Partition and start up issues!!!

[IneedSomeHope]

Hey there, Ive got a pretty big problem on my hands and i was hopeing that you guys could help.

Basically, i have a dell with windows xp home edition (yeah i know..its home...) and i wanted to try ubuntu linux (version 4.10) on my computer.  So I reinstalled windows and saved some disk space to turn into what would be my linux partition.  Everything worked out fine untill I started to run into space issues on my windows partition so i figured it was best to delete the other partition.
      I used windows disk manager and deleted the linux partition, however, ounce I restarted my computer and "grub" (the operating system selection thing that linux has) kept on looking for Linux and then I had no access to anything at all.  I should have realized that Linux was set as my primary operating system and windows was not.
      So after talking to a friend i thought that a way to delete "grub" would be to reinstall windows over that partition.  It deleted grub and i was brought to the windows operating system selection.  It gave me two options: both of which were windows xp.  The first one was the new install, and the second one would begin to load and then crashed (even in safe mode after multiple trys).
      As bad as this is... I had important work to get done, so ounce again I installed linux over the new windows partition (i couldnt get my internet set up on the new windows partition so i just gave in) and grub was back up.  Grub gives me the option to select windows, but ounce i do i am brought to the windows operating system selection.  The first one obviously cant find the file it needs to start up because I deleted it and the second windows xp option crashes just like it did before.

So, not only do I have a problem, but i repeated it again with windows.  On the (former) new windows instalation i was able to access my c drive.  What i want to do is not only access it but boot to it.  It should be intact.

Please help!  Anyone at all, any ideas or suggestions on where else i can take this problem if no one here can help.

Thank you (so so so much) for reading such a long problem report and ounce again, i am dieing for any help i can get!

my email is: [email protected]
Thanks again!,
           ~harry

[GX1_Man]

If you have your data backed up, and it sounds like you are not afraid to reinstall, then boot with the Windows CD in there and delete ALL partitions, make new ones however you like and then install to the first one. That will get Windows back up. If you save a place for Linux, it can be installed next or at a later date.

When you install Windows it overwrites the MBR because it is a bad neighbor. That is why it should always be installed first for a stable system.

[IneedSomeHope]

If you have your data backed up, and it sounds like you are not afraid to reinstall, then boot with the Windows CD in there and delete ALL partitions, make new ones however you like and then install to the first one. That will get Windows back up. If you save a place for Linux, it can be installed next or at a later date.

When you install Windows it overwrites the MBR because it is a bad neighbor. That is why it should always be installed first for a stable system.

so there is no way to get my former set up back?

[GX1_Man]

Try and boot then to the Windows Repair console from your CD when it boots and then type in :

fixmbr

and hit enter.

That is your only chance.