noob: monitor refresh and filesystem

[mzilikazi]

Still, can anybody explain to me how I can change this possibly simplest of simple things: the refresh rate of my monitor?!

Try a cheatcode (or two or three) when you boot:

screen=1024x768 xvrefresh=80

Here is the documentation on cheatcodes:
http://www.knoppix.net/docs/index.php/CheatCodes