The live for cd version of Knoppix is great for rescuing files from an MS drive/partition that has somehow become inaccessible. But Knoppix is still Linux not MS compatible. For reformatting any MS type partition you need an MS tool. For Fat16 and 32 that would have been Format.com on a boot floppy.
For NTFS a 2000 setup floppy or the Windows XP installer when going to install and the Disk Management tool seen in both XP and Vista. With a Vista installation disk you can now choose the repair tools menu for formatting an existing or new partition when booting with the disk there.
Knoppix hanging on you? A quick press of the reset button usually takes care of that fast. Once you see the post screens first appear hit the del for entering the bios setup if you set the cd rom option as the first boot device. Or you can hit the pause button and then press the drive's button to open the drive there. If the drive's bay still fails to open after unloading Knoppix there may be a problem with the drive itself where you simply take a large hat pin or very thin finishing nail or thin solid wire to push the release through the small opening to release the drive bay from the gearing where it should spring open for you.
