I haven't had as many issues with the 8.10 installs and the nvidia 8000 series, but on 7.10 this was always how I had to deal with it.
1. DL the nvidia 195.30 beta driver on another machine from here,
http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/195.30/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-195.30-pkg1.run (you can wget from host... but I like this method because I reinstall a lot, and like having it handy).
2. Rename it because you are lazy. I like NV1953.run
3. Put it on a thumb drive.
4. Start in recovery mode (root terminal)
5. Create a directory and change the permissions to all read write execute. I like...
mkdir /mnt/thumb1
and then
chmod 777 /mnt/thumb1
6. Plug the thumb in. You will see some linux gook and in there will be a /dev/**** in my case, "/dev/sdg"
7. Mount it.
mount -t vfat /dev/sdg /mnt/thumb1
8. Copy the file to the home directory in case you need it again, then unmount and remove the thumb drive.
cp /mnt/thumb1/NV1953.run /home/linuxmce
umount /dev/sdg
and unplug the thumb.
9. Shell it
sh /home/linuxmce/NV1953.run
10. Answer questions correctly... (probably "no" "accept" "yes im sure") then after the install, it will ask you if you want nvidia-xconfig to run. Say no.
11.
/usr/pluto/bin/RebootWithAVWizard.sh
That will probably work... however...
12. If you get another failed to setup x, ctrl alt f1 or f2 and type
sudo nvidia-xconfig
sudo /usr/pluto/bin/RebootWithAVWizard.sh
13. Let the wizard try and start, which always fails again...
14. Reboot into root terminal and repeat steps 9-11 exactly.
I don't know why... I only know it works for me on ALL nvidia 8 series.
*** as a side note, if a thumb is FORMATTED from vista, I have never been able to mount it in kubuntu/ubuntu. You can copy to and fro and it will work... but Vista does something weird in formatting. I have no idea what.
GL