how do i reload windows

Well, if you deleted windows you are kind of out of luck. You need the windows media to reinstall. You might be able to get dell to ship you new media but I don't know. Some dells also have a recovery partition. I've never used it but I think you press one of the function keys at boot to activate it. You might need to check with dell on that too.

It's also possible that you didn't delete it. Load ubuntu and open a terminal (apps - accessories) and type

sudo fdisk -l

Or just copy and paste it. That last letter is a small L. If you have an NTFS partition still it will show. If it's there, recovery is easy.

If you do have to reinstall windows, and you can find media, it will deactivate ubuntu but should not delete it. You will just have to reinstall the grub boot loader to give you the option to choose which OS you want to boot. If you need to do that I can dig up the link.

 i tried to run that command but it will not allow me to input my password

this is what appeared

Disk /dev/hda: 60.0 GB, 60011642880 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7296 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 7205 57874131 83 Linux
/dev/hda2 7206 7296 730957+ 5 Extended
/dev/hda5 7206 7296 730926 82 Linux swap / Solaris

is windows still there i dnt know what to look for?

if windows is still there how would i reload it

No, it's not there. Look at the partitions: first one is Ubuntu (Linux at the end), second one is an extended partition (some kind of wrapper for more partitions), third one is the linux swap.

So unfortunately, Windows is gone. To install it, you need to find a media now. You should have the serial number on the sticker on your computer. Also, be careful when isntalling Windows. Usually it will take all the disk. If you still want to keep Ubuntu, you should make some room for Windows first, then install it.

Then as Jim explained, once XP is installed, it doesn't really care if Linux is installed, so you won't be able to boot it.

So my 2 cents, if you didn't customize Ubuntu too much, install XP by formatting the whole hard drive, then reinstall Ubuntu (and this time make sure you don't use the whole disk but repartition it carefully! ask if you need help on this). If you install Ubuntu AFTER XP without deleting it, you will have the boot menu to choose. That's maybe the easiest solution.

I had a few minutes and well have crossed sort of this bridge... If you have a dell... make sure you save any photos ,data,videos,music etc to external drives or cds or dvds .Try the following.. At boot with the dell logo.. hit ctrl and f11 at the same time. If there is still norton ghost image there it will ask you if you want to reboot your machine .At this point say yes.. and it will repartition and make your computer like new..If this doesn't work. Call dell with your service tag number or express service code ..its on the machine .. and they will tell you if your machine is under warranty.. If so.. just tell them you requested the software that came with your system when you bought it.

They will tell you that if you did not request it you didnt get it. If you have to purchase its usually a nominal fee.. but should be free if you sweet talk the tech that is if your machine isn't under warranty .. Ok.. Well plan b.. When you get the software just put the xp disk in.. and turn your machine off. Turn it back on and then hit the f12 button as soon as it starts ..it should say starting one time boot.. Ok.. at that point choose boot from cd dvd rom.. or boot from cd.. Windows will start loading files and then it will ask you what you want to do.

It will say . found old operating system do you want to keep this..say no.. then it will say do you want use the full disk to load windows on..if you are planning on using Ebuntu successully with no problems just say no..It will ask you how much space you want to use..Look at the drive and whatever it says ,backspace and type in half.. Then say format the partition using ntfs .If it gives you a choice depending on what version of xp you have I would choose fat and then go back and format the other partition too.. with fat..but if not choose ntfs.. Then proceed and load windows.After windows installs use the driver disk for re installation of device drivers..Load the cd and install it.. Then it should open and tell you what kind of computer you have.. Then look to the top and see my system or drivers..Choose drivers.. The drivers that are loaded on your system are checked. Start with the chipset .. scroll down the page and then hit extract and it will ask you a directory .Just use the default and then install .. it will go through install and then ask you to reboot.At this point its best to reboot..Then windows will come back up and then you go to programs and then dell accessories and then choose dell cd.. opne back up and then choose video driver .. do the same thing as the chipset .. extract intall reboot..Come back and your display should look more normal.. then go back to programs and choose the sound, wireless and lan and modem and etc ..after each on they will more than likely ask you to reboot its not necessary at this point to do that just yet.. So just hit back on your cd and go back and load another driver.. until all are loaded.. Ok..when done reboot and then you should go in and load any programs or data or photos etc that you have to replace..

After that take the Ubuntu cd put in in the cd drive.. reboot and then hit f12 right when you see dell and it will saying preparing a one time boot .Choose the cd dvd drive.. then Ubuntu will start booting.Choose the install or run ,the first selection on the cd and then once booted up to the cd hit the install. It will start telling you its going to install. It will ask you how much you want to use of your drive.Usually its already set to be exactly what you want to just agree and go ahead.At this point it will have a box that says that it has found whatever name you had one windows media and do you want to import or if you don't check it ,it will take no action and just erase it..ITs best if you want to dual boot to check this box at that time and then let it go through install. After it has finished it will want to reboot and then just let it.When the dell logo comes up right after you will see a bunch of black and white lettering and then it will say choose what to boot to.. At the bottom you will see your windows os but choose the first and then you are on your way into Ubuntu..From then on you will have a dual boot of both..choose the one you want and will not have any more issues.. Hopefully I have helped you a little. I worked for dell almost ten years..Used red hat many years ago and for lack of drivers or being bored with booting to both systems I abandoned redhat..That was a mistake..After all these years I can tell you that the more I use Ubuntu the less I need windows and will phaze it out fairly soon. I can't really think of anything I need it for.. Good luck hope this helped.. Michael