I should’ve posted this sooner, but the problem has been solved.
There was nothing wrong with my DVD or my reader.
As it turns out, the installation of Premiere Pro 2 is VERY susceptible to conflicting with other software on your pc.
Long story short… I ended up having to pretty much re-install my OS, thereby wiping the slate clean, as it were.
As soon as I was dealing with just Premiere Pro 2, it took off and installed like a champ.
It was a fairly tedious process, but well worth the effort.
And I lived happily ever after!