I currently have this Toshiba Portege tablet computer running on Windows XP, and it’s become extremely laggy. So I have decided to reformat the computer and re-install Windows XP.

However, the notebook computer did not come with an internal CD-ROM, and it will not recognize any connected USB CD/DVD-ROMs when I select to boot from the installation CD… But once in Windows XP, the USB CD-ROM is recognized by the computer.

So I ran the installation CD from within Windows XP, but it did not give me an option of formatting the hard disk prior to installation (as was the case when I booted from CD-ROM on other computers)… Instead, it just overwrote the current Windows XP System files (which made the system extremely unstable and I do not want that)

Any tips/suggestions on how I can install a CLEAN copy of Windows XP on this computer? (format the disk prior to installing?)

**What I did instead was: I physically removed the hard disk, and placed it on another laptop computer WITH internal CD-ROM (and installed Windows XP from there). But when I put the hard drive back into its "original" computer, it is unstable and wouldn’t work properly… (now I know I shouldn’t have done it…)

But, please help..? anyone?
Thanks :D Thanks for all who commented:

(1) Now, the thing is, not only would the computer not boot from the USB CD-ROM, but it doesn’t even show up under MS-DOS… (but USB floppy drive is still detectable; that’s how I got into DOS…)

(2) I did not install ANY drivers before placing the HDD onto its original computer. I just installed a copy of Windows (no drivers at all) on another laptop and put the HDD back into its original computer….. THEN I installed the drivers for the computer I’ve been working on (the one without a CD-ROM)

if ur taking ur HDD to another lap with cd rom thn just install the win xp and leave it
DO NOT install the drivers on that lap.
once only xp instal is complete but it back in ur netbook and install the drivers here

now for the drivers , copy them from the cd into usb drive in that other drive. once its done get it in ur netbook and install drivers from usb drive
that will be done

if u still want to format xp completely from xp only then go to http://babbleona.blogspot.com and add me at the add on the sidebar. ill help u