grub and linux?

I had an old computer which had windows 98, and damn small on it.
I have long since lost the drivers for the network card in win98 but I do
not care because linux goes on the net just fine.
I gave the computer to a friend

There were several extra partitions. I installed an upto date damn small
(because it is quick on an old computer) but its version of grub refused to
boot windows or see the other damn small. So then I had to put ubuntu on it
because its version of grub sees much better (2 more hours of messing
around). BUT it saw the 3 year old version of damn small and not the new!
And ubuntu is too big and slow on that old computer. Why cannot grub just
work reliably? Why is there different versions like that. I gave up using
mandrake because its version of grub refused to see any other linux
variety.
Now my friend is complaining because ubuntu is too slow and damn small is
too old.
Is there any bootable CD you can recommend or software that is pretty
reliable in detecting os's on partitions and sticking a reference to them
in grub?
I just want to have up to date damn small and windows on that computer, no
more putting on a whole os just to get grub working!
Thank you
Brian white


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