CorelDRAW 8 and Windows XP

Need help very badly.  Am very, well... poor.  I absolutely cannot afford to upgrade.  I have been using CorelDRAW 8 for years and I absolutely LOVE the program.  I am an artist, however unsuccessful, but I love what I do.  My computer died a while ago, and I didn't have money for another.  I went without for months, and then an acquaintance gave me a computer.  It was an old one of his, although it was newer than mine had been.  He put together a very nice system for me with Windows XP, and I am eternally grateful.  However, for whatever reason, my old and always reliable CorelDRAW 8 suite won't work on this new computer.  It installs, and it doesn't say there are any issues, but when I try to open a document in Corel DRAW, or when I try to Save As in Corel PhotoPaint... they freeze, and then shut down.  At first I thought it was because I had both programs open at the same time, so I tried to just work with one at a time, but they still freeze and close without saving.  The thing is... my old computer had Windows XP on it too.  So, why wouldn't it work now?  I've uninstalled and reinstalled the program 3 times, all to no avail.  We thought that perhaps the problem was that my old computer had Windows XP Home on it, and this one had XP Pro, so we downgraded to XP Home, but that didn't work either.

I know everyone hates sob stories, but I am literally in tears over this.  I suffer from Panic Disorder and as a result, am confined to my home most of the time.  My computer and my art work are all that I have - my only true happiness, and CorelDRAW is SO important to me.  Does anyone have ANY ideas on how to remedy my problem?  Remember - I have zero dollars.  And unfortunately, I finally have a store interested in carrying a line of my greeting cards.  I have designed the greeting cards in CorelDRAW 8, but they are not complete, and this store is waiting for me to finish them.  I have a flexible deadline, but a deadline nonetheless!  I also have a commitment to a local charity, the completion of which also depends on Corel DRAW.   Help!!!  Somebody!  Anybody!!!  Please!