Solved the problem by using desktop options to make knoppix use the entire screen, this doesnt seem to have an effect on windows when I reboot without CD, and now as I reboot Knoppix it uses the whole screen.

There is however one small question at the back of my mind, when booting Knoppix, it gives me a message as such:

You have passed an undefined mode number:

giving me the option of hitting <return> to see my choices.
or<space> to continue
or wait for 30 seconds.

upon hitting return I am presented 6 choices or "scan"
these 6 choices are labeled rowsXcolumns
typing scan turns off my monitor instead of giving me extra options.

currently I have been ignoring this and just hitting space, should I be doing something else? should I be worried? I orignally thought that this might be the cause of the orignal problem but as I said before changing the monitor options seems to have worked.