Happy Face @ boot.

[htcs]

I'm having a strange issue here.

I went out for lunch, and upon returning, my computer was acting a bit slow and explroer had froze up.

So i had no choice but to hit the reset button on the computer.

Upon restarting, before the time when the xp logo shows up during startup, i get an ASCII happy face.

It then scrolls up the screen and seconds later it reappears at the bottom of my screen. This loops until i turn the system off.

I removed the hard drives, scanned them on two other systems, both using different AV software and no virus' found.

Then i tested by trying to boot with no HDDs installed. I got the same thing!

So i tried to reset the bios - that didnt work either.

Someone told me that i should maybe reflash the bios - but how do i do that if i can't get it to boot from anything to get to that point?

Any ideas?????????

Desparately needing help

Tom

Using ASUS P4S800D

 

[TheMajor]

If resetting CMOS doesn't help, you will have to flash your BIOS. Too bad you can't boot off anything. Not even a floppy?

But first, try enabling the BIOS anti-virus in the BIOS settings and see what happens.

Your only options are to check if your motherboard has a BIOS recovery feature; otherwise, you would have to do a hot flash, replace the BIOS chip with the exact same model (if it is removable), or buy a new motherboard.

 

[htcs]

No, i can't boot with anything... and i've looked through the bios setting looking for the virus protection - as was recommended by a co-worker. I don't seem to have that option. Crapp!

Thankfully the mobo is under warranty.

I've been looking at how to use the crash free bios feature - to recover it.
I foudn this on a site selling the mobo: ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 (auto BIOS recovery from diskette or CD even if the flash chip data are corrupted);

Would anyone know how to envoke this? I've tried to boot from the cd included with the mobo.

 

[tjollimore]

If your BIOS has already been compromised, the on-chip virus detection may have been removed as an option. Check another computer that has the identical motherboard.

This may have been removed as well, but some newer boards will have an F-key boot up option that will flash the BIOS. Check for that. A bit odd and scary, though. You should report that to the Virus-makers so they can be on the lookout for it.

 

[TheMajor]

The manual should describe most BIOS settings.

 

[sPlAtOiD]

You have a Clear CMOS jumper on this board the picture for th9is is on page 1-15 in your motherboard book. it's right to the left below the bios battery. Try that then reboot and reset your bios settings if it works.

 

[Nitestick]

wow, sounds like a virus :amazed: i didn't know this kind existed other than as a PoC.

 

[Menshjo]

 

[killians45]

see if you have a recovery jumper setting. It's different than reset, it contains the original bios from the manufacturer and will reflash the bios. I've seen it on very few motherboards, but you never know.

 

[TheMajor]

see if you have a recovery jumper setting. It's different than reset, it contains the original bios from the manufacturer and will reflash the bios. I've seen it on very few motherboards, but you never know.

That's because they want you to buy a new motherboard