Correct diagnosis. The distribution upgrade (not aptitude dist-upgrade) removed a bunch of python dependent packages (eg pybliographer) and then installed a bunch of 2.5 new packages and hal-device-manager now works.
-- hal-device-manager crash https://launchpad.net/bugs/78980 -- desktop-bugs mailing list desktop-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs
