A. While it's a good thing that you upgraded to 128-MB of RAM, that's not really the issue here (although your computer probably does work a bit faster). Every time you open a program, Windows 98 (and 95/ME, for that matter) loads all of the program's "components" into memory. The components are System Resources, and the area of memory into which they are loaded is finite.

These components include menus, textboxes, buttons, etc. The fixed amount of space for System Resources is reduced a bit every time you open a program. Not all the space is released when you close a program, so opening and closing a program repeatedly can eat up space. Once your resources reach a low level, your computer will probably become unstable and may crash. Sometimes you'll get the "Dangerously Low" warning.

Other than restarting your computer (to flush the Resource space), you can avoid the warning by being more careful about closing old windows and opening new ones. If you're going to use Internet Explorer all day, keep one or two browser windows open (minimized when not in use), instead of constantly closing and re-opening. Same goes for Word or any other application.

It's also a good idea to make sure the System Resource area is as clear as possible. This means not launching unnecessary programs when booting. Here's how to manage the launch:

--Click Start>>Run. --Type in "msconfig" (without the quotes). --Click OK.

This launches the System Configuration Utility, and under the Startup tab, you can uncheck boxes for programs you don't need to have running (RealTray, Winamp or other audio utilities are good candidates). You're not deleting the program, just preventing it from automatically launching every time you start. But be cautious, as there are a few programs that should be running (including SystemTray and antivirus software).

You can also take a look at your System Resources by launching the Resource Meter, but keep in mind that this program also uses resources:

--Click Start>>Programs>> Accessories>>System Tools. --Launch Resource Meter.

If you're being careful about using your resources and you keep getting the "Dangerously Low" warning, consider upgrading to Windows XP. It's much better at managing resources than Windows 98. But you'll probably want to upgrade RAM again if you go this route (256-MB is a good target for XP).