network card and boot options

I am having problems with my netgear fa311 network card.

I couldn't get it working when running from the CD with a "normal" boot up. Spent two weeks trying.
I finally realised that it was the network card...

If I boot with the failsafe option and then use the "modprobe natsemi" command followed by "pump"...the network card jumps into life.

From this point I can save my setting to floppy drive. However if I then boot with "knoppix floppyconfig" I get my settings back but again the network card doesn't work. I thought the save settings would save the network config etc.

So I try again, this time booting with "knoppix floppyconfig knoppix nodhcp".
Then trying the modprobe natsemi command followed by pump but the card doesn't work.

I guess my question(s) are these:
Is there a "no" boot option that will stop the network card being setup? allowing me to have a normal boot just missing the network card and restoring my settings eg language (UK english)
Can I boot with failsafe and then restore setting from floppy by altering what is saved onto the knoppix.sh file on the floppy disk?

Please help,
Lee.