I lost my ability to access Microsoft home publishing, I have an older version for windows 98, but it always worked on xp, can I reinstall it from the 98 set up disc withour messing up my p/c ? I have an old gateway set up disc with the words suite programs on it, do I dare try to use it ?

What version of Word do you currently have ?
It's unlikely that the version for 98 will operate correctly in XP.
What are you trying to do ??

I have the windows 2000 works suite, word 2000