Help! WINXP/Apache2.0/PHP4.3.8 - Can't run PHP

When I have a html page with an embedded php method behind a button, when I click the button I the PHP doesn't run, instead my browser pops up a dialog box with a request a file download of my PHP script. Also, when I run a php in my browser either nothing happens or I get the file load. I've tried a number of httpd.conf changes but nothing seems to work. It seems to be a configuration problem. I'm at a loss at this point. Should I switch from the dll module approach and try the cgi technique?