Windows sees Knoppix-created partitions, but only sometimes

On an external 160G USB mobile drive /dev/sda using Knoppix I have successfully created and formatted
/dev/sda1 4G 83 ext2
/dev/sda2 4G b FAT32
/dev/sda3 8G b FAT32
/dev/sda4 144G b FAT32
and when starting up Windows these are all seen; drivenames can be modified using Disk Manager and they persist.
On an external 4G USB stick /dev/sdb I have likewise successfully created and formatted
/dev/sdb1 600M 83 ext2
/dev/sdb2 40M b FAT32
/dev/sdb4 3G b FAT32
but on starting up Windows these are NOT recognised. According to Disk Manager the partition /dev/sdb1 has been given the drive letter K: even though an ext2 partition is not accessible to Windows!! and according to Disk Manager /dev/sdb2 and /dev/sdb4 can be neither formatted nor named, because they have not been enabled.
Can anybody *please* either (i) explain the inconsistency in outcome drive v. stick; or (ii) tell me how to get the stick partitions recognised in Windows; or preferably both (i) and (ii)?
Thank you.
Fergus