I am trying to sort out a problem with a Word 97 install which is driving me nuts, and if anyone has any ideas, please let me know as I would be really grateful if I can sort it out withut a full re-install.

It's installed on a Win 95 box that has had the usual SR patches applied. The system is pretty simple and rarely has software added or removed from it. I am reasonably confident that it has not been mucked about with or has a virus.

When Word 97 is started, it pops up it's splash screen and appears to go no further. It has a task on the task bar, and the button is depressed as if indicating that the process is the active process. However, there's nothing up on the screen.

I get the impression that it is now hanging on a lock file or some such, and if I could work out where it's happening I could try and knock it out to get the program started.

One point of note: Internet Exploder 5.5 was recently installed on the machine, prior to the problem happening. No other program is affected (Excel and other office programs start OK). The problem occurred for the first time a week after the installation. The computer, and Word, was properly shut down prior to the problem: when the next attempt was made to start Word, it hung and has been that way since. Using both the shortcut or the executable directly give the same problem.

Any advice on how I can get started trouble shooting this? And please - DON'T just say "Re-install it" or "Install Linux", that can't happen in this situation.