Please help!! I have a Computer running Win98 SE and when I power it up I get as far as the desktop and then I get a error message that says " Explorer: this program has performed an illegal operation and will be shutdown, if the problem continues contact the program vendor". When we get this message the computer will not do a thing and the error message can be closed but then all I have is an empty desktop. It happens about 1 out of 8 times in safe mode and/or in normal mode too. desktop ( no taskbar or anything ). Any help would be most appreciated If you helped fix this problem... Thanx Joe

Scan for viruses. If that still doesn't work, probably try reinstalling windows. Also, go to Start>Run>Msconfig>Startup Tab> Then select the stuff that you are not aware of that is on your computer. Zach www.totalpc.org

Following on from #1 you can "temporarilly" untick everything except ScanRegistry in Startup just to prove the point. Many are quite normal. This might help: STARTUP ITEMS Derek.W

Viruses and Spyware have been removed.. It even does it in safe mode which unticks them 4 u.. Keep Posting... Also could somebody Give me step 2 step instructions on reinstalling windows. Email me at metalicboy99@cox.net Thanks Please help!! I have a Computer running Win98 SE and when I power it up I get as far as the desktop and then I get a error message that says " Explorer: this program has performed an illegal operation

Something of a long shot but harmless and often beneficial. Try this: "Shut down" to MS-DOS and type scanreg /fix (rebuilds your current registry - take a few mins). Type exit to restart Windows. Could help if the registry is a bit screwed. If you have Nero InCD try disabling it to prove a point (it has been known to cause bootup problems - possibly CD-RW hardware related). You can reload Windows "over the top" by just putting in the CD and running setup. You will not lose your own files but may need to re-install the odd program. What doesn't fit any of this very well is the fact that it only happens "sometimes". In this respect hardware is more likely, maybe RAM, loose connections - who knows. Derek.W

I tryed2 uninstall windowsand same thing happens.. Please help!! I have a Computer running Win98 SE and when I power it up I get as far as the desktop and then I get a error message that says " Explorer: this program has performed an illegal operation

I assume you meant you tried to "install" Windows... Looks like you will need to do it from DOS then. You will need a W98 boot disk (floppy) with CD-ROM support. You can download these but if you ever made a Startup Disk that will do fine (or one made on another W98 machine). Put in the floppy then power up. From the A: prompt type: cd c:\windows\command (hit Return). Now type scanreg /fix (hit Return), which will rebuild your registry. If this doesn't help and the problem has only happened recently then do the same again and type scanreg /restore (hit Return). Chose a registry dated just before the problem. If all this fails then you can reload Windows over the top from DOS like this: Power up with boot disk as before. Put in your Win98 CD and change the directory (folder) from the A: drive to your CD-ROM. Then type setup.exe You might find that the boot disk temporarilly changes the CD-ROM drive letter. It usually moves it up by one but some downloaded boot disks use R. You might need to experiment but most likely you will have to first type E: (rather than D: which is usually your CD-ROM if you only have one partition). Derek.W