I think that the SCSI HDD controller of the VMware virtual machine needs three additional kernel modules not compiled into the kernel (mptbase, mptspi, mptscsih). They already exist on the HDD in the directory /lib/modules/2.6.39.3/kernel/drivers/message/fusion but are inaccessible during boot up. I found out the names of these modules when I issued
Code:
lsmod
and
Code:
hwinfo --scsi
while I was running Knoppix 6.7.0 from CD in the VMware virtual machine.

I created an initial ramdisk /boot/initrd.img-2.6.39.3 on the Knoppix partition with these kernel modules inside. I used the update-initramfs command notwithstanding the disadvantage of a large initial ramdisk because there are some kernel modules added automatically.

I also appended the line
Code:
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.39.3
to the section with the title "Knoppix" in the configuration file /boot/grub/menu.lst on the Knoppix partition.