Cant open Word

[Caela]

Every time I try to open Word in MS Office I get the message 'Program has
performed illegal operation and will be shut down'. If I click on details, I
get the following:
Microsoft Word for Windows attempted to read from memory that does not
exist. It may be using an uninitialized variable, or it may be attempting to
access memory after having freed it.
Module Name: WINWORD.EXE
Description: Microsoft Word for Windows
Version: 9.0.2717
Product: Microsoft Office 2000
Manufacturer: Microsoft Corporation
Application Name: Winword.exe
Description: Microsoft Word for Windows
Version: 9.0.2717
Product: Microsoft Office 2000
Manufacturer: Microsoft Corporation
--------------------
Windows KB891711 component has altered Windows system files.
Module Name: KB891711.EXE
Description: Windows KB891711 component.

Please can anyone tell a computer illiterate like me what to do?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Well, FWIW, KB891711 is a Windows Security Update that was issued in January
2005. Do you get the same message if you start Word in Safe Mode (by using
the /a switch or holding Ctrl while it loads)? See
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ProbsOpeningWord.htm for other leads.