When I try to boot this computer with knoppix, it stalls at "PCI Probing PCI hardware (bus 00)" when using the "failsafe debug -b 3" boot option. Using the sandard boot all I get is a single white pixel (no tux, nothing). I'm never asked anything when using the "expert" option either.
Is there a trick that will turn off PCI(that will show a text interface of course)?

If it didn't boot to windows I might think that there was a hardware problem, But windows boots OK (and then crawls thanks to all the spyware) All I'm trying to do is backup the harddrive, then DD a new (clean) HDD image onto it.

Here's the Hardware specs generated by Everest:

Motherboard:
CPU Type Intel Celeron D 331, 2666 MHz (20 x 133)
Motherboard Name Hewlett-Packard HP Compaq dx7200 Slim Tower
Motherboard Chipset Intel Lakeport-G i945G
System Memory 503 MB (DDR2 SDRAM)
BIOS Type Compaq (08/16/05)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)
Communication Port ECP Printer Port (LPT1)

Display:
Video Adapter Intel(R) 82945G Express Chipset Family (128 MB)
3D Accelerator Intel GMA 950
Monitor Plug and Play Monitor [NoDB] (CNK541029X)
Monitor Plug and Play Monitor [NoDB] (CNK541029X)

Multimedia:
Audio Adapter Intel 82801GB ICH7 - High Definition Audio Controller [A-1]

Storage:
IDE Controller Intel(R) 82801GB Serial ATA Storage Controllers - 27C0
IDE Controller Intel(R) 82801GB Ultra ATA Storage Controllers - 27DF
Disk Drive SAMSUNG HD080HJ (80 GB, 7200 RPM, SATA-II)
Optical Drive TSSTcorp CDW/DVD TS-H492A (DVD:16x, CD:52x/32x/52x DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
SMART Hard Disks Status OK

Partitions:
C: (NTFS) 76308 MB (67397 MB free)

Input:
Keyboard HID Keyboard Device
Keyboard Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse HID-compliant mouse
Mouse PS/2 Compatible Mouse

Network:
Network Adapter Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet (10.1.1.50)
Modem Standard Modem

DMI

[ BIOS ]

BIOS Properties:
Vendor Hewlett-Packard
Version 786D1 v01.07
Release Date 08/16/2005
Size 1024 KB
Boot Devices Floppy Disk, Hard Disk, CD-ROM, ATAPI ZIP, LS-120
Capabilities Flash BIOS, Shadow BIOS, Selectable Boot, EDD, BBS
Supported Standards DMI, ACPI, PnP
Expansion Capabilities PCI, USB