Word 2007 won't open outside of Safe Mode

[BriarRose]

I have to use Word 2007 for work and have a pretty full C drive, so I
installed it on an external drive. It seemed to work just fine for about 6
weeks.

Recently, it started refusing to open in anything but Safe Mode and nothing
seems to work. Diagnostics finds no issues. I'm this close to reinstalling
but wanted to know if I had to install on the C drive or if I could continue
to use it from another drive. My family prefers 2003 and would like to keep
it.

 

[Terry Farrell]

It is better to install Office on the C drive but keep all your documents
and other user files on the external drive. You can install Office 2003 and
2007 on the same computer: you need to make a minor registry edit to stop
Office 'reconfiguring for first use' each time you change versions. Also,
only one version of Outlook can reside on your computer at a time (without
loads of jiggery pokery). Install Office 2003 first, then install Office
2007 (which will automatically remove Outlook 2003). Then edit the Registry.

But your current problem is more likely to be a corrupt normal.dot or such.
See http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ProblemsStartingWord.htm for some
diagnostic help.