I Think I'm Going Crazy!!

Please help before I throw this computer out the window. I recently purchased a used computer which had everything removed from the hard drive. (I'm not very computer savvy, as you can tell). I reinstalled a Windows 2000 Professional OS with no problem, however my monitor is frozen at a 16-color display. I have tried everything, including installing the driver CD that came with the OS - it just sat there, nothing happened. All I want to do is to be able to adjust the color setting so that pictures don't look like negatives, or some Andy Warhol lithograph. IS THERE A SIMPLE WAY TO DO THIS? And by simple, I mean I need directions that a 6-year old would understand. The "simple" instructions I've found have told me what I need to do, but I get to the Monitor screen in the Advanced section and when I am told to click Properties I am unable to do so. To the left of that button it says "Default Monitor". None of the instructions I've found online seem to relate to this program. And of course, I really don't think I know what I'm doing -- HELLLLLLP!