Dell Media Direct won’t Boot Windows – Maybe Bitlocker – Solution
I’m not sure why Dell can’t actually tell people this. However, if you find yourself stuck booting Dell MediaDirect, and don’t know how to fix it. Try this:
- Turn off your computer
- Hit the button shaped like a home (the Dell MediaDirect button).
Seriously. When the power is off, the Dell MediaDirect button acts a toggle button to boot the other partition. Try to find that on Dell’s site, and well, I couldn’t find it with several good searches.Thanks to GigaMegaBlog.
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about 4 months ago
THANK YOU!!! I thought that Media Direct had corrupted Windows boot files and was ready to reload when I found your blog. I had replaced Vista with XP and had removed the Media Direct partition when I first got this laptop. I called Dell Tech support but my warranty had expired and they wanted $69 – probably to tell me what you just posted.
Thanks again. You saved me a HUGE hassle.
about 4 months ago
Glad I could help. I seriously wonder if Dell actually has a normal person try out their laptops before they ship them (and not just an engineer).
about 1 month ago
Meny thanks for this, thought i would have to totally reinstall windows!!!! UNTILL i found your post, thanks again
about 1 month ago
Thank you so much. Thought I had broken my boyfriend’s computer. I could not figure how to get that media direct to stop opening after I hit the button on accident (It’s right next to the power button)Once again thanks so much for the info.
about 1 month ago
Its pretty scary; I’m glad I could help. For us, I was actually at work, when my boss’s dell had the problem. We were worried that we’d have to do a complete reinstall and shut down his productivity for a day. Luckily, its just an un-obvious button press.
–Ben
about 1 month ago
Thank You So Much!
Really appreciate your post, it really helps!!
Thought my laptop might crash n I plan to crash with hammer
LOL
about 1 month ago
No Problem. The scary part is that I think there are a lot of people like us, judging by the amount of traffic to this article. The sad part, is that it is also a comment on Dell’s lack of good information out there. Why wouldn’t they bolded instructions if so many people are coming up against this?
–Ben
about 2 weeks ago
I am just finishing factory restore
about 1 week ago
ouch. sorry to hear that. we almost did that as well. the button push was a last minute idea before the restore.
on a side note, does anybody know why i cannot use punctuation or capital letters when responding on my mobile phone? at least any that require a meta key?
about 1 week ago
Our 2yr old pushed the button on dad’s laptop. Looks like a HOUSE. Brilliant.
When the thing couldn’t boot Windows we were sure it was hosed. Thank you thank you thank you thank you for posting the solution – saved our skins.
(And shame on Dell. I mean, really, making it possible to ‘crash’ your system when it’s turned off by the push of a single button.)
about 1 day ago
Thanks. My client actually called Dell and they wanted to send a tech out and install a new hard drive, LOL. I knew there was an easy fix. I love Dell’s but they can be idiots…
CT
about 15 hours ago
Unreal. You’d think they’d be aware of this problem. Glad it worked out!
–Ben