Purpose

• Dell MediaDirect allows you to access media -- including music, video and photos -- on your Dell laptop without having to boot it up. This saves you valuable time when, for example, you only want to turn your computer on so you can show Aunt Jenny your vacation photos. If long boot times cause you undue frustration when you just want to listen to a CD, you're who Dell MediaDirect is aimed toward.
  
  

Operation

• To access MediaDirect, simply press the button that looks like a little house toward the hinge on your Dell laptop, if the lid is open. If the lid is closed, locate the other house-looking button in the row of buttons that appears along the bottom edge of your laptop. Press it to power on MediaDirect from either an "on" or an "off" state -- either way, MediaDirect should open right away.
  
  

Possible Issues

• MediaDirect exists on a separate partition of your hard drive from your main operating system. That's why you don't have to boot up your operating system in order to use it. However, if you accidentally press either house button and don't realize it, your OS won't boot until you turn the computer off and press the house button again to deselect the MediaDirect partition.
  
  

Troubleshooting

• According to Dell's website, many troubleshooting issues stem from software corruption or partition mishaps. How you go about troubleshooting MediaDirect problems depends on whether you're using version two or version three of the MediaDirect software. Visit Dell's MediaDirect troubleshooting page and select your software version. The site will then walk you through the individual steps needed to address your problem. Before you do anything, back up all the data on your hard drive so it's safe.