Error message when you try to start Student or Encarta: "Please wait while Windows configures"

SYMPTOMS

When you try to start Microsoft Student or Microsoft Encarta, the program may stop responding (hang) or repeat the following error message:

Please wait while Windows configures

This issue may occur if the installation of Microsoft Word or the installation of Microsoft Office is corrupted.

To resolve this issue, remove and then reinstall Office or Word. To do this, follow these steps:

Click Start, click Run, type appwiz.cpl, and then click OK.
Remove Office and Word if they are listed.
Start Student or start Encarta.
Quit Student or quit Encarta.
Insert your Office or Word CD, and then follow the prompts to reinstall the program.
Start Word after the installation is complete to make sure that the setup was successful.
Start Student again or start Encarta again.