Can I delete Windows Workgroup and how did Linux find it?

[Newoldie]

Apologies for asking two questions in one.

My newer PC has Windows XP and Ubuntu 11.10 dual boot on separate drives.
My older PC has Mint.Both connected to modem/router.
At one time the older PC also had XP installed but Mint is a fresh install on the whole drive.
These PCs were part of a Windows file sharing network under the name of Workgroup and I am trying to replicate this under Linux.
What has me puzzled is that, having installed Samba under Linux on both, the Mint PC is able to show the Windows Workgroup and the XP PC name in that workgroup even though the other PC is running Ubuntu.(If I try to access the XP PC it asks for a password)
Should I delete the Workgroup and start setting up the Linux network afresh?

[Lazydog]

My newer PC has Windows XP and Ubuntu 11.10 dual boot on separate drives.

What has me puzzled is that, having installed Samba under Linux on both, the Mint PC is able to show the Windows Workgroup and the XP PC name in that workgroup even though the other PC is running Ubuntu.(If I try to access the XP PC it asks for a password)

Is the Ubuntu computer loading the XP drive? If it is, which is what I suspect, then this is the reason why the Mint is seeing the workgroup.

Should I delete the Workgroup and start setting up the Linux network afresh?

Why? What are you trying to do here?

[Newoldie]

Thanks Lazydog.
I was just curious how the Linux system could see an "inactive" XP.

If deleting the Workgroup does not create a problem for the two Linux systems then I would like to delete it so that I have a Linux only system.
I am trying to educate myself so that I can use Linux with confidence and move away from XP.

Regards,Dave

[Lazydog]

OK I would turn off samba then and use NFS for being able to share a drive between the linux systems. If you are not trying to share a drive then NFS is also not needed.