frustrating *dumb* problem getting php to work under apache

[tb]

hi, all --

i know this is a FAQ; in fact, it's *such* a FAQ that i've found dozens
and dozens and dozens of FAs -- none of which have worked for me. and i
*really* have tried before asking here. :/ and if i got djbdns, qmail
and procmail working with maildir, i can't be too hopeless. or lazy. :)

the goal: apache + php (under 4.8). the facts: apache, mysql, and php 
installed nicely. the problem: php doesn't render -- browsers either 
krash (konqueror), show php code, or ask me if i want DL the unknown 
document. php renders fine when i look at other sites, and i get the 
same (i.e., raw code) results looking at my host from an OSX box, so 
it's a server-config problem. as things stand, my httpd.conf is plain-
vanilla *except for these two lines...

     AddType application/x-httpd-php .php
     AddType application/x-httpd-php-source .phps 

...at ~line 634 (maybe relevant because of the order in which various
items load?). however, httpd.conf is plain-vanilla now because i have
a loooong set of backed-up variations on it, which have included ex-
periments like subsets of...

     LoadModule php_module         modules/mod_php.so
     LoadModule php3_module        modules/libphp3.so     /* for PHP 3 */
     LoadModule php4_module        modules/libphp4.so     /* for PHP 4 */
     LoadModule perl_module        modules/libperl.so

...both inside and outside of <IfDefine SSL> [...] </IfDefine>. and
i've tried lots of other stuff besides.

what i have now is an install that works, except for this one pathetic 
problem, basd on the instrux here -- which worked perfectly:
     http://www.freebsdforums.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=12419

i've hunted through /var/log for klews about why it's not working.

i'd be happy to provide all kind of infodumps, but it seemed like a 
clear statement of the problem might be a good way to begin. for now,
the basics:

uname -a
     FreeBSD <...> 4.8-RELEASE-p1 FreeBSD 4.8-RELEASE-p1 #0: Sat Aug  9 
     22:22:39 EDT 2003  <...>:/usr/src/sys/compile/EKB030809  i386
          -- custom-compiled for pcm support on an i810 :)

httpd -v
     Server version: Apache/1.3.27 (Unix)
     Server built:   Aug 12 2003 13:28:32

httpd -l
     Compiled-in modules:
       http_core.c
       mod_so.c
     suexec: disabled; invalid wrapper /usr/local/sbin/suexec

php -v
     PHP 4.3.1 (cli) (built: Aug 12 2003 13:36:26)
     Copyright (c) 1997-2002 The PHP Group
     Zend Engine v1.3.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2002 Zend Technologies

openssl version
     OpenSSL 0.9.7a Feb 19 2003

any advice would be much appreciated!

thanks,
t