ThinkPad R40 won’t download USB network adapters

Grief. Nothing but grief. Buy Belkin USB network adapter and IBM Celeron TP R40 stalls on driver CD download. Please wait on screen for 4 hours, etc. Go back and buy US Robotics USB NA and same thing. Have talked with every comp. tech. in India now. They seem to agree that it is the machine, especially in view of the fact my P3 HP Desktop easily loads software and boots up the NA just fine.

I’m on SSI and can’t afford to call the Tech Geeks to figure it out. Can anyone help an old man who is starting to hide his razor blades?