My pc has been acting up on me for some time now:
At start up, if I delay entering the password, I get an "illegal operation, ending program" message. I do get to the desktop however, and I can use the machine.

When shutting down, one out of at least four things happen.
1 It shut down properly (not often)
2 It freezes at the "windows is shutting down" screen
3 That screen never appears, instead the screen goes black-with-a-cursor-blinking. Freezes
4 Blue screen and error, ctr-alt-del doesn't do anything.

Any tip for a computer idiot which doesn't involve re-installing windows?

Looks pretty much like a virus infectation to me. Did you try to scan your HD('s) with a good antivirus program, like Antivir? Also if there's indeed a virus in work, if you don't have a firewall installed yet (and you'll need one), here's a good one - ZoneAlarm. It's in German, though.

Try scan your HD with NOD32.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mighty Midget @ Jun 15 2006, 07:52 AM) [snapback]236914[/snapback]</div>Virus maybe. After scanning with an anti-virus, if it didn't find any viruses, run Scan Disk and Disk Defragmenter. (Start=>Programs=>Accessories=>System Tools)

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mighty Midget @ Jun 15 2006, 07:52 AM) [snapback]236914[/snapback]</div>3 and 4 never happened to me, but 1 and 2 did. I tend to believe that if the computer is working when you press ok in the shut down dialog, the computer will freeze at the "windows is shutting down" screen, but I am not sure. The last time it freezed for me was ... two days ago. It doesn't happen to me too often, but...your computer closes automatically once you press ok, no?

I know windows 98 has issues with shutting down. The issue was addressed on the Microsoft site which I can't be stuffed looking in! Its like a jungle.

http://support.microsoft.com/support.../Q238/0/96.asp
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/239887/EN-US/
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/231666/EN-US/

I found these with www.google.com/microsoft

When I had Win98 I fixed this kind of problems formatting the main partition. :titan: Works like a charm. :D I had all data and games in another partition.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Japofran @ Jun 15 2006, 03:51 PM) [snapback]236961[/snapback]</div>Well - that's ONE solution for sure... :D

I'd go more after the program that's critically cancelled at the start up. Maybe there's the solution? :sneaky:

Great responds guys! I forgot one thing: At '3' the task manager shows rundll32 as the only running task. When I shut it down, I'm told it has stopped responding.
1 It is in the right folder
2 It is the right size

When I shut down the rundll, it A) remains at '3' or B) Shut down correctly.

This sometimes (not often) happened before I got the Internet.

What anti-virus do you use? rundll32 also stopped responding at shut down when I was using Bit Defender 9.