[JimmyLegs]

Nope, not a Compaq/HP. This is one of two systems built by a local company that I acquired used after the owner got rid of them 'cause the hard drive had failed on both. I couldn't figure out if it was the HD or the controller, though the HD I pulled from one was completely dead when I tried it in another machine. The HD on the other was fine after repartitioning. I put a reconditioned 250G HD in the one with the dead HD; that's the one I have probs with now. The other's in the basement waiting to be used.

I've never seen a boot problem like this, and it looks like the kinda thing a virus would do. If I hadn't found this thread, I would have assumed the HD had died, and gone from there. But it looks like 2 others are having exactly the same issue, which seems less likely to be a HD failure. Although I guess Jerry62's problems could be controller/HD related.

Unkellsam and Jerry62 what manufacturer/motherboard/processor do you have?

[bandit429]

I agree with you,,,,sometimes when a hard drive is on the edge of going all it takes is a little problem and poof. Maybe Jerry got it and thats all it took and caused a failure.

Have you seen a Y with a sideways 8? Yoo as well? I have never seen so many persons in the same thread so fast if you have. I have posted many links to good information that should have fixed the problem. I worry about advising anyone anything now. Normally if you repair/replace the boot record the virus is gone. I wonder if it creates its own little partition and works from there? Compaq and Hp use boot partitions, so its really not out of the scope of possibilitys.

[JimmyLegs]

Well, I've confirmed that it isn't my hard drive. I finally had time to put the HD in a different machine as a secondary, and all the data appears to be there. I've just finished a full scan with AVG with no result. I'm about to install Norton and scan with that.

In the meantime, unkellsam and jerry62 - did either of you recently install either ClocX v1.4 (description from PC World here) or Icon Restore (PC World here)? I'd installed both of them just before this problem came up. If either of you did, then I'll see if I can submit the installation files for them.

[bandit429]

Thanks for sticking with it Jimmy.

[unkellsam]

Yo,

I'm back on the post. Jimmy, I didn't install either of the programs you mentioned.

I have never seen a problem like this that is so hard to get past and happens so randomly. The reason I said I thought it was the YOYO.1271 was because it was the closest thing i could find to that description when i searched for YOYO. The virus description said that the virus launched itself around January 8th which is exactly when my problem started, and that it displayed a message. Thats why I think its some kind of variation of that virus.

I can't think of any other logical explanation for what else it could be. At least it doesn't wipe the data off the HD, I guess thats a plus. Good luck fixing it, man. I ended up formatting, which I'm pretty happy about, but I'd like to find out what the problem is if you figure it out. Its just wierd how no virus scanners find anything, I ran 4 different ones.

[jerry62]

I'm still backing up the hard drive, since I only have so much time with it (to avoid the family disowning me). I don't believe I have hardware issues. My problem occurred immediately after installing a program that rebooted my system. I still believe this has to be some kind of virus.
In the meantime, my working system locked up (cheap mb), so since I had to reboot anyway, I tried installing the ati catalyst 6.1 drivers, which don't seem to work for me at all, causing more frustration. But someday I'll get it all working again. No, I did not use ClocX.

[arkasarkas]

i've got the same virus. Is it safe to use fixmbr? will it sove anything? will fixboot solve anything? How do i boot windows on my first drive from my second hard drive??

[arkasarkas]

oh yeah, and how do i virusscan before boot? or could i put my HD in another computer safely and scan there?

[JimmyLegs]

I don't think it's a virus, but I also don't have a solution. Nothing I tried worked, including pulling the HD out and scanning it from another machine. I ended up reformatting and reinstalling, just like everyone else. Good luck.

[theadvenger]

Ok. I have been like the rest of you. i have tried almost everything at this point.
I flashed the bios. followed up by a running of a series of Fixmbr, fixboot, and then bootcfg /reconfigure. Nothing seemed to do it.
I also looked at the boot.ini file, nothing seems abnormal

However, the only time i have been able to get the mbr on the primary drive to work properly was by installing the linux. (thus installing GRUB boot loader to the MBR) It gives me windows as a boot option. however, that is still not loading, BUT NO YOYO. so i think i am getting closer.

PS if anyone wants to see screen shots of what the yoyo looks like. check out.
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=394304

[theadvenger]

Ok, Still no luck

Here are other things i have tried.
delete the windows xp hybrinate file. to make sure it was not hiding in there. as xp will load that file first if it exists.

i rewrote the boot.ini file to make sure it is absoultly normal. not altered in any fashion.

also tried. praying, although as an athiest that doesnt seem to do much.

also tried copying over the ntdls and the ntloader.com with new copies

Any ideas anyone?

[bandit429]

Do you have your windows xp cd?

[theadvenger]

Yeah, i have my XP CD, I have used it both to get into a recovery console, as well as doing a full repare. but neither works. When attempting a repare it goes all the way through the dos type install and when it reboots to get into the gui half of the installed it gets caught by the yoyo screen.

[bandit429]

Sheesh,,check your account for a private message please.

[theadvenger]

Ok i just had a novel idea.

Now i am going to attempt a search of all files on the C: drive (drive with Y∞Y∞ issues), for any files that are named and or contain the Y∞Y∞ string.

Could take a while. ill let everyone know if it comes up with anything.
(The advenger copes with 4 days of Y∞Y∞)