Dozleng.com Internet Security & Others Says:  
February 16th, 2006 at 6:32 am  
[…] If you own a Dell computer, you probably have any or all of the following: - MediaDirect - this is a top-notch function in a Dell notebook. Play video, listen to music using a CD without booting to windows. - PC Restore - this allows you to restore the system to its’ factory state in 10 minutes! - Diagnostic Utility - a set of handy utilities to test your computer for any issue (failure, defects etc) - Hidden Partitions - all of the above items are located in the hidden partitions. Let’s talk about the above one by one. No it’s not some kind of Knowledge base but my 2 cents on the above features, tips and advise on why deleting the partitions should NOT be done unless you know what you are doing. The Dell MediaDirect - If you own a notebook that has MediaDirect, you can play CD or DVD in a snap without booting to Windows. While the notebook is off, you will simply press the MediaDirect button and then the Media Experience or Windows XP Media Center software will start and allow you to use your media (audio, video or photos) from the CD or DVD or from the album. That’s a breeze function in such notebook! By default, MediaDirect is installed in the hidden partition where PC Restore is located. If in any event that you voluntary wipe the hidden partition, the MediaDirect button will not load anymore the application is programmed to start (Media Experience or XP Media Center software). What will happen is Windows will boot instead of the Media Experience software Dell MediaDirect relies on installed software in your Windows - Dell Quickset and Media Experience or XP Media Center. Some users do not have Media Experience software. What they have is Winamp or other player. Whatever software player is configured to start by MediaDirect function button, it will not load anymore if you formatted or deleted the hidden partition. If you deleted already the hidden partition which contains PC Restore and MediaDirect, the only way to make MediaDirect button to work again is to re-install MediaDirect. Make sure that you have your MediaDirect reinstallation CD. If you don’t have it, request from Dell Support a copy or download it from here. Please note that you need an unallocated partition (note: do NOT format the unallocated partition to any type of file system) to install MediaDirect successfully. The manual says, you need at least 1038MB of unallocated space. To reinstall MediaDirect in the unallocated space, you need to load Windows then insert the MediaDirect reinstallation CD. The Reinstallation window will appear and will allow you to press enter to start the installation. It will try to locate for the unallocated partition to proceed with the installation. See an example of the partition hard-drive in a Dell computer: Partition 1: a hidden partition where Diagnostic Utility is installed Partition 2: a visible partition where Windows is installed. Partition 3: if in case you allow Dell to have extra partition, then you’ll see an extra storage space. Partition 4: a hidden partition where PC Restore and MediaDirect is originally located Partition 5: a very small partition (around 7.8MB) that was created by Windows (not by Dell although they can manipulate it if they want). It is created in order to allow Windows to convert basic disks into dynamic disk. More info on this here If your partition is similar to the above and you would like to reinstall MediaDirect, you need to create a small unallocated partition (about 1038MB or so) at the end of the Partition 4. The MediaDirect installer will install the MediaDirect application in that small unallocated partition and it will also install some of its files in your Windows. If you did not delete the hidden partition or formatted the hard-drive voluntary but MediaDirect is not starting properly, you can troubleshoot it: - Make sure Dell Quickset is installed in your Windows. If not, re-install Quickset because MediaDirect relies to Quickset. - Make sure Media Experience or XP Media Center software is installed. If Dell Quickset and Media Experience are properly installed (test it by launching it manually while you are in Windows) but MediaDirect button will still not work, repair MediaDirect by using the MediaDirect Repair Utility. The repair utility for MediaDirect is located in your Drivers and Utilities CD. If you do not have it, download the MediaDirect Repair Utility from here. To use the repair utility of MediaDirect: - Insert the Drivers and Utility CD in your optical drive - Restart the notebook then press F12 when the Dell logo appears - Select to boot to the CD or DVD then quickly press the Q key in your keyboard - At the prompt, type cd MD2 then press Enter - Type Repair then press enter again - When the Done message appears, remove the CD from the drive and press the power button to turn on off the computer. See if your MediaDirect button will work after that repair process by pressing the MediaDirect button while your notebook is off The Dell PC Restore by Symantec - you noticed a 3GB hidden partition in your hard drive and you wonder what it is for. It is a gift from Dell where the factory system state of your system is located. It is made using the Symantec Ghost application. It is the exact copy of your system when your first received your notebook or computer. The Dell PC Restore will allow you to have your system back to its factory settings in just 10 minutes. Manually reinstalling Windows and the necessary drivers of your devices will take at least 2 hours! With Dell PC Restore, you will only launch it and let it restore the system in few minutes. Get a drink (hot or cold) and when you return to your notebook, the restore is maybe done or almost done! Some users believe it is a waste of space. Some users believe it is useless. IMHO, it is neither useless nor wasting space. It is only using 3GB or so. Your MediaDirect (if you have MediaDirect) is located there too! Another reason it is a neat feature in Dell systems is you do not need to insert any CD and locate which drivers and software to install. In any event that you want your system to go back to its factory state, the Dell PC Restore is there for you. Different people have different backup solution so it is up to you whether you want to take advantage of the Dell PC Restore or not. In some Dell online store, they will allow you to choose to not to have Dell PC Restore. It’s free if you selected it in your order. Again, I’d like you to note that the MediaDirect is installed in that hidden partition where Dell PC Restore is stored. So you better ready yourself in going to the process of partitioning the drive with 1038MB to reinstall MediaDirect again. If you do not like MediaDirect function and the Dell PC Restore then you don’t need to worry but I wonder why you choose that Media Center or MediaDirect notebook LOL If you’ve deleted the Dell PC Restore partition, you cannot put it back. It is not downloadable. It’s not in any CDs that you received from Dell because it is a gift from Dell. You may try to call Dell Support to ask to have that gift again. Different Dell location has different way to entertain their customers so try to ask if you really want it. You won’t lose anything in asking! (That’s what I learned from my co-admin Haroldo) To use the Dell PC Restore, simply press Ctrl and F11 keys when the Dell logo appears in your screen. Then the Dell PC Restore by Symantec window appears. Click Restore and then confirm it. The Dell Diagnostic Utility - It is a handy set of utilities to test the condition of your devices and located in the first hidden partition in your hard drive. It is shipped in a floppy disk or in the Resource CD too but I learn that not everyone has the Resource CD. Why Dell has different way in sending the CDs is.. I have no idea but over here in my location (Macau, China and Hong Kong), Dell shipped the notebook in the box with full of CDs. I did not have to request any necessary CDs. Also my notebook’s system does not have crapware or junkware like other customer has. Again, it is maybe depends on the location of the Dell factory. Back to the topic, the Dell Diagnostic Utility is a very useful because in any event that you feel that your devices is not functioning properly or failed to function, you can use the diagnostic utility to find out the real score (I mean the condition of your devices) The diagnostics include tests for the processor, battery, system memory, video, network etc. Some users will say that it is useless because you can run the diagnostic utility from the DVD or CD drive. Yes, that?s true. You can run the diagnostic utility from the CD. It is included in the Driver and Utilities CD that you received from Dell but what if your CD or DVD drive is the one who has the minor or major issue? Answer yourself. BTW, to access the diagnostic utility, simply press F12 when the Dell logo appears then select it from the list of… selection The hidden partitions - Now you know what are those hidden partitions in your Dell notebook or computer but you are wondering whether it is really required or not. The answer is depends on you. If you like the above features then you will likely to keep the way it is and then keep a backup of the whole hard drive. You can use Acronis True Image to clone the Dell system. More info on Acronis True Image here or read my post that is related with Acronis True Image and backup. My 2 cents on the hidden partition is simple. It was there because it is useful. It was there to not to waste the space of your hard-drive. It is there because my notebook requires it (to make the MediaDirect to function properly) and to allow me to go back to what it is before. I like it a lot but that’s just me. It’s not cheap because I also have other backup solution. I am using Acronis True Image to clone or backup my system or hard drive regularly. Once the images (the backups) are verified, I am confident that I can enjoy the notebook and the internet again after few minutes. Happy computing and thanks for reading!   [Permanent Link] […]