So the first journal entry described vaguely what I did, here it is in concrete
terms when used on a third machine (note, the first two rounds of dist-upgrade were as per documentation, which said at least two rounds were needed.) Reality is that a lot more rounds are needed, It is just a bit tedious, and takes a little longer, but is not hard if you just use common sense...

apt-get dist-upgrade

Errors were encountered while processing:
  debtags
  adept-common
  adept-manager
  adept-installer
  adept-updater
  adept-notifier
  adept-batch
  adept
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
root@grumpy:/etc/apt# apt-get dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
    sysvinit
The following NEW packages will be installed:
    startup-tasks system-services upstart upstart-compat-sysv upstart-logd
The following packages have been kept back:
    amarok amarok-xine hpijs kde-guidance python-adns python-clientcookie python-crypto python-egenix-mxproxy python-egenix-m
xstack
  python-egenix-mxtexttools python-egenix-mxtools python-gadfly python-htmlgen python-htmltmpl python-imaging python-imagin
g-sane
    python-jabber python-kde3 python-kjbuckets python-ldap python-mysqldb python-netcdf python-numeric python-pam python-pexp
ect
    python-pgsql python-pylibacl python-pyopenssl python-pyxattr python-reportlab python-simpletal python-soappy python-sqlit
e
    python-syck python-xmpp xserver-xorg-core xserver-xorg-input-elographics xserver-xorg-input-evdev xserver-xorg-input-kbd
    xserver-xorg-input-mouse xserver-xorg-input-synaptics
The following packages will be upgraded:
    ubuntu-minimal
1 upgraded, 5 newly installed, 1 to remove and 41 not upgraded.
8 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 171kB of archives.
After unpacking, 397kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? Y
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com edgy/main ubuntu-minimal 1.30 [16.3kB]
Get:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com edgy/main upstart 0.2.7-7 [93.8kB]
Get:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com edgy/main startup-tasks 0.2.7-7 [18.6kB]
Get:4 http://archive.ubuntu.com edgy/main upstart-compat-sysv 0.2.7-7 [24.2kB]
Get:5 http://archive.ubuntu.com edgy/main system-services 0.2.7-7 [2738B]
Get:6 http://archive.ubuntu.com edgy/main upstart-logd 0.2.7-7 [15.2kB]
Fetched 171kB in 2s (64.7kB/s)
dpkg-preconfigure: cannot connect to X server
debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Kde
debconf: (DISPLAY problem?)
debconf: falling back to frontend: Dialog
(Reading database ... 84812 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace ubuntu-minimal 0.119 (using .../ubuntu-minimal_1.30_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement ubuntu-minimal ...
(Reading database ... 84811 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing sysvinit ...
Selecting previously deselected package upstart.
(Reading database ... 84783 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking upstart (from .../upstart_0.2.7-7_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package startup-tasks.
Unpacking startup-tasks (from .../startup-tasks_0.2.7-7_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package upstart-compat-sysv.
Unpacking upstart-compat-sysv (from .../upstart-compat-sysv_0.2.7-7_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package system-services.
Unpacking system-services (from .../system-services_0.2.7-7_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package upstart-logd.
Unpacking upstart-logd (from .../upstart-logd_0.2.7-7_i386.deb) ...
Setting up debtags (1.5.5ubuntu2) ...

Setting up adept-common (2.1.1ubuntu3) ...

Setting up adept-manager (2.1.1ubuntu3) ...

Setting up adept-installer (2.1.1ubuntu3) ...

Setting up adept-updater (2.1.1ubuntu3) ...

Setting up adept-notifier (2.1.1ubuntu3) ...

Setting up adept-batch (2.1.1ubuntu3) ...
Setting up adept (2.1.1ubuntu3) ...
Setting up upstart (0.2.7-7) ...

Setting up startup-tasks (0.2.7-7) ...
Setting up upstart-compat-sysv (0.2.7-7) ...
Setting up system-services (0.2.7-7) ...

Setting up upstart-logd (0.2.7-7) ...
Setting up ubuntu-minimal (1.30) ...

root@grumpy:/etc/apt#

root@grumpy:/etc/apt# apt-get dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages have been kept back:
  amarok amarok-xine hpijs kde-guidance python-adns python-clientcookie python-crypto python-egenix-mxproxy python-egenix-m
xstack
    python-egenix-mxtexttools python-egenix-mxtools python-gadfly python-htmlgen python-htmltmpl python-imaging python-imagin
g-sane
    python-jabber python-kde3 python-kjbuckets python-ldap python-mysqldb python-netcdf python-numeric python-pam python-pexp
ect
    python-pgsql python-pylibacl python-pyopenssl python-pyxattr python-reportlab python-simpletal python-soappy python-sqlit
e
    python-syck python-xmpp xserver-xorg-core xserver-xorg-input-elographics xserver-xorg-input-evdev xserver-xorg-input-kbd
    xserver-xorg-input-mouse xserver-xorg-input-synaptics
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 41 not upgraded.
root@grumpy:/etc/apt#

# copy/paste the first line of kept back packages.. it said scary things but I told it to go ahead...
apt-get install amarok amarok-xine hpijs kde-guidance python-adns python-clientcookie python-crypto python-egenix-mxproxy p
ython-egenix-mxstack
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
    python2.4-clientcookie python2.4-libxslt1 python2.4-adns python2.4-libxml2 python2.4-qt3 python2.4-sip4-qt3
    python2.4-egenix-mxstack python2.4-kde3 python2.4-crypto foomatic-filters-ppds hplip-ppds python2.4-egenix-mxproxy
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
    python-dbus python-kde3 python-libxml2 python-qt3 python-sip4

Suggested packages:
    libvisual-0.4-plugins libqt0-ruby1.8 amarok-engines hpijs-ppds hplip-doc python2.3-qt3-gl python-qt3-doc libqt3-mt-mysql
    libqt3-mt-odbc libqt3-mt-psql
The following packages will be REMOVED:
    foomatic-filters-ppds hplip-ppds python2.4-adns python2.4-clientcookie python2.4-crypto python2.4-egenix-mxproxy
    python2.4-egenix-mxstack python2.4-kde3 python2.4-libxml2 python2.4-libxslt1 python2.4-qt3 python2.4-sip4-qt3
The following NEW packages will be installed:
    python-dbus python-libxml2 python-qt3 python-sip4
The following packages will be upgraded:
    amarok amarok-xine hpijs kde-guidance python-adns python-clientcookie python-crypto python-egenix-mxproxy python-egenix-m
xstack
    python-kde3
10 upgraded, 4 newly installed, 12 to remove and 31 not upgraded.
Need to get 24.6MB of archives.
After unpacking, 15.2MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? Y ...

root@grumpy:/etc/apt# apt-get dist-upgrade

# shows one less line of 'kept back' packages. and lets me install one package...

root@grumpy:/etc/apt# apt-get dist-upgrade
# now it shows only the kep back packages and does not install anything, so copy/paste again. Took the last line this time

root@grumpy:/etc/apt# apt-get install xserver-xorg-core xserver-xorg-input-elographics xserver-xorg-input-evdev xserver-x
org-input-kbd xserver-xorg-input-mouse
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
    xserver-xorg-driver-v4l xserver-xorg-driver-newport xserver-xorg-driver-mga xserver-xorg-driver-s3virge xserver-xorg-driv
er-chips
    xserver-xorg-driver-i128 xserver-xorg-driver-s3 xserver-xorg-driver-savage xserver-xorg-driver-nsc xserver-xorg-driver-nv
    xserver-xorg-driver-tga xserver-xorg-driver-sis xserver-xorg-driver-i740 xserver-xorg-driver-trident xserver-xorg-driver-
i810
    xserver-xorg-driver-vga xserver-xorg-driver-via xserver-xorg-driver-cyrix xserver-xorg-driver-dummy xserver-xorg-driver-v
mware
    xserver-xorg-driver-neomagic xserver-xorg-driver-imstt xserver-xorg-driver-voodoo xserver-xorg-driver-tdfx
    xserver-xorg-driver-glint xserver-xorg-driver-fbdev xserver-xorg-driver-sisusb xserver-xorg-driver-siliconmotion
    xserver-xorg-driver-cirrus xserver-xorg-driver-vesa xserver-xorg-driver-tseng xserver-xorg-driver-rendition
    xserver-xorg-driver-apm xserver-xorg-driver-ark xserver-xorg-driver-ati
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
    xserver-xorg-video-all xserver-xorg-video-apm xserver-xorg-video-ark xserver-xorg-video-ati xserver-xorg-video-chips
    xserver-xorg-video-cirrus xserver-xorg-video-cyrix xserver-xorg-video-dummy xserver-xorg-video-fbdev xserver-xorg-video-g
lint
    xserver-xorg-video-i128 xserver-xorg-video-i740 xserver-xorg-video-i810 xserver-xorg-video-imstt xserver-xorg-video-mga
  xserver-xorg-video-neomagic xserver-xorg-video-newport xserver-xorg-video-nsc xserver-xorg-video-nv xserver-xorg-video-re
ndition
    xserver-xorg-video-s3 xserver-xorg-video-s3virge xserver-xorg-video-savage xserver-xorg-video-siliconmotion xserver-xorg-
video-sis
    xserver-xorg-video-sisusb xserver-xorg-video-tdfx xserver-xorg-video-tga xserver-xorg-video-trident xserver-xorg-video-ts
eng
    xserver-xorg-video-v4l xserver-xorg-video-vesa xserver-xorg-video-vga xserver-xorg-video-via xserver-xorg-video-vmware
    xserver-xorg-video-voodoo
The following packages will be REMOVED:
    xserver-xorg-driver-apm xserver-xorg-driver-ark xserver-xorg-driver-ati xserver-xorg-driver-chips xserver-xorg-driver-cir
rus
    xserver-xorg-driver-cyrix xserver-xorg-driver-dummy xserver-xorg-driver-fbdev xserver-xorg-driver-glint xserver-xorg-driv
er-i128
    xserver-xorg-driver-i740 xserver-xorg-driver-i810 xserver-xorg-driver-imstt xserver-xorg-driver-mga xserver-xorg-driver-n
eomagic
    xserver-xorg-driver-newport xserver-xorg-driver-nsc xserver-xorg-driver-nv xserver-xorg-driver-rendition xserver-xorg-dri
ver-s3
    xserver-xorg-driver-s3virge xserver-xorg-driver-savage xserver-xorg-driver-siliconmotion xserver-xorg-driver-sis
    xserver-xorg-driver-sisusb xserver-xorg-driver-tdfx xserver-xorg-driver-tga xserver-xorg-driver-trident xserver-xorg-driv
er-tseng
    xserver-xorg-driver-v4l xserver-xorg-driver-vesa xserver-xorg-driver-vga xserver-xorg-driver-via xserver-xorg-driver-vmwa
re
    xserver-xorg-driver-voodoo
The following NEW packages will be installed:
    xserver-xorg-video-all xserver-xorg-video-apm xserver-xorg-video-ark xserver-xorg-video-ati xserver-xorg-video-chips

    xserver-xorg-video-cirrus xserver-xorg-video-cyrix xserver-xorg-video-dummy xserver-xorg-video-fbdev xserver-xorg-video-g
lint
    xserver-xorg-video-i128 xserver-xorg-video-i740 xserver-xorg-video-i810 xserver-xorg-video-imstt xserver-xorg-video-mga
    xserver-xorg-video-neomagic xserver-xorg-video-newport xserver-xorg-video-nsc xserver-xorg-video-nv xserver-xorg-video-re
ndition
    xserver-xorg-video-s3 xserver-xorg-video-s3virge xserver-xorg-video-savage xserver-xorg-video-siliconmotion xserver-xorg-
video-sis
    xserver-xorg-video-sisusb xserver-xorg-video-tdfx xserver-xorg-video-tga xserver-xorg-video-trident xserver-xorg-video-ts
eng
    xserver-xorg-video-v4l xserver-xorg-video-vesa xserver-xorg-video-vga xserver-xorg-video-via xserver-xorg-video-vmware
    xserver-xorg-video-voodoo
The following packages will be upgraded:
    xserver-xorg-core xserver-xorg-input-elographics xserver-xorg-input-evdev xserver-xorg-input-kbd xserver-xorg-input-mouse
5 upgraded, 36 newly installed, 35 to remove and 25 not upgraded.
Need to get 5723kB of archives.
After unpacking, 8192B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
                .
                .
                .

#then apt-get dist-upgrade again... see one less line of 'kept back'...
# repeat apt-get install until none left.

a few more times until it was clean, like so:

root@grumpy:/etc/apt# apt-get dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
root@grumpy:/etc/apt#

reboot... no X

noticed that /etc/X11/X is a link to /bin/true. Cannot get any error messages to parse... notice that status of xorg-serve
r is 'rc' (removed corrupt?)
patch via:

apt-get install xorg-server

Now I get lovely error messages... much clearer...
unable to open mouse...

ok Edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf:
set:

root@grumpy:/etc/apt# apt-get dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
root@grumpy:/etc/apt#

reboot... no X

noticed that /etc/X11/X is a link to /bin/true. Cannot get any error messages to parse... notice that status of xorg-serve
r is 'rc' (removed corrupt?)
patch via:

apt-get install xorg-server

Now I get lovely error messages... much clearer...
unable to open mouse...

ok Edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf:
set:
Device "/dev/input/mice" used to be... /dev/mouse

Then it was OK...

Got graphical environment after that... but firefox crashes whenever I visit
a flash site...

so I googled "edgy bugs flash crash firefox"

first hit was:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=286069&highlight=edgy%20flash
  In the /etc/firefox/firefoxrc file, insert this line:

Code:
export XLIB_SKIP_ARGB_VISUALS=1

Whic worked fine for me...

How I upgraded...
changed kubuntu from dapper to edgy in /etc/apt/sources.list... It was pretty straight forward, not following the recipe, but needed common sense to get through.

apt-get update
apt-get dist-upgrade
apt-get dist-upgrade (to check that it went OK, but it reports whole bunch of things held back)
apt-get install (copy paste a line of the stuff which is missing)
apt-get install (another line...
                                                .
                                                .
apt-get dist-upgrade (see that nothing is held back.)

Sometimes there were still problems then look at it, identify a package that is
in the way, and remove it...
                or apt-get remove
sometimes the state is so confused that that doesnt work, so then do it with dpkg...
                dpkg --remove

apt-get dist-upgrade

of some stuff, then... can apt-get install to put the stuff you removed back.
usually will get a later version...

things that were needed:

apt-get install xserver-xorg-driver-all
apt-get install kde-guidance # got removed somehow & not replaced.

-- best not to reboot until dist-upgrade reports a clean state, you will be in a mixture of versions, and things like the graphical display, or networking might be broken.

After reboot I had a virtual 1400x1200 in my /etc/X11/xorg.conf, which on my TV screen (1280x768) was kind of a pain (it scrolls the screen to provide a virtual resolution of 1400x1200)
vi /etc/X11/xorg.conf /virtual # search for virtual
I#Esc # comment the virtual desktop directive out..
ZZ # write & quit...

On logout screen in Edgy, there is a hibernate option. Tried it, and it said not enough swap space
looked at my swap with swapon... holy cow! what are these UUID= things? anyways... I noticed I had
74 MB swap, and a 4G swap. The laptop has 1 G of RAM, so should have two to three gigs of swap for things
to work.

so I turned of the little partition (swapoff /dev/disk/s2323524 or whatever the UUID was...)
and did a mke2fs of it, and removed it from /etc/fstab, so that there was no confusion about which swap to use. Then tried it... Hibernate works (ie. it would write to disk for a long time, then turn itself off completely), but the reboot would reboot the system normally without any swap, instead of restoring the state from the swap partition. It would refuse to use the partition where the state was saved...

A lot of searching later...

http://article.gmane.org/gmane.user-groups.linux.delhi/13814

> I am sorry for the odd bug, I think the bug still exists because it was
> there when you had Dapper installed and it didn't go away because you
> did a dist-upgrade and didn't use the edgy graphical installer.
> Now to fix your problem, follow the next few of steps --
> 1. Create a file called `resume' inside /etc/mkinitramfs/conf.d/
> 2. Write the line `RESUME=/dev/hda6' into it, save+exit
> 3. Then issue the command --
> sudo update-initramfs -c -k `uname -r`
>
> Note that the above is a back tick (`) and not a apostrophe (').
> This should fix the problem for you. And remember to remove the resume=
> line from your grub/menu.lst, that line will be added automatically by
> intramfs-tools the next time you hibernate.
> I hope that helps,
>
> Regards,
> BG
>
> Baishampayan Ghose
> Ubuntu -- Linux for Human Beings
> http://www.ubuntu.com/

I actually had the file existing, but it said resume= in it...
Setting it to my swap partition (/dev/hda9) fixed it...

Similar experience on my Multimedia Server...
used module-assistant to make ivtv drivers...

The best part was at the end... apt-get install mythtv on the server and my laptop, and now I can watch tv/pvr recorded flawlessly on my laptop (over a copper LAN to a 11g wireless base station.) It has never worked this well (last time it was close was a year ago using 0.18 hand compiled on Debian Sarge, but still had jitter issues over the WLAN.) It is MUCH better.