Just for the experiment I tried to install nvidia-drivers with the nvidia-installer.
I used Fedora 8, guess it will work on Fedora 9 too.
Requirements: gcc, make and kernel-devel...must match exactly,
see /lib/modules/2.6.xx.x-xx.fc9
Hit 'Ctrl+Alt+F1' and log into root. X is still running, so # init 3
and then # sh /path-to-nvidia-/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-xxx.xx-pk1.run
and after installl # init 5, and X should be there again.
Worked with 169.12 ,not with 100.14.11(always dos on other OS')
http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us
will show the one, you can use.
Edit : sorry, new version of x11, forgot that.