So it gets to the point where the system is searching for cd in ( and it goes so fast I can't really tell ) but it probably goes through the whole list of possible drives, some I was able to slow down on a handycam sd1, hd10, it went through a whole list and I guess none were where it found anything. And that's where it stops with can't find knoppix file system.
So I found an iso image of 5.3.1 dvd - just burned a fresh copy and same result.

However 6.2.1 live CD works but it finds the cd knoppix 6 at /dev/sr0. Maybe it's possible knoppix 5.1.1 and 5.3.1 don't search that drive number? and therefore throw an error?

I'd really like to get 5.1.1 working, or at least figure out why it's not. Maybe it's a knoppix version 5 bug ? I ran two different burns of knoppix 5.1.1 live cd with the same result so nothing wrong with the cd. It works with 6.2.1 so there's nothing wrong with the drive.

Am I fighting a losing battle with 5.1.1 since we're up at Knoppix 9.2 now? Does anyone have any suggestions?