new OEM WIndows XP won't install and running out of time

I have purchased Windows XP SP2 OEM (well, a family member did for me), and it will absolutely not install. I have tried every configuration and tactic I can think of, short of wiping the entire drive (I have Puppy 4.00 Linux installed on the second partition, which should not interfer at all with the XP install).
Is that what I will have to do - wipe the drive completely?
Or is there a workaround for this software problem? Microsoft told me to get in touch with my local techie - you guys are it. They wanted to charge me $59 IF the problem was resolved. No can do at this point.
PLEASE help me figure this one out? (I am running out of time for this project...only 3 days left!)

 

I apologize...this is hard for a beginner...
I have a 3000+ AMD Athlon 80gb eMachine. Not sure what other info on the machine you would need?
The hdd is partitioned into four partitions, NTFS, Puppy 4.00 Linux, Linux swap, and FAT32.
I am trying to install Windows XP (new) onto the NTFS partition. The install runs through loading files until it reaches the blue screen "Windows Setup" with the message at the bottom saying "setup starting Windows." Then it just hangs. And it does nothing more.
If I start up Puppy without its livecd I get a screen that asks me if I want to load Windows (or a few linux options) - and when I select that option, I get an error msg that the BOOTMGR is missing. Is that a possible problem?
Thank you for responding to me, I hope that I have answered your questions sufficiently?

 

Boot into linux and run fdisk -l (l=small L) and make sure the NTFS partition is a primary not an extended partition. A primary partition will be listed as hdx1 to hdx4 while a extended would be hdx5 or above. You must have a primary partition that XP can read and should be marked Active ( likely will be required ).

Did you install some other boot manager into the MBR , other than linux's GRUB ? It would appear you moved or deleted a partition.

 

Thank you, you guys. I am going to clean off the hdd and start first by installing the Windows, Then Puppy, just to see if that is the problem. Microsoft told me that the OEM software was for specific machines, but the seller of the product told me it should be linstaling even on my machine. So they are sending me out a replacement disc. I am going to keep trying with the one I currently have to see if I can get it running, as I really have to get my laptop data migrated over to this desktop. I am on a big time crunch.
So thank you for all your help here, you guys are really nice on this forum.

 

Hi Tony - I have a Recovery Console disc and the command listed here is 'FIXMBR' - it gives a warning that "FIXMBR may damage your partition tables if you proceed. This could cause all the partitions on the current hard disk to become inaccessible." I used gpart in Linux to create four partitions on my hdd. Will they become inaccessible, or is this just a warning?

 

Thank you, I appreciate your response and will let you know how it goes!