Dell Mediadirect 3 on XPS M1530

I formatted mine with vista 64 bit and MediaDirect does NOT work with vista 64. At least I cannot find a working version of mediadirect for vista 64 and I believe that windows 7 is a 64 bit operating system.

I formatted mine with vista 64 bit and MediaDirect does NOT work with vista 64. At least I cannot find a working version of mediadirect for vista 64 and I believe that windows 7 is a 64 bit operating system.

Dell ships it's win 7, as a 64bit OS, and does not ship Media Direct with win 7. When Media Direct first came out, it was shipped with win XP 32bit, as far as I know, there is no 64 bit Media Direct. 

Actually when I bought my XPS M1530, it came with vista home premium 32 bit. So it does at least work with vista. However, when I tried installing mediadriect, I was doing it wrong and I now know how it is done. I have yet to find any 32 bit software that I cannot install on my vista 64 bit under the x86 side of vista 64. My only problem is that I have been messing with it so long that I don't really want to format my HD again just to see if it will work. But I know I will. I have been thinking about it now for a while and knowing me the way I know me, I will be doing it just to find out. I will post my reply here if it works and I am almost positive hopefully thinking maybe that if I cross my fingers just right that it will work. LOL

Ok, Here is what i did for anybody that has the XPS M1530 with Media Direct. If you upgrade your laptop as I did mine with Vista Ultimate 64 Bit, you CAN use Media Direct. It does work, but you just have to do what I don't usually do and that is read the directions. I did not understand the directions at first but several formats later, I do and here are the instructions. I can only write this from a formatting perspective.

1. Put in your operating system and boot up as if you are going to reformat your hard drive. (you are) As stated in the instruction, "Prepare your Hard Drive for installing your OS.

2. So go through the motions of putting in your key code and when you get to the options area for what to do with the Hard Drive, Delete all your partitions till there are no partitions and then format the drive. Once you are done with that, Shut your computer down without installing your OS.

3, Insert your Media Direct CD and boot up your PC and follow the onscreen options. I chose option 1 since my HD is small. If you have a larger HD, you might select option 2 and then select the size of that partition. Once you have made your selection, eject the Media Direct CD and put your operating system back in and then hit any key and this will send you back into installing your Operating system as if you never started. This time, allow the operating system to install completely. When you are completely done with the install, put the Media Direct CD back in and install it and it will work just fine.

I have a sneaking suspicion that this will also work with Windows 7. Don't quote me on that, but I am sure it will.

I know it has been a while, but I have put in my solution down below.

my laptop never cam with media direct only factory image and hard drive failed  warranty expired where and how do I get the disks

You need to contact Technical Support and request a Reinstallation DVD and a Media Direct DVD, See instructions in my poll here:

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/f/4677/t/19476992.aspx

Also follow the instructions in my wiki Windows Reinstallation Guide:

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/f/3524/t/19480753.aspx