[NBLUG/talk] Knoppix install?

[Cal Herrmann]

I am quite impressed with Knoppix's recognitions of about everything, thanks 
Kyle! 
I am trying to install it into my new hard-disk in my fuji p2120.  I had put 
Mandrake 9.1 onto it to try out, but I want to replace it with Knoppix (3.4)
The installation  (knoppix-inst.sh) starts up OK, but the "install" step says 
it can't format the drive (either partition).  I tried to repartition; that 
option claims that the drive (parts put in by Mandrake are hda1 and 6) is a 
read-only device.  
So I tried to chmod the parts to add write permission, which it won't.
Ideas, please? should I maybe reformat or repartition using the Mandrake disk?
Or, help, should I get Mandrake 10 now released which claims to recognize 
more?  The fujitsu has some strange stuff that 9.1 doesn't get right (sound, 
sleep..).
Thanks for any pointers, there isn't much on the net for this combination.
Cal Herrmann