Python kernel32 exception on Win9x while using DDE extensions

[Nic]

I am running on Win98 SE with the latest DCOM installed.
When I try to run the following script fragment from python.exe or
pythonw.exe I get a “page fault exception” in 
kernel32.dll
I tried using ActivePython 2.1 and also on pythonlabs distribution
with the win32 extensions and I get the same results.
Running the script from inside the pythonwin environment works fine.
I need the script to run automatically (preferably as an exe file).
Can anybody help me?
Is there a way to start PythonWin so it loads the script and runs it
without user intervention (maybe a .BAT file)?

import win32ui
import dde
import sys
         
def send_string(str):
  # …..
  pass
   
print "Starting DDE v1.02"
cESC = chr(27)
cF11 = cESC + '[23~'

server = dde.CreateServer()

# The problem is in the following line
server.Create("ERTestClient")


conv = dde.CreateConversation(server)

while 1:
    str = raw_input("Enter String: ")
    if str == "EXIT": break
    str_all = cF11 + str 
    ## send_string(str_all)

print "DONE"   



Thanks
Nic