Win98 Registerdrophandler + OLEAUT32.DLL

TWO older PCs, one laptop, one desktop, both running Windows 98 and both with Computer Associates' EZ-Armor (firewall + antivirus) have gone out of commission -- the desktop 4 days ago, the laptop today. I need help understanding what happened and/or what to do to correct the problems. Or am I just out of luck? SITUATION upon powerup using laptop as example (desktop essentially the same): 1. After the initial Win98 screen comes the plain screen that looks like old DOS. There is now this message: c:\>rem - by Windows 98 Network - c:\windows\net start. 2. Next comes a box named Registerdrophandler with message "This program has performed illegal operation ... etc." 3. Last comes another box named Error Starting Program with this message: "The OLEAUT32.DLL file cannot start. Check the file to determine the problem." The LAPTOP is a Compaq Presario 1600, a stock off-the-shelf unit I got new from a major PC chain. It has Windows 98 backup on a drive D (partition) -- there is no disk. The desktop was purchased used at an auction with Win98 installed but I do not have a software disk.