I think this is something to do with the master boot record partition on the hard drive. This is a small part of the drive that tells the computer what to do with the data on the hard drive and it is needed for Windows computers to boot up.
If I recall correctly, this partition can be successfully restored if it becomes corrupted by using one of the Linux disk partitioning programs. It will require a bit of techie knowledge to get it up and running but all the information needed is available on the Internet. A Google search for master boot record and hard disk formatting problems should find the information you need.
The cover disks stuck on the front of Linux magazines will also generally have the software you need included and generally an explaination of how to use it in a beginners section in the magazine.
Linux is a completely different operating system to Windows but because it is generally installed by enthusiasts over other operating systems, it has some very powerful disk formatting tools to ease the transition process.
The disk partitioning tools supplied with Windows are not capable of restoring the MBR if it has become corrupted.