control panel -> system properties -> performance hangs pc

I have a problem with my Win98FE notebook:

control panel - system properties - general OK
control panel - system properties - device manager OK
control panel - system properties - hardware profiles OK
control panel - system properties - performance System
Freezes (but can abort) -- I am saying that just pressing
the "performance" tab to see the swapfile settings hangs
the PC.

SFC reports everything is OK. Scandisk reports disk is
OK. I have tried deleting the swap file in DOS and
rebooted to create new swap file but that didn't help
either.

Any ideas WHAT file is corrupted or how to repair?

TIA,
George