I currently have linux on my second HD, with the GRUB on my MBR with windows. I want to delete linux so I can re-install on my main HD with the configuration wthat I want. Will I encounter issues with GRUB if I just delete the linux partition? For now, I just want it back to loading windows by default without linux on my drives until I get the new linux up and running on my main HD.

From Windows XP, delete the Linux partition using third party software. I don't know if Windows has one. Then boot using Windows installation cd. Go to recovery console. Type fixmbr. Press Enter. You're done.

that's what i thought...thanks!

okay, my worst fears happened. i deleted linux, and booted my computer, only to find that it wouldn't boot (as expected). Opened up recovery console in XP, ran fixmbr, restarted. now i've got damaged partition tables. Ran recovery console again, ran fixboot, then got the ntldr is missing. I reinstalled ntldr but i keep getting the error.

the weird thing is, i only get it when the xp install cd is in the drive, without it, i go into grub, which is empty and just leaves me with a prompt.

How can i fix this without reinstalling xp? If I install linux on the partition i set up for it, will i have access to my old files to recover them?

Well, well, well, you should have researched a little more into it. To be honest, you need to reload the Windows Boot loader into the MBR. I think if you can run FDISK, do that, then prompt this command:

FDISK MBR

It should be something like that.