Dell MediaDirect Satan

[Lope]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell_MediaDirect

Be very careful when considering disk imaging on hard drives with this HPA crap on them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Host_protected_area

The chosen approach causes disk geometry to be deliberately misreported, can prevent the successful backup of hard disks and may trigger catastrophic data loss when MediaDirect is launched.

Unless the drive and all pre-existing operating systems are left as originally installed, MediaDirect can trigger a forced repartitioning of the drive whilst attempting to load. This intervention typically causes the loss of all operating systems and data on the device. Removing or disabling the application is challenging because Dell employs Host protected area technology to cloak the location of the partition containing the software, contributing to the misreported disk geometry.

Dell really try their best to limit people to using *Dell* for support.
For example, you can use a universal PSU to power a Dell laptop, but it won't charge it. Dell has an extra conductor in the power cable where the OEM Dell charger sends a signal saying "I'm an official 65W Dell PSU".
It adds to safety so you don't blow up a 65W charger with a 90W laptop, so the laptop will just draw a small amount of power, but it means universal PSUs can not be used. (until they come with a hack to trick the Dell laptops)
And the story of "we don't want to blow up small PSUs so we just run in low power mode and don't charge the battery" is not 100%, because it doesn't even charge the battery (even slowly) when the laptop is off.
Its more like a *Dell Enforcement* technique.

I think I'm gonna steer away from Dell if possible.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Maybe its a protection for Dell themselves because they've been burnt by people plugging in universal chargers and their batteries get damaged.

Dell then have to replace the battery (at THEIR cost), when it was a user issue that broke the battery in the first place.

 

[Budza]

Maybe its a protection for Dell themselves because they've been burnt by people plugging in universal chargers and their batteries get damaged.

Dell then have to replace the battery (at THEIR cost), when it was a user issue that broke the battery in the first place.

Either way, I'll not use DELL if I can help it. If it's a ~50-50 call, go with something else.

Proprietary connectors drive me crazy.

 

[Lope]

Maybe its a protection for Dell themselves because they've been burnt by people plugging in universal chargers and their batteries get damaged.

Dell then have to replace the battery (at THEIR cost), when it was a user issue that broke the battery in the first place.

None of the other laptop manufacturers do this. Can't be.

Proprietary connectors drive me crazy.

+1
Proprietary crap FTL.

 

[Pada]

Dell will replace the laptop's battery if the laptop is still under warranty. I'm not sure if they will do that if the user damaged it by trying to use a non-Dell power supply.

Proprietary connectors are crap. I've tried to fix a broken Dell Inspiron 6400 like a week ago and I was unable to do so due to their PSU connector.
Luckily I was able to take a Wireless N + Bluetooth module out of it and place it in my Inspiron 9400

I've done a clean install of Windows 7 x64 on my Dell Inspiron 9400 and I've managed to do a HDD image and restore.
The only real reason that I think they would use the HPA stuff would be for device identification of a stolen device.

 

[Lope]

They should rather just etch serial numbers into the parts. With enough geek time expenditure the HPA can be edited/removed.
I won't be going near their nonsense.

 

[rorz0r]

Last time I checked not even the fancier service contracts etc covered laptop batteries with dell.

 

[Pada]

Last time I checked not even the fancier service contracts etc covered laptop batteries with dell.

Sorry, I should've said that Dell will probably replace the batteries, because I know that they will replace pretty much anything if the laptop is under the next business day warranty!