Problem fixed!
Did a bunch of things, so I'm not sure what it was that actually solved it.
Uninstalled Office 2003, again.
Deleted the old computer hard drive data backup. (I have an external hard drive now and so don't need it).
Deleted
everything out of the MS Office folder in Program Files.
Reinstalled Office 2003.
Downloaded the updates again. (Four of which I missed last time, and one of those was a Word update.

Maybe this was the problem all along).
Opened a Word document and, voila, no stupid dialog box pop up!
Anyhoo, just want to say thanx much for your replies and puttin' up with a fumblin', mumblin' and stumblin' computer doughhead.

I hope I didn't waste anyone's time.
If it's any consolation, I worked on this, on and off,
all day.
Seems like alot of my time was wasted, but I'm happy, now, in the end.
Thanx again for your time and input.
Cheers

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