I seem to remember having a similar problem to the OP once.
I think the problem was when I chose the partitioning scheme and used the default suggestion.
It was set up to install Grub, the bootloader, on the USB stick rather than the hard drive - the system itself was installed to the correct partition.
I suggest you try a reinstall but choose the option to set your own partitioning.
Examine it closely and I think the error will become apparent.
I've just checked and when you get to the partitioning page, press the advanced partitioning option and look at the bit at the bottom where it suggests the bootloader partition.
You must ensure that this is a hard disk partition.
I don't think so, but it may have to be the first partition, which will be the one with windows on, but I should try it on the mint partition first.
It may also be worth checking out about fixmbr, fixboot?, which are windows commands to recover the windows xp boot system if you take off mint and get a Grub 22 (maybe 15) error.
Last edited by finncapt; 2nd December 2013 at 09:41.