Thanks,
I might try to use the Kanotix kernel first...

(In retrospect, I should have maybe started with Kanotix anyway...
But I only learned later on that there was a more "HD install friendly"
live distro... Now I'm reluctant to install a new version, because knoppix
is after some work at least working...)

I found something in the Remastering section of this forum about
building a custom kernel from source, but I'm not quite sure how
far this process applies to a HD install.
The questions about compiling a custom kernel in the HD install forum
seem somehow all to be unanswered...
Does anybody know where to find a guide to building a custom knoppix
kernel for a HD install ?
Thanks,
Thomas