I have double-checked my records: My serial device stopped working for the first time (within years, as recorded by minutely logs) after the reboot following an upgrade as logged below in my /var/log/apt/history.
According to that log, in that upgrade, network-manager and network-manager-gnome weren't involved. But now, I can turn off/on the functionality of the serial device by installing/removing network-manager (tested on various machines). >From /var/log/apt/history: Start-Date: 2011-01-06 12:20:19 Install: linux-headers-2.6.32-27 (2.6.32-27.49), linux-image-2.6.32-27-generic (2.6.32-27.49), linux-headers-2.6.32-27-generic (2.6.32-27.49) Upgrade: evolution-common (2.28.3-0ubuntu10, 2.28.3-0ubuntu10.2), linux-headers-generic (2.6.32.26.28, 2.6.32.27.29), libapparmor1 (2.5-0ubuntu3, 2.5.1-0ubuntu0.10.04.1), evolution (2.28.3-0ubuntu10, 2.28.3-0ubuntu10.2), linux-image-generic (2.6.32.26.28, 2.6.32.27.29), libapparmor-perl (2.5-0ubuntu3, 2.5.1-0ubuntu0.10.04.1), libevview2 (2.30.3-0ubuntu1.1, 2.30.3-0ubuntu1.2), linux-libc-dev (2.6.32-26.48, 2.6.32-27.49), libfuse2 (2.8.1-1.1ubuntu2, 2.8.1-1.1ubuntu2.1), udev (151-12.2, 151-12.3), libgudev-1.0-0 (151-12.2, 151-12.3), evince (2.30.3-0ubuntu1.1, 2.30.3-0ubuntu1.2), libevdocument2 (2.30.3-0ubuntu1.1, 2.30.3-0ubuntu1.2), evolution-plugins (2.28.3-0ubuntu10, 2.28.3-0ubuntu10.2), libudev0 (151-12.2, 151-12.3), apparmor (2.5-0ubuntu3, 2.5.1-0ubuntu0.10.04.1), gnome-system-tools (2.30.0-0ubuntu2, 2.30.0-0ubuntu3), rsyslog (4.2.0-2ubuntu8, 4.2.0-2ubuntu8.1), apparmor-utils (2.5-0ubuntu3, 2.5.1-0ubuntu0.10.04.1), fuse-utils (2.8.1-1.1ubuntu2, 2.8.1-1.1ubuntu2.1), linux-generic (2.6.32.26.28, 2.6.32.27.29) End-Date: 2011-01-06 12:25:30 Start-Date: 2011-01-06 12:26:16 Remove: linux-headers-2.6.32-26 (2.6.32-26.48), linux-headers-2.6.32-26-generic (2.6.32-26.48) End-Date: 2011-01-06 12:26:32 -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/700316 Title: usbserial stopped working during a recent upgrade, no serial line via usb anymore -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs