win98 error loading user.exe

I have a workstation that displays “error loading user.exe. You must re install windows.” then shuts down. It will open in safe mode. I’ve tried extracting ddeml.dll ( per q243372), wininit.exe, user.exe, and vmm32.vxd. Also tried renaming files and preforming win98 upgrade. When viewing the bootlog.txt it shows the failure as user.exe but only after it has made many references to this same file. any help would be appreciated.