I am running xcel xp on a windows 10 computer. I was trying to add a hyper link to a workbook. When I tried to paste the link into the worksheet xcel closed. I tried several times with the same result. I did some testing and now I find that when trying to create a new work book xcel will close if I try to enter numeric data into two cells in the same row. I can add numeric data to more than one cell in the same column. If I open a work created previously to the start of the problem the problem does not occur.
If I add alpha/numeric data such as q23ft or 32wt56 to cells in the same row the problem does not occur.

Does this occur with every new workbook, or with one particular workbook created recently?

There can be various reasons of-course, but mostly it will be:
When this occurs only for you, and with every new workbook, then your Excel itself is corrupted. Repair or reinstall your MS Office;
When this occurs after last update, and for others too, and with every new workbook, then last Excel update was faulty. Take the update back;
When this occurs only for you single workbook, then your workbook is corrupted. Create it anew, or open the faulty workbook, open a new one too, and use PasteSpecial to copy formulas, values, formats, etc. into new workbook. Save the new workbook, test it, and when all is OK, delete the old one (and rename the new one).

I tried uninstalling and reinstalling Office xp. That did not cure the problem. I am the only one who uses the xcel files on my PC. I have no problem entering numeric data in more than one cell in the same row when adding data to one of my old workbooks,

I do experience a problem if I try to insert a link to the same or a different workbook.

If I create a new work book the problem with numerical data surfaces, It also surfaces if I try to inset a link from an older workbook into the new workbook.

More testing reveals that if I try placing any type of data(alpha, numeric , alpha/numeric) in a cell in a column after having previously entered numeric data to a cell in that column, xcel will close.

It is difficult to guess what is causing this. Maybe you post here the full information about your Office - version number (the long one), 32 or 64 bit, are you using it in domain, are you creating a workbook on network resource or in your hard disk, etc. Then maybe there will be someone with build like yours, who can write how it works for him/her. When it is same, then it is Office problem, otherwise the cause is local.

Excel 2002 (10.6871.6870) SP3 32 bit
Windows 10 Home 10.0.17134 Build 17134
Workbook created on my hard drive no network use