Finally found the answer and as usual when you fight something long enough it usually winds up being simple.

On my previous installation, including now installing on a different Win98 machine, you could leave the setting in the "Application Options / Host Operation / Video mode selection" to the default.

With this IBM graphics Controller - 8281OE - which I've had trouble with before (I had to back it off 2 points to keep my cursor from flickering on web sites with flashing ads) you have to change the setting to "Compatibility".

I'm posting this in case another soul out there has a similar problem with pcANYWHERE causing Explorer crashes. My guess is it's related to this particular graphics setup though.

At any rate thanks for the input friends.

------------------
"Finest Kind"