BleepingComputer.com: IBM T41 graphics card drivers?

Hey everyone, I am quite new to this website, but would really appreciate your help here.
I have an old beat up laptop- an IBM Thinkpad T41. In order to try to revive the thing, I wiped it clean last night and reinstalled Windows XP Professional 32-bit. However, I am having trouble with the graphics card/drivers. I attempted to install DirectX 9.0 but it says it cannot connect to the database, and when I try to install NVIDIA drivers, it says it cannot install because it cannot connect to the graphics hardware. I am obviously missing some sort of element whether it be in the graphics or video department... I am just unsure as to what I should install onto it. Any help would really be appreciated! Thanks!

Try these
You want audio, modem, ethernet, wireless and video.

I have actually tried a variety of these drivers. However, for the wireless drivers, there are many different choices. How should I know which one to use?
Cisco Wireless LAN Mini PCI adapter
Thinkpad 802.11bg wireless LAN Mini PCI adapter
Thinkpad Dual-band ab and 802.11abg wireless Mini PCI adapter
Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 3b Mini PCi adapter
Intel PRO/Wireless 3945bg, 3945abg, 4965ag, 4965agn Mini PCI Adapter

Thanks!

After downloading these drivers, the problem still persists.
To be a little more specific, when I try to install DirectX 9.0, the installation stops and it says "Cannot connect to the database- please check the database. Setup cannot continue." When I attempt to download NVIDIA driver v270.61, it begins to check for system compatibility and it stops saying that "this graphics driver could not find compatible graphics hardware". Thanks for your help thus far.

If the ethernet controller works could you possibly hard wire the laptop into your router and see if it will automatically find the correct ones.

I am not too familiar with Windows as I do normally use a Mac. I am unsure as to how to access the particular ethernet controller driver and I am also unsure as to what I would be doing after I hardwired the laptop to my router to have it automatically find the right drivers. My computer knowledge is obviously really limited-a more specific instruction would be awesome!