**********UPDATE**********
OK!
I am at work at the moment and I brought it with me. At work we use HP Desktops with XP Home Edition. I plugged it in, and it went through the same procedure as my Laptop (the notification icon said "Installing USB Mass Storage Device", etc). When I go to "My Computer" it appears as a CD Drive...
I brought my Laptop with me so I can go back and forth between Vista and XP to check if anything would work.
Thank for any help you can provide!
(I have a feeling that its going to be an easy fix)
