Many possible causes, mainly hardware. Has this machine been up and running before?
Do you have the latest version of DirectX?
Have you gone to Windows Update and downloaded the Critical Update package?
Go to Start>Run, and type dxdiag looking for version incompatabilities.
Go to Start>Run, and type vcmui. If backed-up versions are newer than present versions, replace them here.
Go to Start>Run, and type hwinfo /ui. Look over the sections of red text for problems.
Go to Start>Run, anfd type msinfo32 and check under the hardware section.
Troubleshooting General Protection Faults
First, narrow down the source of the error. Because General Protection faults can be caused by software or hardware, the first step is to restart your computer in Safe mode. Restarting in Safe mode allows you to test your computer in a state in which only essential components of Windows are loaded. If you restart your computer in Safe mode and the error message does not occur, the origin is more likely to be a driver or program. If you restart in Safe mode and then test your computer and the error message does occur, the issue is more likely to be hardware or damaged Windows core files.
For Windows 98, restart your computer, press and hold down the CTRL key until you see the Windows 98 Startup menu, and then choose Safe Mode.
Test your computer in Safe mode. If the error does not occur, use the appropriate steps below for your operating system. If the error does occur, there may be a problem with your Windows installation or you may be experiencing a symptom of faulty hardware. See the "Test Hardware" section of this article.
Windows 98
After your computer restarts in Safe mode, use the System Configuration Utility tool (Msconfig.exe) to minimize conflicts that may be causing the problem:
Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Information.
On the Tools menu, click System Configuration Utility.
On the General tab, click Selective Startup, and then click to clear the following check boxes:
Process Config.sys File
Process Autoexec.bat File
Process Winstart.bat File (if available)
Process System.ini File
Process Win.ini File
Load Startup Group Items
Click OK, and then restart your computer normally when you are prompted. After you restart and test your computer, if you still do not receive the error message, continue with the next steps.
Run the System Configuration Utility tool, click to select one item in the Selective Startup box, click OK, and then restart your computer and test.
Continue this process until all of the items in the Selective Startup box are selected. If you select an item and your issue reoccurs, click the tab of the corresponding item in Selective Startup, clear half of the check boxes, click OK, and then restart your computer. Continue this process until you narrow down the setting that is causing your problem.
If you can restart your computer successfully when all items are checked, run the System Configuration Utility tool, click to select Normal Startup, click OK, and then restart your computer.
For additional information about using Msconfig.exe, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q192926 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98
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