PC won't recognize Picture Motion Browser (or camcorder)

Hello! I recently bought a Sony HDR SR11 camcorder and am having trouble transferring the videos from my camcorder to my computer.

1. I cannot install the Picture Motion Browser (PMB) software that came with the camcorder. My PC does not even recognize the CD when I put it in my CD/DVD drive - it sees it as empty. (I put in other CDs and it works, so I don't think the problem is my drive. I also tried the PMB disk in a friend's computer and it works so I don't think the problem is the disk.) I then tried to download the free trial of Vegas Movie Studio Platnium, which I was able to do sucessfully. But when I try to "capture video" from my camcorder, it tells me there is no devise connected, even though I have my camcorder connected to the computer. Which leads me to question #2...

2. When I connect the camcorder to my computer via a UBS connection and turn the camcorder on, the computer does NOT recognize that it is connected to the camcorder (even though the camcorder can recognize that it is connected to the computer). I'm not sure if this is related to #1 above or not, as I've heard mixed comments.

I would greatly appreciate any assistance/suggestions as I've called the Sony support line, called a Sony Style store directly, and went to Best Buy (where I purchased the camcorder, with an extended warrenty) to talk to their Geek Squad - all without any sucess (just more confusion!).

Thank you kindly.