WebJunction

Talking to myself here, but in case anyone else ever has this issue, this is how it was resolved (from Microsoft's support page)...

Step 1: Start Word Using Default Settings
Starting Word by using the /a switch on a command line causes Word to use the default settings for all options and prevents add-ins and global templates from being loaded.

The /a switch allows you to start Word without loading the following components:

* The global template (Normal.dot)
* Any add-in templates in the Startup folder
* Any add-in libraries (.wll files)
* User settings stored in the Data key in the Windows registry

NOTE: When you start Word with the /a switch, changes you make in Word that affect any of these components are not written to the hard disk when you quit Word, and the changes are lost.

For the following example, assume that Word is located in the following folder:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office
NOTE: You may have Word installed to a different folder.

To start Word using the /a switch, follow these steps:

1. Click Start and then click Run.
2. Click Browse.
3. Use the Look in box to locate Winword.exe, and then click to select it.
4. Click Open.

NOTE: This step fills in the Open box in the Run dialog box.
5. Click in the Open box after Winword.exe.

NOTE: The path to the Winword.exe file in the Run dialog box is enclosed in quotation marks. Be sure to click to the right of the closing quotation mark.
6. Type a space, and then type /a.

The statement in the Open box should look similar to the following example:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Winword.exe" /a

If Word starts correctly, you have resolved the problem. The problem is that an add-in program or template, the default Normal template, or the data key in the registry is affecting how the Word window is displayed when it is started.