Activation problems with CS3 and PS6

I own CS3 standard edition for Windows. Recently I upgraded Photoshop only to CS6.

All works well with PS/CS6. However, when I go back to use CS3 applications, the programs won't run. In Acrobat - the program I'm trying to run now - I get the error "Adobe Acrobat 8.1.3 cannot be launched..." and am told to open another CS3 program. I tried that, only to be told my CS3 is no longer registered.

I got out the CS3 disks, entered the serial number, and am now told I have too many activations. This makes no sense at all, as I just removed CS3 from my laptop.

Can someone tell me how I can run my CS3 programs with PS/CS6? I cannot afford to update the whole suite; that's just not an option.

Thanks,

Ed B