Problem with win98

[dreww71]

I'm starting to have problems when i start programs: nothing happens. I press ctrl-alt-del and is says "not responding" beside the program i'm starting. Same when i go to start menu and click on control panel, although it works fine if i create a shortcut for that program. Also when i shut down the computer it waits for about a minute then a screen comes up asking if i want to wait for a program to close or end task immediately. When a press ctrl-alt-del, there are only necessary programs running.

Anybody have any ideas?

[blebs]

Is it possible for you to run "system file checker"?
Start/programs/accessories/system tools/system information/tools/system file checker

Sounds like something is corrupted though I could be wrong on that. If you can run the checker it will alert you to any corrupted system file and allow you to restore it if you have your Win 98 cd.

Next to this, maybe a virus, though I doubt it.

Anybody else got the answer?

[64bit]

Could be a bad RAM stick too. How old and what are the specs of the PC?

[yurij_14]

Also, I'm thinking if it is program specific try re-installing the program. It may have asomething wrong with it.

[dreww71]

i don't think it is the ram, i replaced it anyways. This problem started about 7 months after i bought my computer. I have an athlon 600, 128 sdram 133,asus k7m mobo, ati rage vid card, win98SE. Something is running in the background, but i don't know exactly what.
I tried using winstone97 and it said it couldn't perform the tests b/c these two programs were running:
Wmiexe.exe and Pvbwrhgpuwd.exe
But if i press ctrl-alt-del these files aren't mentioned.
I have just discovered that when i shutdown and get the 'wait or endtask' screen and i press cancel, the next time i shutdown there are no problems.