Call Adobe, there should be a number on the CS3 box.
Since I posted earlier I have been able to do some research. This is a known issue with CS3. It appears that the licensing service that runs in the background is not functioning properly. Adobe are silent on the matter. Some people have already gone through numerous uninstalls and reinstalls to no avail. It is the product itself that is unstable. It's a lot of money to shell out for a suite that collapses on you and becomes unusable.Call Adobe, there should be a number on the CS3 box.
Appreciate what you are suggesting, but others have already done so and are going round in circles.As I said, call Adobe.