Problem reinstalling Windows XP on Dimension 2400

If you have the Dell Resource CD all you should need to do is put the disk in the drive and allow it to autorun.  It will ask if you want to install the application, and you should select "yes".  Once this is done you should get a screen with a menu at the left to select the computer model and a menu at the top.  One of the selections on the top menu will be "Drivers".  Select that and you should get a screen containing a list of drivers, some having checkmarks at the left.  Double click the file names having the check marks one at a time, beginning with the chipset.  When the file begins to load you should get a box asking if you wish to open or save the file; select "Open".  The file will automatically expand and copy the driver files to the hard drive, and then you will get a box asking if you would like to install the driver.  Select yes.

After each driver you install you should restart the computer to make certain that the Windows Registry has been properly updated.  After the chipset driver, Dell recommends that you install the drivers for the video adapter, network interface, sound, and modem in that order.  The modem driver is on a disk of its own, so you won't find that on the Resource Disk.

When you restart the computer you may be given the option to boot from the Resource CD as it is a bootable disk.  Ignore that and allow the computer to boot from the hard drive.  You will need to restart the Resource CD after the computer completes its boot process.  You can do this either by ejecting and then re-inserting the CD, or I simply go to Start/Run and browse the CD for the Autorun file.

When you have finished loading the drivers that have been indicated, you should look on the list to see if it contains a patch file for USB 2.0.  If you are using a Windows XP with Service Pack 1a installation disk you should install that file.  if you are using Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or later, you can ignore that file.

Thanks very much, JackShack. All went well, except it turned out that the display driver wasn't on the resource CD, but I found it on the Dell site and downloaded it. Only remaining minor problem is that my system previously had a monitor driver for the e773c monitor, but now it only has a generic Plug and Play driver. Perhaps this doesn't matter, as the monitor seems to be working fine, but I've tried to download the correct driver just in case. I found one here:

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R57664&SystemID=DIM_PNT_P4_8300&os=WW1&osl=en&deviceid=4423&devlib=0&typecnt=1&vercnt=1&formatcnt=1&libid=22&fileid=69128

but when unzipped there's no setup.exe file, so I can't work out how to install it. Any ideas?

Ah, it's OK. I found the answer here:

http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=dim_video&message.id=143072&c=us&l=en&cs=&s=gen

I really must learn to search before I ask. ;)

I'm glad it went well.  Your question about the monitor driver was interesting; I've never used it.  I believe the monitor driver is basically an information file that lets the display adapter driver know what the limits of the monitor are.  I'm not certain there would be any difference between using it or not using it since the monitor is plug and play compatible.

Good luck to you!