Bizarre – Old Photoshop 4.0 Causing MODEM Problems? (Don’t laugh…)

This is a truly bizarre situation. I recently replaced an old computer (using Windows 98) with a new unit that is on XP. I have been using an ancient copy of Photoshop 4.0 for years now (I actually "inherited" it from a friend who, sadly, passed away and left a bunch of computer junk to me). It always worked fine under 98, but I have noted glitches using it with XP (like freezing up at odd times). I know 4.0 isn’t really meant to be used with XP, and I have seen other messages reporting problems with that combination, but I am not currently in a financial position to update PS.

Concurrently, I have had intermittent problems with my dial-up modem. (Yes, I’m still on dial-up — thank you for not laughing out loud.) Every so often, the modem starts to fail to connect, making weird sounds and gicing me an Error 678.

The strange thing is……the modem problems have always occurred IMMEDIATELY following a Photoshop session, and at no other time! (It doesn’t happen EVERY time I use PS, but never happens unless I have just finished using it.) I have done much troubleshooting and detective work at least as far as I am capable (there is, alas, no "geek gene" in my DNA). The modem has been checked out twice now and is fine. The problem apparently has nothing to do with my ISP, as others can connect to the same numbers when I am having trouble.

Sometimes it clears up by itself after several hours of just turning off the computer and leaving it alone. (This, of course, is known as "FM" — that is, "F–king Magic"). <g> But, most often, what I have to do is (a)unistall Photoshop and (b)do a system restore. Without fail, doing both of these (not just one or the other) clears up the modem problem.

What bugs me is, I can’t for the life of me think of how PS and a dial-up program would have any files or settings in common that could be conflicting somehow. Until I can afford a more up to date version of PS, what I am actually doing when I have to use the program is: turn the computer off, turn it back on, install PS from CD, do what I need to do with it, then uninstall PS, computer off, computer on, do a system restore, restart, and I’m fine. If I skip any one of those steps, the modem will not connect.

I kid you not, this whole thing has me (and the geeks at the local computer shop) stymied. The two problems may be coincidental, but the more they occur in tandem, the more convinced I am that there is some weird connection between the two. Any nuggets of wisdom, or suggested incantations or voodoo routines would be greatly appreciated!!