WIN98SE Puzzle: Windows Protection Error, Corrupt setupx.dll?

[BobF]

***2/3/06 update*** Problem solved by re-installing Windows 98SE

Thanks everyone for all the help, especially I4one!

Bob

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Arg! I'm having trouble booting my Windows 98SE based PC.

When I try to boot I get a black screen with the following message:

Windows protection error. You need to restart your computer

There haven't been any hardware or software changes to my system that I'm aware of that might have caused this problem.

Multiple restarts produce the same error.

I can start in Safe Mode.

I ran Norton Anitivirus and nothing was detected.

I ran Norton Disk Doctor and nothing changed

I ran Scandisk and nothing changed.

I ran msconfig and tried different "Selective Startup" combinations but that didn't help.

I ran the System File Checker and I got this message:

System file checker has identified that the following file may be corrupted:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\setupx.dll

When I pick the Restore option I found an apparent duplicate file in the following location:

C:\WINDOWS\Helpdesk\SFC\setupx.dll

But when I try to restore the file I get the following SFC error after a minute or so: This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down

I ran into the same problem on multiple attempts to restore the file.

Then I downloaded a copy of setupx.dll on another computer onto a floppy disk and tried to restore from that location. But my floppy drive doesn't work in Safe Mode. And my CD Drive also doesn't work in Safe Mode so I've been unable to retrieve the file from my original Windows 98 CD.

I'm not really sure what to try next.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Bob