For the HD install, I used PartitionMagic to create the ext2 and swap partitions on my HD. No problem at all. It runs from windows, as well as having a cmd line version, and it is extremely simple to use. I used it to make sure I didnt kill my windows partitions. It resizes, creates, deletes, and formats partitions rather quickly. I probably would not have been able to install Knoppix or I would have really screwed something had I not used this program. Give it a try.