If there is no Desktop System Software, begin driver installation with the Intel chipset driver.  Dell recommends that the chipset driver be followed by the video, network, and sound drivers.  Dell does list an order for any remaining drivers that are required, but the order is not as important as it is for these first four.  Dell guidance on installation can be found at the fourth link on this page:  Restoring or Reinstalling Windows on a Dell.  The fourth link is, I believe, the guide for a manual installation of Windows. EDIT:  Sorry, forgot one of your questions from your earlier post relative to the slowness of the computer.  This may not be your problem, but you should check to be certain.  The Dimension 2400 System Setup (F2 during the Dell logo after starting the computer) has entries for information on the processor.  Among the entries is one for the speed of the processor; there are two, one stating "Normal" and the second "Compatible".  This setting must be in "Normal" for the processor to operate at full speed.  If it is set to Compatible, which is a hold-over from the days when certain software would not run at "Turbo" speed, the processor clock is reduced to a crawl.
Hi All, I have a used Dell Dimension 2400 Desktop, that I have just performed a 'complete system recovery' on which has the problem that it will only display in 640x480 pixels/16 colours. This means that the screen image is way top big for the Dell Monitor, and the settings tab in display properties, has only one other setting called 'more' which I am unable to select anyway. The pc is VERY slooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwww, in responding to mouse clicks, and desktop explorer windows take ages to display properly. I also can't get the pc to connect to my home network or the internet using RJ45 cables connected to Netgear Powerline products or directly to my Netgear Broadband Modem/Wireless Router, so I can't download and install any drivers or updates directly. The only 'USB Device' that the pc will recognise or respond to is a Logitech mini usb notebook mouse, and no other usb device is recognised. After many 'restarts' it finally recognises a Compaq PS/2 mouse and a Compaq PS/2 Keyboard. The pc is missing many drivers including 'Ethernet', 'Audio', and 'VGA', which I think I downloaded (but have not installed yet) from the Dell website, and saved onto a CD-RW, using another pc. The drivers I have do NOT include any utility called 'desktop system software', as that did not come up in the list of 71 available files for the Dimension 2400 desktop. The drivers 'exe' file names are: BR70278 - BIOS driver called 'floppy pack' (I have plans to actually replace to floppy drive with something else, so is this ONLY a floppy driver?) CDD1257 - Diagnostics Utility R47822 - Chipset driver R64645 - Broadcom WLAN 4401 Intergrated NIC Driver R86399 - 845 G/GL Integrated Video Driver R94481 - Audio Driver (ADI 198x Integrated Audio)........and R133743 - Modem Driver (573E, V.9x, PCI, Modem). Will these above drivers likely sort the above problems with the Dimesion 2400? The PC originally had Win' XP Home Edition, but now has ( + tries to run) Win' XP Pro SP3 the recovery disc of which was used to recover the pc because the 'original' OEM Win XP Home Ed' disc was lost (so was the 'driver disc'). The processor is Intel Celeron 2.4Ghz and the system has either 768Mb or 784Mb of DDR Ram and an 80Gb hdd. Since 'recovery' I have installed NOTHING. I have had a brand new XP Home Ed' notebook in the past, and that was supplied with ONE recovery disc which when used (many times) only took a maximum of two hours to 'recover' the pc to 'factory settings'. The recovery disc used on the Dimension 2400 took MORE than 24 hrs - is this normal? Or is this a result of the low spec of the Dimension 2400 and using a 'non standard' recovery disc? Is Dell unique in seperating the system drivers from the 'recovery disc'? And why would they do that anyway? When I have had to 'recover' my other pc's (these run Vista Home Premium and Vista Home cBasic), I used the discs that I had to 'create' myself.  All help is greatly appreciated, as always Regards Bob    
Dimension 2400 Desktop which drivers do I NEED