I recently converted an old XP box to Knoppix and while I am very much enjoying my foray into Linux I have one basic issue tha I cannot seem to resolve no matter how much googling and message board searching I do. Tainted though I may be by Windows/Macintosh I would like my CD-ROMs, etc to simply appear on my desktop (none of this manual mounting and unmounting nonsense).

I have scoured the Web for how-tos and postings of people with similar issues as well as the newbie section at Knoppix .net to no avail so please keep don't poke the newbie I ask questions that may have been answered elsewhere. Incidentally, I am logged in as root

Hardware in question:

13GB drive that I partitioned into a 400MB swap (/dev/root.old), 4GB for the system files (/dev/hde3) and a 8GB partition (/dev/hde2) for whatever else. Incidentally, this was partitioned in Windows and then the types were changed during knx-install. In addition, I have 3 CD drives (DVD, CD and CD burner) that I would like to be able to use from the desktop. KDiskFree list the following devices:

Device ** Mount Point ** Icon on desktop? ** Points to ?
/dev/cdaudio ** /cdaudio ** no (what the heck is this?) ** ?
/dev/cdrom ** /cdrom ** yes ** DVD drive (master on IDE 1)
/dev/cdrom1 ** /cdrom1 ** no (even when there is a disk in the drive) ** Burner (slave on IDE 1)
/dev/cdrom2 ** /cdrom2 ** no (even when there is a disk in the drive) ** CD-ROM (Master on IDE 2)
/dev/dvd ** /dvd ** no (even when there is a disk in the drive)-why are there seemingly redundant drives? ** nothing
/dev/fd0 ** /floppy ** no, can't mount "not a valid block device" ** ?
/dev/hde2 ** /mnt/hde2 ** yes (but does reflect name change made in file manager-still shows as hde2) tried mkdesktophdicon after changing name ** first partition on drive
/dev/hde3 ** / ** same as above ** second partition on drive
/dev/root.old ** /initrd ** no (but then I didn't expect it to) ** swap partition

Problem(s): I stumbled upon KDiskFree in Knoppix (I would be glad to have tutorial in how to do all this in line command-I am trying to learn but KDiskFree seemed like the right app when I found it). and changed the names of the hde2 and 3 but those names are not reflected in the icons. Furthermore, my cd drives do not show on the desktop or in the file manager even if they have media in them.

I'd love a walkthrough but am also trying to learn linux so a tutorial would also be welcome, even something as brief as a recommendation on a good book.