Strange Key In Registry

I have quick question hopefully someone knows. I am running windows 98se, Atholon T-Bird 800MHz CPU, 512 MB RAM. I am on a cable modem going through a linksys router.
My Computer will lose performance % after 10 to 20 mins of running. Drops from 88% free to 59%. When I double click my computer it takes the up to 5 mins for the blank window to show my options C: D: MYDOC etc. I have now been experiencing lock ups that require a hard reset. This happens when I open up different applications. I have also had the dreaded grey box that says explorer has performed an illeagal operation and must be closed, with the options close and ignore. No matter what
I click it just comes back up and I have to reset my system.
I have a new updated anti- virus prog (AVG) ran it no virus found. I have Trojan Remover ran no trojans. BlackIce (recently updated)only detects UDP port probes when I log into hotmail (I know it is them I have neotraced them). I have run ad-aware 6.0 nothing there. used windows washer. I have everything cut off in start-up that is unneccessary.I still have the slowdown.

I decided to go through my registry and I found a few things I had removed still there so I got rid of their keys. While in there I found this.
Folder:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\uSSPESOQsu0yNqT
umyyPLBWW


contents of folder:


ab [default] [value not set]
ab 4N!HMflW "gCXdS!5C_DI1iuShfMONSpVIYd-BiNWW"
ab AAL2_NcidCDW "piOzg8uRznTneFIZrRM-IvNW"
ab AAL2_NcidC-W ""
ab bAJ_T_mEOBWW "--WW"
ab bAJbO-BjOBWW "PiMiR8X-zTiwPBZzOBWW"
ab c-4C7Fkiq4DjCDv... "pNNWW"
ab CXybMKDC "pCWW"
ab eBLH ""
ab GB4J "I2XN@vmW"
ab h8a_h1UE7YrwkG... "bq2ZfCOJSgMnCO_xX3Sj31femCWW"
ab IvC3YBWW "GIiIO_mEg-WW"
ab sP-NBWW "Als1HBcEem7W"
ab VqzSFrLCcaXW "pNWW"
ab wh7IOkvUkAUgH... "pNWW"
ab xEVI-IDW "YqCrFQrzeNKhOG!s"
ab xgMHoADW "Yi-W"

this is a strange looking key and I wondered what it is but I donot want to remove it in case it belongs to something I use.
Anyone else got this key in their machine or know what it might be.

interesting.... the reg key that is... I haven't got it in either my XP or win98 machines, I've had a look on another friends machine (98) and she hasn't got them either..... I'd back up the registry first and then delete the HKLM key you mention... if it screws the system you can restore the registry and get back to where you are now.

Incidentally... how long has your machine been running at any one time? Just curious cos you do know (you do don't you??) that after a given amount of time (don't recall exactly how long) Win98 requires a restart (the RAM gets locked up cos win98 isn't very good at releasing RAM)... if it's been going for more than say 12hrs in one stretch it's a good idea to restart (or at least use a prog to flush out the RAM).

Anyone else?


Z

I usually run for upto 12-14 hours at a time. I did know I have to reboot every so often ( it is windows after all LOL) The lock downs and slow downs will happen with in 10 to 15 minutes of start-up sometimes usually it starts after I have been going for about 2 or 3 hours. Thanks for the advice I will try that and see if it works out. I may just back-up what I need to kep and format the harddrive and start over. thanks again.

very interesting, id reccomend what z was saying, but first check out pcpitstop.com