package nvidia-173 173.14.28-0ubuntu1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

This installation of 10.10 is on a 4gb flash drive running on a Dell M90 with nvidia 3500m graphics card. The driver installation failed with just a basic message which is not very informative for troubleshooting.

Sorry, the package "initramfs-tools 0.98.1ubuntu6" failed to install or upgrade" was the message.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: nvidia-173 173.14.28-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-22.33-generic 2.6.35.4
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-22-generic i686
Architecture: i386
DRM.card0.DVI.D.1:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: Off
 modes:
 edid-base64:
DRM.card0.LVDS.1:
 status: connected
 enabled: enabled
 dpms: On
 modes: 1920x1200 1920x1200 1920x1080 1600x1200 1680x1050 1400x1050 1280x1024 1280x960 1152x864 1024x768 800x600 640x480 720x400 640x400 640x350
 edid-base64: AP///////wBMo1UxAAAAAAAPAQOAJRd4Cof1lFdPjCcnUFQAAAABAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBIz+AIHGwFEAwICYAb+YQAAAZAAAADwAAAAAAAAAAAEbSAmQAAAAA/gBLSDE2NAAxNzBVMQogAAAA/gAYL0FKb5zX/wIBCiAgAJI=
DRM.card0.VGA.1:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: Off
 modes:
 edid-base64:
Date: Sun Jan 2 22:41:19 2011
DkmsStatus: nvidia-173, 173.14.28, 2.6.35-22-generic, i686: installed
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
GdmLog2: Error: command ['cat', '/var/log/gdm/:0.log.2'] failed with exit code 1: cat: /var/log/gdm/:0.log.2: No such file or directory
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release i386 (20101007)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Precision M90
ProcCmdLine: noprompt cdrom-detect/try-usb=true file=/cdrom/preseed/hostname.seed boot=casper persistent initrd=/casper/initrd.lz splash -- BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz
SourcePackage: nvidia-graphics-drivers-173
Title: package nvidia-173 173.14.28-0ubuntu1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
dmi.bios.date: 10/16/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A08
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA08:bd10/16/2008:svnDellInc.:pnPrecisionM90:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn:rvr:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvr:
dmi.product.name: Precision M90
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
glxinfo: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
system:
 distro: Ubuntu
 codename: maverick
 architecture: i686
 kernel: 2.6.35-22-generic