After marking Active you need to run Startup Repair from DVD or Repair CD up to 3 separate times with reboots to repair or rewrite the System Boot files and start Win7. Startup Repair
If this fails mark the Win7 partition itself Active to run the Repairs x3.
System Repair Disc - Create
It's still not clear that after marking the partition Active you are running Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots. Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times
Start with the 100mb marked Active then if that fails after three separate Startup Repair attempts mark the WIn7 partition itself Active to run the Repairs.
If both of these fail and you are determined, boot free Partition Wizard bootable CD to see if your WIn7 partition is marked RAW which means it has been wiped. If not select the Win7 HD, then on Disk tab Rebuild MBR. Do this with first the 100mb marked Active, then the Win7 partition.
If this fails, rightclick>delete the System Reserved 100mb partition, create another 100mb Primary partition there, Modify>mark it Active, then boot DVD/REpair CD to run three Startup Repairs to see if you can write a new boot partition, as the other one may be corrupted beyond repair if GRUB was on the HD.
If Win7 will not start and it's partition is still intact with files you can Explore from Partition Wizard CD, then copy out your files using this method: Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console
I've ran startup repair for 3 hours and it didn't seem to get anywhere... Can I just start with the partition wizard method and copy my files to an external hard drive? I don't really mind reinstalling windows, I just want to save all my music and schoolwork (ripping CD's was no fun the first time - I doubt it will be any more exciting the second time - same goes to physics labs)
EDIT: forgot to add, my windows partition will not mount on my ubuntu partition, if this means anything
This is why I suggested you look at a picture of your HD using free Partition Wizard bootable CD which gives the most reliable picture of Windows partitioning. If it says it's raw, then you've lost your data. If not, rightclick to Explore to see if you see your files. You can then copy them out using the steps posted in the Copy tutorial, or using free Paragon Rescue CD.
If you are having problems booting the PW CD or the Windows DVD, please post back exactly what is the problem. How to Boot your Computer from a Bootable CD or DVD
If you are in PW CD to check this, you might as well see which is the Active partition and try highlighting the WIn7 HD then running Rebuild MBR from the DIsk tab. You have also not exhaused all repair possibilities until you try the 3 separate Startup Repairs with first the 100mb System Reserved partition marked Active (if you have it) then with the WIndows 7 partition itself marked Active. Then you've done all you can.
It's probably too late now but did you ever try running
sfc /scannow
when you were able to still boot into windows
from an elevated command prompt
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