Why do all successful installs end with "Failed" report?

Can you give the output of:

sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get -y upgrade; sudo apt-get --reinstall install nano

Thanks

ok, yes:
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get update
Ign cdrom://Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS _Lucid Lynx_ - Release i386 (20100816.1)/ lucid/main Translation-en_US
Ign cdrom://Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS _Lucid Lynx_ - Release i386 (20100816.1)/ lucid/restricted Translation-en_US
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid Release.gpg
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/universe Translation-en_US
Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/universe Translation-en_US
Get:2 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/universe Translation-en_US
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid Release
Get:3 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security Release [38.5kB]
Get:4 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates Release [44.7kB]
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/main Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/restricted Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/multiverse Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/universe Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/main Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/restricted Sources
Get:5 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security/main Packages [66.0kB]
Get:6 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security/restricted Packages [14B]
Get:7 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security/multiverse Packages [1,998B]
Get:8 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security/universe Packages [32.9kB]
Get:9 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security/main Sources [20.9kB]
Get:10 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security/restricted Sources [14B]
Get:11 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/main Packages [284kB]
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ lucid/partner Translation-en_US
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid Release
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid/partner Packages
Get:12 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/restricted Packages [3,252B]
Get:13 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/multiverse Packages [3,771B]
Get:14 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/universe Packages [105kB]
Get:15 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/main Sources [103kB]
Get:16 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/restricted Sources [1,292B]
Fetched 705kB in 12s (58.5kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get update
Ign cdrom://Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS _Lucid Lynx_ - Release i386 (20100816.1)/ lucid/main Translation-en_US
Ign cdrom://Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS _Lucid Lynx_ - Release i386 (20100816.1)/ lucid/restricted Translation-en_US
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid Release.gpg
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/universe Translation-en_US
Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/universe Translation-en_US
Get:2 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/universe Translation-en_US
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid Release
Get:3 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security Release [38.5kB]
Get:4 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates Release [44.7kB]
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/main Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/restricted Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/multiverse Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/universe Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/main Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/restricted Sources
Get:5 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security/main Packages [66.0kB]
Get:6 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security/restricted Packages [14B]
Get:7 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security/multiverse Packages [1,998B]
Get:8 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security/universe Packages [32.9kB]
Get:9 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security/main Sources [20.9kB]
Get:10 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-security/restricted Sources [14B]
Get:11 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/main Packages [284kB]
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ lucid/partner Translation-en_US
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid Release
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid/partner Packages
Get:12 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/restricted Packages [3,252B]
Get:13 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/multiverse Packages [3,771B]
Get:14 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/universe Packages [105kB]
Get:15 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/main Sources [103kB]
Get:16 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/restricted Sources [1,292B]
Fetched 705kB in 12s (58.5kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ clear

** NOTE: Get1 below seems to have stopped before completion, maybe 30% or not?
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get -y upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be upgraded:
  ghostscript ghostscript-cups ghostscript-x ifupdown libdjvulibre-text
  libdjvulibre21 libfreetype6 libgs8 libkpathsea5 linux-headers-2.6.32-24
  linux-headers-2.6.32-24-generic linux-image-2.6.32-24-generic
  linux-libc-dev tzdata tzdata-java ubufox

16 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 48.4MB of archives.
After this operation, 8,192B of additional disk space will be used.
** NOTE: Get1 below seems to have stopped before completion, maybe 30% or not?

Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main linux-image-2.6.32-24-generic 2.6.32-24.41 [31.5MB]
19% [1 linux-image-2.6.32-24-generic 9,596kB/31.5MB 30%] 53.9kB/s 11min
Get:2 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main tzdata-java 2010l-0ubuntu0.10.04 [144kB]
Get:3 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main tzdata 2010l-0ubuntu0.10.04 [677kB]
Get:4 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main ifupdown 0.6.8ubuntu29.1 [60.3kB]
Get:5 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main ghostscript 8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.3 [785kB]
Get:6 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main libgs8 8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.3 [2,370kB]
Get:7 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main ghostscript-cups 8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.3 [51.7kB]
Get:8 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main ghostscript-x 8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.3 [69.3kB]
Get:9 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main libdjvulibre-text 3.5.22-1ubuntu4.1 [74.6kB]
Get:10 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main libdjvulibre21 3.5.22-1ubuntu4.1 [676kB]
Get:11 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main libfreetype6 2.3.11-1ubuntu2.2 [419kB]
Get:12 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main libkpathsea5 2009-5ubuntu0.2 [130kB]
Get:13 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main linux-headers-2.6.32-24 2.6.32-24.41 [9,879kB]
83% [13 linux-headers-2.6.32-24 3,456kB/9,879kB 34%] 49.6kB/s 2min 41ss
Get:14 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main linux-headers-2.6.32-24-generic 2.6.32-24.41 [743kB]
Get:15 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main linux-libc-dev 2.6.32-24.41 [781kB]
Get:16 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main ubufox 0.9~rc2-0ubuntu2.1 [61.2kB]
Fetched 48.4MB in 13min 28s (59.9kB/s)
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 157270 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace linux-image-2.6.32-24-generic 2.6.32-24.39 (using .../linux-image-2.6.32-24-generic_2.6.32-24.41_i386.deb) ...
Done.
Unpacking replacement linux-image-2.6.32-24-generic ...
Preparing to replace tzdata-java 2010k-0ubuntu0.10.04 (using .../tzdata-java_2010l-0ubuntu0.10.04_all.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement tzdata-java ...
Preparing to replace tzdata 2010k-0ubuntu0.10.04 (using .../tzdata_2010l-0ubuntu0.10.04_all.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement tzdata ...
Setting up tzdata (2010l-0ubuntu0.10.04) ...

Current default time zone: 'America/Chicago'
Local time is now: Thu Aug 26 22:06:19 CDT 2010.
Universal Time is now: Fri Aug 27 03:06:19 UTC 2010.
Run 'dpkg-reconfigure tzdata' if you wish to change it.

(Reading database ... 157270 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace ifupdown 0.6.8ubuntu29 (using .../ifupdown_0.6.8ubuntu29.1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement ifupdown ...
Preparing to replace ghostscript 8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.2 (using .../ghostscript_8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.3_i386.deb) ...
Cleaning up font configuration of gs...
Cleaning up category psprint..
Cleaning up category cmap..
Cleaning up category cid..
Cleaning up category truetype..
Cleaning up category gsfontderivative..
Cleaning up category type3..
Cleaning up category type1..
Unpacking replacement ghostscript ...
Preparing to replace libgs8 8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.2 (using .../libgs8_8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.3_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libgs8 ...
Preparing to replace ghostscript-cups 8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.2 (using .../ghostscript-cups_8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.3_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement ghostscript-cups ...
Preparing to replace ghostscript-x 8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.2 (using .../ghostscript-x_8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.3_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement ghostscript-x ...
Preparing to replace libdjvulibre-text 3.5.22-1ubuntu4 (using .../libdjvulibre-text_3.5.22-1ubuntu4.1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libdjvulibre-text ...
Preparing to replace libdjvulibre21 3.5.22-1ubuntu4 (using .../libdjvulibre21_3.5.22-1ubuntu4.1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libdjvulibre21 ...
Preparing to replace libfreetype6 2.3.11-1ubuntu2.1 (using .../libfreetype6_2.3.11-1ubuntu2.2_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libfreetype6 ...
Preparing to replace libkpathsea5 2009-5ubuntu0.1 (using .../libkpathsea5_2009-5ubuntu0.2_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libkpathsea5 ...
Preparing to replace linux-headers-2.6.32-24 2.6.32-24.39 (using .../linux-headers-2.6.32-24_2.6.32-24.41_all.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement linux-headers-2.6.32-24 ...
Preparing to replace linux-headers-2.6.32-24-generic 2.6.32-24.39 (using .../linux-headers-2.6.32-24-generic_2.6.32-24.41_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement linux-headers-2.6.32-24-generic ...
Preparing to replace linux-libc-dev 2.6.32-24.39 (using .../linux-libc-dev_2.6.32-24.41_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement linux-libc-dev ...
Preparing to replace ubufox 0.9~rc2-0ubuntu2 (using .../ubufox_0.9~rc2-0ubuntu2.1_all.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement ubufox ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead ...
Setting up initramfs-tools (0.92bubuntu78) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)

Setting up linux-image-2.6.32-24-generic (2.6.32-24.41) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-24-generic
Not updating initrd symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.32-24.39 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Not updating image symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.32-24.39 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 2.6.32-24-generic /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/nvidia-common 2.6.32-24-generic /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/pm-utils 2.6.32-24-generic /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic

Setting up tzdata-java (2010l-0ubuntu0.10.04) ...
Setting up ifupdown (0.6.8ubuntu29.1) ...
start: Job is already running: network-interface-security

Setting up libgs8 (8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.3) ...

Setting up ghostscript (8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.3) ...
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/ps2pdf14 to provide /usr/bin/ps2pdf (ps2pdf) in auto mode.
Updating font configuration of gs...
Cleaning up category psprint..
Cleaning up category cmap..
Cleaning up category cid..
Cleaning up category truetype..
Cleaning up category gsfontderivative..
Cleaning up category type3..
Cleaning up category type1..
Updating category type1..
Updating category type3..
Updating category gsfontderivative..
Updating category truetype..
Updating category cid..
Updating category cmap..
Updating category psprint..
No CIDSupplement specified for Batang-Bold, defaulting to 0.
No CIDSupplement specified for Dotum-Regular, defaulting to 0.
No CIDSupplement specified for Batang-Regular, defaulting to 0.
No CIDSupplement specified for Dotum-Bold, defaulting to 0.

Setting up ghostscript-cups (8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.3) ...
Setting up ghostscript-x (8.71.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.3) ...
Setting up libdjvulibre-text (3.5.22-1ubuntu4.1) ...
Setting up libdjvulibre21 (3.5.22-1ubuntu4.1) ...
Setting up libfreetype6 (2.3.11-1ubuntu2.2) ...
Setting up libkpathsea5 (2009-5ubuntu0.2) ...
Setting up linux-headers-2.6.32-24 (2.6.32-24.41) ...
Setting up linux-headers-2.6.32-24-generic (2.6.32-24.41) ...

Examining /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d/dkms 2.6.32-24-generic /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d/nvidia-common 2.6.32-24-generic /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic

Setting up linux-libc-dev (2.6.32-24.41) ...
Setting up ubufox (0.9~rc2-0ubuntu2.1) ...

Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-24-generic
Processing triggers for libc-bin ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get --reinstall install nano
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 206kB of archives.
After this operation, 0B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main nano 2.2.2-1 [206kB]
Fetched 206kB in 3s (61.4kB/s)
(Reading database ... 157270 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace nano 2.2.2-1 (using .../archives/nano_2.2.2-1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement nano ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Processing triggers for install-info ...
Processing triggers for doc-base ...
Processing 2 changed doc-base file(s)...
Registering documents with scrollkeeper...
Processing triggers for menu ...
Setting up nano (2.2.2-1) ...

Processing triggers for menu ...

Looks fine. You just upgraded your kernel too so you will need to reboot to make it the running kernel. Does software centre still give the "failed" messages?

You may also want to use the software sources app in system -> admin to remove the CD as a repository.

Unfortunately I ran out of free storage space on the 8 Gb dedicated USB pendrive, although the USB Universla iso formatter applet I created with from Pendrive, gave me option to dedicate 4 GB of the brand new pendrive to a vRAMfs as the formatter was creating the Live Ubuntu Lucid boot USB from the Lucid ISO I had on hdd. It created a vramdisk file called casper-rw that indeed show up (under Ubuntu Lucid LTS and later WinVista) as an 4 GB storage FAT32 volume that was just listed as casper under Ubuntu file Browser. After the recommended upgrading above yesterday, it started warning me of insufficient storage remaining during attempts to install other small applications through Ubuntu Center, and repeatedly offered me prompts to empty trash, which I did. Unfortunately it has not been able to boot into Ubuntu since powering down yesterday following those upgrade & installs do to "insufficient storage area" during the early boot step of attempting to initiate mounting the vramfs (casper vramdisk??) . That step fails, and system never boots. I also before shuttin down, didn't complete the recommended deletion of Live CD/USB as repository shown within the sys admin software sources tool, because it was the ONLY source shown listed, I figured I'd reboot to allow completion of reconfiguring and package activation, then remove it as software repository source. It has never booted up again from the Live USB since then. However the 8 GB thumb drive formatted as FAT32 capacity of 7.44 GB drive still showed 2.78 GB FREE never used on the storage medium, under Windows. In both Ubuntu Lucid and Windows I can find and see the 4 GB casper-rw file, but never discovered if it was ever used to store anything within it's volume. So when Ubuntu was reporting insufficient storage remaining, was it talking about the 4 GB bootable Live Lucid running close to full, and ignoring the second 4 GB of the casper ramfs file, or was it accounting that too, as an 8 GB total that was too full to boot? Which? Finally can I safely copy off and delete the 4GB casper-rw file drive to the system's HDD to save and restore later, and would that allow 50% empty capacity to allow the Live Linux Pendrive to once again boot as it did yesterday, or would that be a fatal error that would hose the entire Live Linux bootup USB config????
TIA.

You can do a few things:

1: run: sudo apt-get clean

This will delete the debs used in updates.

2. Remove old kernels

if you run:
uname -a

You will see your CURRENT kernel version. If you then run:
dpkg -l | grep linux-image-2

You will see the INSTALLED kernels. If you remove the kernels you do not need but do NOT remove the CURRENT kernel, you will gain ~120Mb per kernel.

3. Install lighter Office productivity.

OpenOffice is an absolute beast weighing in at nearly 400Mb. If you remove this and install Abiword and / or gnumeric you can save 200Mb easily. You can also use googledocs etc and require no office suite installed AT ALL but will require web access to word process etc.

4. Remove ubuntu-docs

Again, this is a whopping 250Mb and is a lot of stuff you'll never read if you have a web connection most times. It's pretty useless and can save you a lot of space by removing it.

5. Run bleachbit

Run it as both root, then as user. be VERY careful of settings or it will clean browser settings etc, also avoid settings which say they will take a long time. Have as many apps closed as you can as this will release files from app-lock

All these will help you reduce used space. My root partition is 3Gb used and I have 75Gb for /home on its seperate partition.

Until I can restore that (only) Ubuntu Lucid bootable system to again bootup, I have no way of retesting and verifying the end status reported for package installs through software center, or hardware drivers sys admin tool. The 1 new app install that did succeed finishing after warning of low storage memory, and my emptying trash, did also, true to form report the install "Failed" like all others before it. But I had not yet rebooted to let the new upgraded kernel take over. That reboot has yet to occur (see above). If I can get sufficient spare RAM on the stick freed up to allow the Live Ubuntu to once again boot, then I plan to test and verify that original problem as fixed or not solved. Awaiting advise please. I'd hate to jump into a hasty test, hose the system and have to start all over again from scratch after 2 days work in installing, upgrading, building, documenting, bookmark Web URLs as favorites, etc.

actionparsnip: thanks for speedy feedback reply post. I'd love to be able to do all those fi,ne recommendations in Ubuntu, but...
However, please note that I no longer have any bootable Linux system. That Live Lucid USB was the first and only Linux I've ever created and used, and I was only on Day 2 of learning it, when following your upgrade steps posted above, resulted in it no longer booting, even before I could proceed to activate the newer kernel and proceed to install it first time to the system's HDD (Still an ntfs drive preinstalled with Win Vista). So my immediate need is learning what to delete from the LIve flash drive under Vista to render it bootable again. Can anyone answer my question above about: Is it safe to delete the 4GB casper-rw virtual ramdisk file and then try to Live boot the pendrive back into Ubuntu, or would that be a fatal mistake?

Well I tried all of the above, deleting and recopying the casper virtual partition file. In no state did it succeed in rebooting. I guess I'll have to start all over from scratch with a fresh format and install using Universal USB Installer from pendrive again, and this time don't update more than 1 thing at a time, maybe I should also avoid that kernal update/upgrade that happened above, which I guess is what blew up my Ubuntu config that I'd developed for 2 days as an absolute beginner first time user. I am also surprised to get no more replies to this thread, help request since someone moved it over here to this category. Maybe it's a black hole now. Is anybody out there?

Here some general info on howto made a bootable usb stick with ubuntu on it...

Download ubuntu-10.04.1-desktop-i386.iso from http://releases.ubuntu.com/lucid/
please prefer the torrent protocol to download the iso image

BE SURE to put on the usb stick using unetbootin http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/ a valid md5 verified iso image.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HowToMD5SUM

if the md5 of downloaded iso image doesn't match with the md5sum on this page:

http://releases.ubuntu.com/lucid/MD5SUMS

please download the iso.torrent image using the torrent protocol from here:
http://releases.ubuntu.com/lucid/

If you are using Windows, install Deluge torrent client: http://deluge-torrent.org/
if you are using Ubuntu you have already trasmission installed to manage the .torrents files (you can also install Deluge on Ubuntu).

The torrent protocol have good download errors checking, downloading using the http or ftp protocol may result with a file with errors in it.
( This is the main reason to ALWAYS check the md5sum of downloed iso images before to burn it to a cd or to tranfert on a usb stick ) .

Here a video on installing ubuntu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaqaDZZ_P0g&feature=fvw

New to Ubuntu: read the Ubuntu Manual, it's very informative: http://ubuntu-manual.org/
Click on the "download Button" to download the latest PDF version.
The online help https://help.ubuntu.com/10.04/index.html

Relax and fun:
http://planet.ubuntu.com/ and Full Circle Magazine http://fullcirclemagazine.org/