problem installing knoppix usb

[utu]

I'd prefer it if it didn't say "Initiating startup sequence" and "Initiating shutdown sequence". I don't think it speaking those particular words has anything to do with Adriane as this is even without starting Adriane and it's not an Adriane version and others who are clearly not blind have written of it. How can I stop it doing that?

Greetings, terapin
.
As an alternative to Werner's solution of disabling sound altogether,
you might consider disabling just the particular sounds that trouble you.

I think these might be startup.ogg and shutdown.ogg as played through mplayer.
You can test this by calling up mplayer at MainMenu>Sound&Video>GNOMEMPlayer;
Then, using mplayer go to the location /usr/share/sounds: File>Open>/usr/share/sounds/;
Click on the .ogg choices to verifiy these are the ones in question.

I think it likely if you just change the names of these files that may keep
these files from playing while allowing your use of mplayer for other things,
rather than disabling it altogether.

You might give this a try and let us know if that solves your problem as well.