When you attempt to start or shut down Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition (Me), or to start Windows Explorer, you may receive one of the following error messages:

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This behavior can occur if log files in the Windows\Applog folder are damaged. When you shut down Windows 98 or Windows Me, the Task Monitor tool attempts to update these log files. When it cannot do so, the error message occurs.

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To resolve this problem, follow these steps:

1.	Double-click My Computer on the desktop.
2.	Double-click the drive that contains the Windows folder.
3.	On the View menu, click Folder Options.
4.	Click the View tab. Under the Hidden Files section, click Show All Files.
5.	Click OK.
6.	Double-click the Windows folder.
7.	Right-click the Applog folder, click Rename, type a new name for the folder (such as Applog2), and then press ENTER.
8.	Restart your computer. The Applog folder and log files are re-created automatically.

NOTE: If you cannot start Windows to follow these steps, start Windows in Safe mode and then follow these steps. For additional information about how to start your computer in Safe mode, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

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The Task Monitor tool that is included with Windows 98 and Windows Me records the disk-access patterns of programs when they are started. Task Monitor stores this information in log files in the Applog folder. Task Monitor also records the number of times you use a program. The Disk Defragmenter tool uses this information to optimize your hard disk so that programs that you use frequently are loaded faster.

If this article does not describe your shutdown-related issue, please see the following Microsoft Web site to view more articles about shutting down Windows 98:

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