update-manager crashed with CacheExceptionDpkgInterrupted in __init__()

[Grizzly(Francis Smit)]

Binary package hint: update-manager

update manager & synaptic crashing, synaptic crashes on start up but leaves a message to run sudo dpkg --configure -a but that crashes:

username@host:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
[sudo] password for grizzlysmit:
Setting up initramfs-tools (0.92bubuntu64) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)

Setting up python-pyatspi (1.29.90-0ubuntu1) ...
Compiling /usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/pyatspi/__init__.py ...
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/pyatspi/__init__.py", line 50
    finally:
          ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

pycentral: pycentral pkginstall: error byte-compiling files (6)
pycentral pkginstall: error byte-compiling files (6)
dpkg: error processing python-pyatspi (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of gnome-orca:
 gnome-orca depends on python-pyatspi (>= 1.22.0) | python-pyatspi2; however:
  Package python-pyatspi is not configured yet.
  Package python-pyatspi2 is not installed.
dpkg: error processing gnome-orca (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-12-generic
cpio: ./lib/udev/firmware.sh: Cannot stat: No such file or directory
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-12-generic
dpkg: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

1). root@pern:~# lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu lucid (development branch)
Release: 10.04

2). root@pern:~# apt-cache policy gnome-orca update-manager
gnome-orca:
  Installed: 2.29.90-0ubuntu1
  Candidate: 2.29.90-0ubuntu1
  Version table:
 *** 2.29.90-0ubuntu1 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com lucid/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
update-manager:
  Installed: 1:0.131.4
  Candidate: 1:0.131.4
  Version table:
 *** 1:0.131.4 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com lucid/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

3). expected synaptic & update-manager to work

4). they crash

ProblemType: Crash
Architecture: i386
Date: Thu Feb 11 20:45:52 2010
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/update-manager
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynx" - Alpha i386 (20091209)
InterpreterPath: /usr/bin/python2.6
Package: update-manager 1:0.131.4
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcAttrCurrent: unconfined (enforce)
ProcCmdline: /usr/bin/python2.6 /usr/bin/update-manager --dist-upgrade
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=C
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-12.17-generic
PythonArgs: ['/usr/bin/update-manager', '--dist-upgrade']
SourcePackage: update-manager
Title: update-manager crashed with CacheExceptionDpkgInterrupted in __init__()
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-12-generic i686
UserGroups:

[Apport retracing service (apport)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this crash and helping to make Ubuntu better. This particular crash has already been reported and is a duplicate of bug #519882, so is being marked as such. Please look at the other bug report to see if there is any missing information that you can provide, or to see if there is a workaround for the bug. Additionally, any further discussion regarding the bug should occur in the other report. Please continue to report any other bugs you may find.