need to execute a file without x server present

Send content of file /boot/grub/menu.lst

You can also try this:
Boot normal. When GDM start not login, go to terminal (Ctrl+Alt+Fx) and kill/stop GDM.

One question - why do you install drivers for your card this way? Why don't you use "Restricted Driver Manager"? (It is much easier...).

I'll try it but I'm not sure I understand what "When GDM start not login" means. Also having trouble with (Ctrl+Alt+Fx). Could you rephrase? Apologies.

Also, I can't enable the the nvidia driver listing that comes up when I try to checkmark the box. I get this denial message: "The software source for the package nvidia-glx-new is not enabled". So that really doesn't give me much information to work with. Thats the reason why I am trying to download the latest driver from nvidia because it would appear that by default, ubuntu is not handling my card correctly? (guessing at this point).

Here are the menu.lst contents: (thanks for your help)
-------------------------
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# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=46d30b28-2a85-4e9e-b206-b9f1b62679bb ro

## Setup crashdump menu entries
## e.g. crashdump=1
# crashdump=0

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,2)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=UUID=46d30b28-2a85-4e9e-b206-b9f1b62679bb ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=UUID=46d30b28-2a85-4e9e-b206-b9f1b62679bb ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic

title Ubuntu 7.10, memtest86+
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

----------------
---------------- EOF

"I'm not sure I understand what "When GDM start not login""
→ GDM is orange "screen" where you normal login - this http://wiki.ubuntuusers.de/_attachments/GDM/gdm.png (I didn't find bigger picture...)

"Also having trouble with (Ctrl+Alt+Fx)"
→ it is keyboard shortcut to swich to text iterface - x=1,2,3... so Ctrl+Alt+F1 etc.

"The software source for the package nvidia-glx-new is not enabled"
→ so I think the best way is to solve this problem and then install driver via Restricted Driver Manager.
→ go to System → Administration → Software Sources → enable Proprietaly drivers for device → now back to Restricted Driver Manager
I think installing it via Restricted Driver Manager is better - with installing driver from nvidia site you will have only problems...

I agreed with you to perform the Restricted Driver Method. In Software Sources, I get a message saying my data is out of date and it's looking online to get the latest.I don't have internet access just yet on linux side. I will have to wait until I get firefox up and running (which is tomorrow) unless it exists on one of the cd's I have downloaded.

   Everything is working fine now. I was able to download the drivers (automatically) using the Restricted Drivers Manager once I got this system online. Working great, although I don't see an interface that allows me to adjust certain key features of the graphics card, I am pretty sure can handle that via command line.

Also was recommended a (third party) script called Envy (http://albertomilone.com/nvidia_scripts1.html) that handles grabbing the appropriate driver when operating under Ubuntu... (Haven't tried it).

Thanks again for your help!