Nvidia driver install script: "Unable to determine the version of the kernel sources"
 

The rest of the message is " located in /lib/modules/2.6.24-16-server/build". The version is Ubuntu server 8.04. Why can't it, and how can I help it along?

Have you got the kernel headers and kernel source packages installed? You will need these.

How would I know?

You should have synaptic package manager. Open it and click on "installed" on the left side to see what is all installed. You need linux-headers for the current running kernel, to see which kernel you are using type: uname -r in a terminal.
By installing linux-headers with synaptic, you'll also end up installing dependencies, which is a good thing.

Linux-source and correct linux-headers were/are both installed.

I prefer to use cli, so why wouldn't apt-get install work? I thought it knew to install dependencies. Or aptitude?

If in fact you are currently booted into 2.6.24-16-server kernel, and linux-headers-2.6.24-16-server package is installed, try passing an argument to the Nvidia installer similar to this when initiating it:
Adding the /include part.
Apt and Aptitude do install dependencies.

The actual header files (files.h) should be in /lib/modules/2.6.24-16-server/build/include/linux. You can even try adding the /linux at the end also if just adding /include doesn't do it. Make sure the directory exists and it is full of ".h" files.

that is the old kernel update to 2.6.24.22 any way system-> admin-> hardware check the nvida box then ubuntu will down load and intall the restrictive drivers reboot your fixed.

You can also get it to use the source instead of headers with this argument:

Many thanks for the responses. I have in fact tried the command line option that specifies the location of the source files, ending with the "include" directory (".../include"). It would tell me that the version cannot be determined, and I seem to remember this was for lack of a version.h in the "kernel" directory (within that path). It would then tell me this is probably because I hadn't correctly "configured" my source files.

As a side note, that is exactly the kind of thing that really ruffles me in the linux world. The message was akin to someone walking into my woodworking shop...no, someone elses shop, and telling me it needs to be "configured correctly"...and then promptly walking out. I'll be damned if I have the slightest idea what "configured" OR "correctly" looks like, in either of these contexts.

For what it's worth, I'm running 2.6.27-9-generic.