I am using fedora core 4 linux. I installed a fresh copy of windows xp. When I tried to restore the grub bootloader using the first cd, it failed to detect the linux partition.

Usually it will detect the partition and it will allow to install grub using grub-install command.

The steps i follow to restore grub are
1. Boot the system using linux first CD.
2. Type linux rescue and press ENTER.
3. It will scan the hard drive for previous linux installation.
4. If found, type chroot /mnt/sysimage
5. Finally type grub-install /dev/hda.
6. Reboot the system.

I am getting problem in step 3. It is not detecting the installation.
If anyone knows how to recover, please help me.

Thank you

You didn't happen to reinstall XP over the fc4 install by any chance?

Baldrick

There are so many boot loaders available in windows use it to boot into linux ...

it is giving some error like cannot read /boot/grub/stage1 while trying to install grub.
I am unable to fix it. i am searching for various ways to fix it.

I have no idea what you are saying....

Boot from any Linux CD (eg your fedora install disk), enter ctrl-alt-F1 to get a terminal prompt, and enter "fdisk -l" (without the quotes). Post the result here.

The "booting" link below might help also. Note that, when you install GRUB, the installer needs to be pointed to the partition containing the GRUB files.

My question to you is WHY? Grub IMHO is far better than any windows boot-loader.

sudeep_mansh

Take a look at this HOWTO
I would agree with Baldrick65. Take a live-cd boot to it and take a look to verify that windows didn't overwrite the linux partition.