odd file created on boot drive [win98se]

[archie]

A file gets created when I shut down and not during a reboot ... the OS is Win98se and the hardware is Cel2k on Asus P4XPX-X with 256 MB PC100, 1 GB HDD and 6 GB HDD and one CD-ROM drive. Does anyone know what it would be?
File name is 'ER|'
Type: File
Location: C:\
Size: 0 bytes
MS-DOS name: ER_~1
created only when shutting down ... at one point during the whole exit process.

What has been done to get rid of it:
Tried other keyboard
Deleted the recycle bin on both drives [done in DOS with deltree command]
downloaded, installed, updated and scanned with AVG
tried other boot drive ... 1 GB HDD [Win98se image is ghosted onto 6GB as secondary master]
Flashed the BIOS
other odd file name using | when using 1st image without onboard nic or sound
booted with win98 floppy, switched to f-prot files and did anti-virus scan to no avail.
What is known about it:
comes back after cold boot but not reboot
As I went loading from scratch, I did ghost images along the way. The first image [without LAN and sound shows an odd file at the bootdrive but it is a different name.

Any ideas on how to get rid of it, or what it is?

[Force Flow]

Start > run > type "scanreg" > Ctrl+F

Try searching for "ER|"

[archie]

Start > run > type "scanreg" > Ctrl+F

When I type scanreg in the run box, I get the window registry checker and the registry scan results are: 'no errors found'. There are no ctrl+F function to be found there.
I did scan in regedit for 'er|' and found stuff from Real Networks. It is installed on this PC and it shows on other PCs that have it installed.
I redid the earliest ghost image without NIC and audio and found the file '0|Y|' at the root. A scan of the registry there for either '0|Y|' or 'ER|' showed nothing.
A new file does not get created when I leave the original file there so I may just 'try to' leave it at that ... but I would still like to know what it is.