Accidentally deleted MediaDirect partition - what now?

Yeah, so I just bought a new e1705. Started with the whole reformatting process and deleted all the partions except for Partition1 - the diagnostic partition.

Question is: I deleted the MediaDirect partition without realizing that new Dell laptops need the partition for it to function. (I was going off of SouthernGirl's Dell XP reformat thread - which appears to have been deleted)


How can I repair MediaDirect now without creating another partion and reinstalling Windows?


Thanks

 

You are going to have to call Dell and ask for a reinstallation CD or ask them to send an imaged hard drive to replace the one you have right now. I chose the latter but that was after a Dell tech rep told me to delete all of my partitions when she was walking me through a reinstallation.

 

When you say ask for a reinstallation CD do you mean the OS CD or the MediaDirect Repair CD?

 

Sorry, MediaDirect Repair CD

 

Weird, get this.

I turned off the computer and hit the MediaDirect button. It started to load MediaDirect and even brought up the screens for it. After a few seconds I got a BSOD. Oh boy, time to try the Repair disc.


UPDATE: I tried the Repair disc but got the same results... Now I don't know what to do.

 

Yep. Turns out newer laptops require that partition. Contact dell about it. For me I kept poking at it and it got so bad that at one point nothing could even see the drive let alone repair it. Thank god all is well now with Media Direct completely clean from my drive for now...

 

So, has anyone been able to remap the button then? If I can't use it for MD then I'd like to remap to something else.

 

You should be able to use it for MD. You just have to reinstall it. As for remapping it, no I have not seen anyone remap it. If you press it while you are in XP, it will load MCE but it is suppose to do that.

 

When you say reinstall it, how would I go about that? I specifically don't want to go through reinstalling Windows and going through all the driver installations again if it can be helped.

 

For MD 3.0, you will have to reformat the HDD from what i've heard. Actually it does it for you. I have never reinstalled MD 3.0 but supposedly it reformats the HDD and creates it's own partition. It does all of the work and then you reinstall XP I believe. We have a thread around here that details the exact procedure.

For MD 2.0, you need 1.5gb of unpartition space located at the end of your HDD and then you can reinstall it from the MD disc. This does not require reformatting if you use partition software.

You'll need to request the reinstallation disc of which ever MD you want from Dell.

Personally, I'm not a big MD fan and think it is a waste of time to go through all of that, but it really is a personal preference.