All Word-related commands fail on Microsoft Windows Server 2008

Microsoft Word requires the existence of the Desktop directory in the default system profile. This directory does not exist on Microsoft Windows Server 2008.

The location of this directory depends on the versions of Microsoft Word and Microsoft Windows:

• for the 64-bit version of Microsoft Word 2010;
  create directory %WINDIR%\System32\config\systemprofile\Desktop
• for 32-bit versions of Microsoft Word:
  • on 32-bit versions of Microsoft Windows Server 2008;
    create directory %WINDIR%\System32\config\systemprofile\Desktop
  • on 64-bit versions of Microsoft Windows Server 2008;
    create directory %WINDIR%\SysWOW64\config\systemprofile\Desktop