Hello, I am new to the forums. In fact, I joined so that i may get some help with a problem I am having.
I am currently going to a trade school where most everyone lives on campus. In this school, one of my friends was playing around with linux on a computer that has(had?) windows 7 installed. I don't know a large amount about linux, not like the professionals. However I do know the basics and have a decent understanding of gparted. Based on what he told me, he was trying to install porteus to a usb. Porteus comes with a exe for when you are on windows, and allows you to make a usb or flashcard bootable. He used it in the downloads folder instead of his usb. Now, when attempting to boot into the computer, it says that syslinux could not be found, and asks for a kernel. He is scared out of his mind, and I really badly want to help, however I am only just dipping into linux.
If there is any way that anyone could help, I would be sincerely grateful.
Thank you to anyone who can help or tries to help. Images can be posted later on.
Thank you.

sounds like someone screwed up. He installed over top of a Windows OS? put that boot USB Stick back in and boot off of that, or get a hold of another working Computer/laptop download supergrub2 burn it to a USB Stick boot it and have it search for loadable OS'es then try booting off that, or if you want Windows or it is suppose to still be on that LAPTOP. oooppps, you're going to need to get an install disk/cd/dvd or a install-able USB Stick for Windows, then boot that go into maintenance and fix your MBR and boot list, easily done, google the instructions. that is if that OS is still installed on the laptop.

booting a USB Stick live-Linux OS you can then examine the hdd to see what partition types you have and whatever else is on that HDD to try and determine what OS is actually on it, now.

@sadlemon, if you have a Linux system, do you still have the USB you installed it from ?. If so you can use that to boot (in liveCD mode) your mates PC so you can run some commands for us.
What distro is your USB - Ubuntu, Mint, something else ?.

When it boots, get into a terminal and run this - post the output; the terminal should handle copy-and-paste from the menu on the title bar.You can test all this on your own PC first to get comfortable with it. Nothing will be done to either PC, it all runs in RAM only.

I have decided to use Grub Disk 2 to see if it is on there, it is. I feel as though I can use Grub Disk 2 to fix my problems. As long as I can make the computer always boot into windows everything will be alright.
Thank you BW-userx and syg00 for your answers and help! Seriously saved my friend and I from a world of confusion!

Have a great day!

~SadLemon