Dell MediaDirect and GRUB (was: how not to initialize HD)

Hi Paul, First, just to be clear, MediaDirect is like its own OS. When you use the MediaDirect button from the off state, it sets a bit that's detected when the MBR is loaded (just like Ctrl+F11 does to access the restore partition), then makes the hidden partition active and boots MediaDirect. On Monday, 02 August, 2010 @10:38 zulu, Paul Cartwright scribed: Only if you want to access media (DVDs, image files, audio files) without loading windows or fedora... the main reason to want that is to make the battery last longer; if you only ever use it to watch DVDs while plugged in, then it doesn't really 'require' MediaDirect. However, if that is the hard disk that came in your Dell, MediaDirect is ALREADY installed... you just can't see it because from the factory it was installed in a hidden partition at the end. In that cased all you should need to do is fix LBA0 - the MBR - (but NOT with XP's 'fixmbr' in repair mode, nor with fdisk /mbr), and/or the boot sector. Here... check out this site http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/mediadirect.htm that's not only a good synopsis of how MD works, but they make a tool to diagnose and fix the Dell MBR and/or the Boot Sector if the driver CD is missing. You could also boot off the Utilities and Drivers CD, then at the DOS prompt run x:\ > CD \MD2 x:\MD2 > REPAIR That should restore the Dell MBR, making the MediaDirect button work , but it will also disable GRUB's changes to the MBR which gives you the dual-boot menu. Still, see next and also below your next question. :-) If it's not the original hard drive, then you would need to call Dell's technical support and ask them why the MediaDirect install CD was not included with your laptop (assuming you bought it new), and they should send you one. I've heard some people have been charged (like $20) for it, but they sent me one with MediaDirect 4 on it at no charge. Apparently, MD 3 and higher do not require the undectectable hidden partition, as MD 1 and 2 did. I'm still experimenting, but I'm pretty-sure that means GRUB should be able to chainloader into it. I *think* which OS you have installed is irrelevant for using the MediaDirect button from the Off state; If the laptop's already turned on with the OS loaded, Dell's QuickSet utility is required to unload the OS and boot into the MediaDirect.. and since there is no linux version of that util, I'm not sure the MD button can be made to work from inside fedora. As I said, I'm still experimenting. I'll BCC this to your email, so if you're interested in the results, drop me an email, say, thursday or friday. Since the original thread is already splintered enough, I've changed the subject, but the linking should remain. If the results are positive, I'll post them for sure. As others have noted, you probably don't *need* windows for ANYthing... well, except there is no native linux 3D CAD program available (for ANY price)... if you need 3D CAD, then you will have to live with windows for the foreseeable future, because autodesk committed to windows by incorporating the microsoft foundation class libraries into AutoCAD. I think it's the latter rather than the former. Try in a command window (Start->Run, CMD [Enter]), then reboot twice... the first reboot it will run CHKDSK (like many hard drive utils, it won't run on the active partition, so CHKDSK needs to unmount it), the 2nd reboot is just to be sure CHKDSK isn't waiting to run again. CHKDSK only shows its results right at the end, so unless you sit and watch it for 10 minutes (or more) you might not see if any repairs are attempted, nor its summary. On a 4-year old disk, it would not surprise me if real surface errors are present. Dell was using mainly WD Scorpio Blue drives 'stock' during that time period (which are warranted for only 3-years, of course). If you ordered a larger/faster drive, then you might have a Samsung or Seagate (et al) instead. You can get a discount on a new drive from WD, even if it's out of warranty... choose the Warranty and RMA Services option under Support on wdc.com, then End User, then Warranty Check, enter your serial number (do not include the WD- prefix) and click Continue. On the next page, it will inform you the warranty is expired... click the Upgrade link. ;-) I have my doubts that WD's diagnostic can do anything for it... I recommend the DR-DOS ISO (CD) if you try: http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=702&sid=30 It takes a while to load, and when it's done be sure you have selected the correct drive (if you use the Live USB Creator, the USB might be the drive selected instead of the hard drive). Now, this tool might not be able to fix the problem[s]... if the reserved sectors are all used up, there's not much that can be done for 'bad sectors.' Sorry this is so long; I didn't have time to make it shorter. Darr