This is my first post here, so I hope to get a good answer to my question .

It seems like every time I try to install linux on my computer as a dual boot it turns out more like a duel boot. In this time around, I decied to try fedora core2 and while I was at it, I downloaded the new knoppix 3.6 (in which I am typing this now). I wanted to dual boot windows and fedora. So I started the installation process and when I got to the partioning sceen, I tried to make sure that Linux wouldn't even touch the the hd where windows lived (notice past tense). When I finally tried to reboot back into windows it gave me the dreaded "Operating System boot error" or something to that effect. I attempted to repair the installation (rewriteboot loader, ect.) but still came up with the same thing. I fianlly decided to just reinstall windows. Same problem. Which leads me to my question: I figure that there must be somting corrupted on the first part of the drive, so I want to totally zero the drive. How can I do this using knoppix 3.6? I tried using fdisk /dev/hda, but it said that the drive could not be accesed. Can anyone help me? Any sugestions for how to avoid this in the future would be appreciated, too.

With knoppix you can use qtparted, or just parted in the console.
Without knoppix, you can use dban software. dban.sourceforge.net.

Hmmmm zeroes across the hard drive? There's an entire endless bucket of them on the system. Try
cat /dev/zero > /dev/hda

amfoster's right, use cat ... but might i suggest a more entertaining device, oh say, the sound device? (while your playing music)... or maybe use "dd" and see if you can take you favorite picture and have it all over your hd

What type of Windows OS are you using?
What type of filesystem (vfat or ntfs) is windows on?
How is the drive partitioned?

Please note that if you are using XP on an NTFS filesystem you need to use parted or qtparted to resize the partition before you install.

Ok, I got windows back up and running. I am running xp w/ntfs on c:, but I was was installing linux to a totally different hd. I don't know why the other was affected. Oh well. At least I was able to save all of my information with that hd and start from scratch on the original one.