Aim: boot via knoppix live dvd

Problem: My laptop's hard disk has suffered some kind of catastrophe, and is not usable. When I try to boot knoppix 5.3 (even with nofstab and noswap), it takes ages and frequently pauses for a few minutes as I get to listen to the hard disk clunking away, probably returning senile rubbish.

So how can I get knoppix to give up on its dry-humping of my disk? I want it to just ignore that it exists.

By the by, I'm already using XFCE rather than KDE because on the last boot the box hung after displaying the pretty compiz fusion logo, leaving me with a movable cursor and nothing more.

As it is, it boots appallingly slowly and I've yet to get a desktop I can interact with, only reaching the 'I can see it, I can move my cursor, but the only clicking happening is from the dying disk.

The disk contains a (now corrupt) install of some previous linux distro, and I'm trying to use a Knoppix 5.3 DVD (Linux Magazine cover disc).

<edit>I've even tried it with noswap nofstab failsafe, and still the hdd clunks away... </edit>
Solution:
I'm down to trying to actually remove the offending disk, but that will need a mini screwdriver and acceptance of defeat.

Any thoughts?