Lost All Admin For My Little Business

Have been using Word 97 perfectly well now for several years for admin and records for my small business. But tonight on trying to do a customers invoice I find I can no longer use any of my Word docs so basically I have lost 3 years records and info etc. A notice came up advising update but what do I update to ? Will I be able to retrieve all my work and how much will it cost me ? I desperately need help !
Please can someone help with my problem asap ??!!
qwerty .

When you start Word '97 you get an error message?

If so what is that message verbatim?

Are you running Windows '98?

Hi jephree. Nothing happens till I get cross and keep clicking then message says not responding then send error report then says word 97 no longer supported and need to update, well I think thats how it goes. ( I am NO expert so if possible keep your answers and questions as simple as possible !
No only got 97.
qwerty

I understand Word '97 but what is your general Operating System?

Windows '98?

You would get that error on the Send Report simply because Microsoft no longer supports Word '97. In other words it is simply a generic reply. The implication of it is Upgrade to a new version of Word which will not help you with your issue. Microsoft simply no longer supports Word '97.

Anyway perhaps we can trace the "Not Responding" error but we need to know your Operating System i.e. Windows '98?

Also is this a brand new problem?

Gosh so any questions, I new it would be complicated !
I have a Dell Dimention3000-Windows XP Home. Yes this problem started tonight, everything worked fine 2 or 3 days ago ! So are you saying I've lost all my work for ever ?
(PS I'm an oldie not a spring chicken so I'll need plenty of help.)
qwerty

No problem. You posted this in the Windows '98 section of the forum so I was just checking.

XP offers many diagnostic tools we can try.

Hopefully we can figure out why Word is not responding and fix it.

My first suggestion is to do a System Restore to a Restore Point prior to your problem.

Click start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore

Choose a date on the calendar to the last time Word was working OK.

You probably need to hit the "<" on the calendar to go back to February.

Choose a date and then Restore. Your computer will reboot itself.

See after that if there is any difference.

Will do. I had thought about doing that but wasn't sure ! thanks I'll try it now. If I take too long cos my pc goes so slowly I'll understand if you have to stop helping me tonight.thankyou for helping so far.
qwerty

How odd ! all seems to be working fine now, what do you think caused it ?
But following on from this I think perhaps I do need to update. What do you suggest I do ?
qwerty

System Restore resets the registry. Some other program must have fudged your registry somehow. From a distance that's about as specific as I can get.

First off I suggest you always back up your WORD and any other important data.

Next if you can afford it I'd suggest getting the latest version of Office:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/default.aspx

You should be able to Import your current data into a new version.

thankyou jephree. tomorrow may I ask you about backup,what it is and how to do it as I'm ashamed to say its never been done.
Thanks again
qwerty