I musta got lucky then
I downloaded the latest NVIDIA driver today
(made it executable first)
made knoppix not boot KDM and booted via text and typed:
./NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-5336-pkg1.run

-I accepted the EULA
-said no to the compiled driver
-said no on the GCC 2.95 -> 3.x issue

and I typed mcedit /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file to say "nvida" instead of "nv"

typed startx
(or u can kdm start)
and wella- the big NVIDIA logo appeared. . .

still trying to figure out a few other things tho. . .Like how to keep my Network Settings! ! !