Word crashes at startup

[JC]

I have a problem with word 2007. Whenever I try to start the application I
get the "MOW has encountered a problem..." message and the application shuts
down. This happens regardless of whether I try to start word from the start
menu, program or by selecting a word document.
I've searched the FAQ's but have found no help.

 

[Terry Farrell]

So what happens when starting in Safe Mode?
Describe what you have done so far.

 

[JC]

When I try to start in safe mode I get the exact same symptom. It tries to
start the application and then I immediately get the same error and word
shuts down. (It gives me the option to send the error report, which I've
done).

I researched the faq's for similar problems and tried the solutions
presented there. I tried to start from the run command (run winword.exe /a)
with the same results (the word splash screen and immediate error message and
crash)

I also checked the task manager for any other instances of word running but
didn't find any.

By the way, I had the exact problem with word in XP Pro (that's why I
upgraded to Office Ultimate and 2007). I even tried uninstalling ultimate
and going back to xp pro but still had the same issue. I removed Office XP
pro, reinstalled Office ultimate and the installation went through with no
problems. But as soon as I tried to start word, I got the same crash.

Not really sure what else I can do.

 

[Terry Farrell]

If this happened for both Office XP and Office 2007 in that they failed to
start even in Safe Mode, it suggests that you have a serious Windows problem
or hardware problem with your PC. I suggest backing up all your user data
and then doing some serious diagnostic work: maybe reinstall everything from
scratch. If you do that, don't forget to install a local Windows Default
printer driver again or Word won't work.

Terry Farrell

 

[Miadan]

I am having an almost identical problem with Word, in Office Pro 2003, on Win
XP Pro. I get the same "MOW has encountered a problem... msg". When I
select "recover my work...", sometimes it just comes up again, and other
times it gives me the Word failed to start/safe mode" msg, and starts up in
safe mode. Once Work has come up in safe mode, it continues to come up in
safe mode until the next reboot. I have tried repairing, uninstalling Word,
and reinstalling, uninstalling Office and reinstalling. I thought I had it
yesterday after reinstalling Office, and it came up with no errors, but this
morning it is doing it again. I have run into this in the past, and I
believe I was able to get it by uninstalling and reinstalling Word only, but
this time that is not working. I ussually notice it when I try to compose an
email in Outlook and it can't open Word, since I use Word more for emails
than anything else. Once I have opened Word in safe mode, Outlook can use
Word to compose emails with no problem, until the next reboot. Also it seems
to me that this problem is related to updates to Word, or Outllook (I am
suspecting the junk email filter updates in particular).

 

[Terry Farrell]

See the following FAQ for help diagnosing this problem.

http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ProblemsStartingWord.htm

Terry Farrell - MSWord MVP