Need help to zero-write a hard drive from the Knoppix live cd
 

Toshiba laptop Pent 4 2.2M 512 ram, 40GB HD . Tried to format Old NTFS partitioned HD using Linux Insert into an ext2 partition and the program started, then hung. Now I can't even boot into Insert without a hang. Any advice would be good. Thanks.

I can't connect your title with the rest of the prose. Are you running Insert from a live CD or from the hard disk?

Please give a more detailed description of exactly what you have done so far.

If you want to "zero-write" the hard drive, you have to do that from the live CD.

Also, make sure the hard drive itself is not dead/dying.

I don't know what Insert is, but you can use the dd utility to wipe. Alternatively, you can download DBAN (Darik's Boot and Nuke), a bootable disk wipe CD.

Methinks the HD is as dead as a doornail. It spools up, then clunks like the arm is loose and slapping the sides of the enclosure. Well, I don't have another 2.5" HD, so it's off to eBay to find one. I appreciate any replies to this thread.