There's actually a way to restore your registry in DOS. Usually if you tap F8 while your computer is booting it will get you to the Windows Startup Screen. From there you can choose "Start computer in safe mode command prompt only"
When you get to C: in DOS. I think you want to go to C:\\Windows (to get to those folders from C: just type in "cd windows" then enter and then and type in "scanreg\ restore" (all of this without the quotation marks). This should let you pick from different registry dates. Find one that was before the problem happened....Usually this will work. It's been a while since I used 98, but search your windows folder for scanreg.exe and include subfolders. Then go into DOS by the method I just mentioned and load it there.
Fie.