. During the next 'normal' boot the Dell boot code will restore the original Row/Slot 4 values [using the data temporarily stored in the boot code] and change the 'Active' flag from Row/Slot 4 to Row/Slot 2.
You'll note that I did NOT say it would set the original active partition with the 'Active' flag. The Dell boot code does not perform that 'check' when it is run. It simply sets Row/Slot 2 active [hence the source for alot of the MediaDirect 'problems']
a. Row 1 of the Partition Table is empty or, if not empty, that it does NOT have an active 'flag' [80]If you re-read this post with that in mind, you'll better understand the recommendations/steps involved...
b. Row 2 of the Partition Table holds your primary/active system partition
Note: The RJ262 media appears to be a newer version and more applicable to the recent Dell laptop systems. My attempt to use the 'older' DH371 CD failed, whereas the RJ262 did not. In particular....>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
After completing the Reinstall and attempting to run MediaDirect from Power OFF, was displayed MediaDirect 'splash' screen [generated by the BIOS] and then immediately got blue windows 'fail' screen
"A problem has been detected... windows has been shutdown... Technical information:
*** STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF9E4f528, 0xC0000034, ...)"
Had to use Power button to turn OFF computer as keyboard was disabled.
In comparing the two readme.txt files in the respective Program Files\Intel\INFInst folder...
DH371
* Product: Intel(R) Chipset Software Installation Utility
* Release: Production Version
* Version: 6.1.0.1008
* Target Chipset#: Mobile Intel(R) 915GM/PM/GMS/910GML
* Date: June 10, 2004
RJ262
* Product: Intel(R) Chipset Software Installation Utility
* Release: Production
* Version: 7.2.2.1006
* Target Chipset(s)#: 955X/XM/975X/945G/P/PL/GM/PM/GMS/940GML/E7230/E8501
* Date: October 13 2005
One identifying feature between the two versions is that DH371 has only a single XPEI.exe file in CD root directory whereas RJ262 has a XPEI1.exe and XPEI2.exe files
When the MediaDirect button is depressed while in XP Pro/Home the computer will attempt to launch Microsoft MediaCenter. Since it is not installed, it will fail with a message "... unable to launch Dell Media Experience". It appears that by loading Dell Media Experience [Note: Possible source is N7174 CD] on a Win XP Pro/Home OS, MediaDirect operation be modified so that when depressing the MediaDirect button while in Windows, the Dell Media Experience application will successfully launch.
If you intend to load Dell Media Experience [DMX] Dell suggests...
I guess it depends on what type of individual you are... If it works, then you can just leave it alone. If it 'bugs' you to have a slightly 'abnormal' computer configuration you can attempt to clean things up and start over. In particular, you'd end up deleting the MediaDirect partition and performing the appropriate Long/Short MediaDirect Repair.c. "I want to preserve the normal operation of MediaDirect. What steps would I follow to delete all the Dell partitions and then reinstall Win XP MCE on a single 'big' partition?"
You have three options....d. MediaDirect functions/limitations [Courtesy Garbuckle @ NBR Forums]
1. Use the MediaDirect Reinstallation CD and 'abandon' the HPA files/applications
2. Reinstall Windows, but initially make a small partition as a 'place holder' in the Partition Table and then make your system partition. After Windows is installed you'd run the MediaDirect 'Short' Repair
3. Follow the respective MediaDirect 'Long Repair'
1) does not support Divxe. F8 Key during MediaDirect start - If you depress the F8 key during the startup of MediaDirect you will be presented a menu/prompt screen...
2) supports USB mouse/keyboard (and of course USB storage devices)
3) does not support firewire
4) does not support DRM (DRM-WMA to be specific)
5) supports external monitors (it cloned my display onto my DVI monitor)
6) does not support external USB soundcard (reverts to onboard sound)
f. Boot ManagersSystem restart has been paused:If you continue with the default selection, there will be a brief display of a "Resuming Windows' progress screen and MediaDirect will launch.
Continue with system restart [Default]
Delete restoration data and proceed to system boot menu
It is unclear what impact option 2 will have on MediaDirect operation. It has been reported that this will restore ability to browse the system partition for multimedia files when that ability is somehow compromised.
If you install a boot manager of some kind, there is a good likelyhood that MediaDirect 2.0 will no longer function. That is because most boot managers need to write their own unique boot code onto the hard drive.
This causes the same effect as when reinstalling Windows. Important sections of the Dell boot code are overwritten and MediaDirect can no longer be launched. Depending on which portion of the Dell code is overwritten, it may not be recoverable.
- Launch Windows; place the MediaDirect Repair CD or Dell Resource CD in the tray; and then use the Start Menu to perform a system Restart
- At appearance of Dell logo 'splash' screen press F12 to do a 1-time boot
- Using the up/down arrows select the CD/DVD entry and press the Enter key
- The next screen will prompt you to....
"Press a key to start from the CD/DVD...."- At the prompt, type cd md2 and press Enter key
Next screen will be... [Note- this screen will not appear if you're using the Repair download]
Choice.....Action
1............Run the 32 Bit Dell Diagnostics
Q...........Quit without any action (Return to DOS) key
Press the Q key
- Type Repair and press Enter key
- Use the left/right arrow key to select OK and press Enter key
- When the Done message appears, Remove the CD
- Press the Power button to turn OFF the computer