On thing that comes to mind is that you may have macros that are slowing down the start process.  Word and Excel will execute macros that are stored in two special sub-directories.  I don't have 97 installed now (I have Office XP) but 97 acts the same.  On my Windows XP machine (I don't know your operating system), the Word "Startup" folder is at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office 10\Startup.  Any macros embedded in templates stored in that directory will be executed when Word is started.  Similarly, a sub-directory named XLStart is in the Office 10 sub-directory and macros in any "XLT" templates there will be executed upon start.

Some macro viruses store their macros there to make sure they are executed when Word or Excel is started.  The other thing that could be happening is that in your Normal.dot template has a macro that is trying to reach a network file that is no longer available and the application will timeout trying to locate that file.  If you can get them to open, go to Tools > Macro > Macros... and see if there are any in the Normal template.

While you are at it, I'd check both Word and Excel to make sure that your Macro Security (Tools > Macro > Security is set to Medium and that there are only sites you know in the trusted list.

Good luck,

Doug

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At 3/26/2004 12:11 AM, Steve Brumbaugh wrote:

I have a problem with Word and Excel starting very, very slowly.  In fact, Excel at least doesn't really start at all since eventually it just says "not responding" and won't do anything.  This is Office 97 running on WinXP
and I never had any problem with this before today.

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