package ubuntu-desktop 1.102 failed to install/upgrade: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured

It's failing because of the same error in several packages:

Unpacking ubuntu-desktop (from .../ubuntu-desktop_1.102_i386.deb) ...
Setting up rsync (2.6.9-6ubuntu2) ...
usage: update-rc.d [-n] [-f] <basename> remove
       update-rc.d [-n] <basename> defaults [NN | SS KK]
       update-rc.d [-n] <basename> start|stop NN runlvl [runlvl] [...] .
                -n: not really
                -f: force
dpkg: error processing rsync (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of ubuntu-standard:
 ubuntu-standard depends on rsync; however:
  Package rsync is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing ubuntu-standard (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up acpid (1.0.4-5ubuntu9) ...
usage: update-rc.d [-n] [-f] <basename> remove
       update-rc.d [-n] <basename> defaults [NN | SS KK]
       update-rc.d [-n] <basename> start|stop NN runlvl [runlvl] [...] .
                -n: not really
                -f: force
dpkg: error processing acpid (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Setting up hotkey-setup (0.1-17ubuntu21) ...
usage: update-rc.d [-n] [-f] <basename> remove
       update-rc.d [-n] <basename> defaults [NN | SS KK]
       update-rc.d [-n] <basename> start|stop NN runlvl [runlvl] [...] .
                -n: not really
                -f: force
dpkg: error processing hotkey-setup (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Setting up pulseaudio (0.9.10-1ubuntu1) ...
usage: update-rc.d [-n] [-f] <basename> remove
       update-rc.d [-n] <basename> defaults [NN | SS KK]
       update-rc.d [-n] <basename> start|stop NN runlvl [runlvl] [...] .
                -n: not really
                -f: force
dpkg: error processing pulseaudio (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1

I'm not sure what's the issue, James Westby said he's going to research on this. See also bug 157041 which is about this error message in the rsync package.

I marked the reports that machak submitted for the single packages as duplicate of this one, feel free to change that when you worked that out.

Can you provide your /etc/apt/sources.list?

here is my sources list:

# deb cdrom:[Ubuntu 7.10 _Gutsy Gibbon_ - Release i386 (20071016)]/ gutsy main restricted
# See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to
# newer versions of the distribution.

deb http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted
deb-src http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the
## distribution.
deb http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates main restricted
deb-src http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates main restricted

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in
## universe WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu security
## team.
deb http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy universe
deb-src http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy universe
deb http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates universe
deb-src http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates universe

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in
## multiverse WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu
## security team.
deb http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy multiverse
deb-src http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy multiverse
deb http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates multiverse
deb-src http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'backports'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
# deb http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy-backports main restricted universe multiverse
# deb-src http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy-backports main restricted universe multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Canonical's
## 'partner' repository. This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is
## offered by Canonical and the respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu
## users.
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu hardy partner
# deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu gutsy partner

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu hardy-security main restricted
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu hardy-security main restricted
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu hardy-security universe
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu hardy-security universe
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu hardy-security multiverse
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu hardy-security multiverse
# deb http://wine.budgetdedicated.com/apt feisty main
# deb http://mirrors.kernel.org/debian unstable main non-free contri...

reporter has debian's sysv-rc package installed and:

<crimsun> note that our simplistic solution of simply requiring sysv-rc (>= 2.86.ds1-14.1ubuntu2) fails horribly
<crimsun> Debian does not carry Scott's multiuser change

Thanks for this additional information.

Mixing ubuntu and debian packages can have this kind of effect. Testing against all possible failure scenarios then becomes very difficult.

I've had trouble with the hardy upgrade, with packages such as rsync, cupsys, ubuntu-standard failing to configure due to dependency problems. I have debian packages installed that are not supported by ubuntu.
I have since learned mixing ubuntu and debian packages could cause problems, but wasn't sure if all of the debian packages could be removed without making the system unstable.
I got an email from getdeb.net, a site that is a source for some of the debian packages I've installed.
The email suggested that before a hardy upgrade all 'getdeb' packages be removed, and for the system to be configured with a separate home partition. The email has links for instructions to remove packages in synaptic, and how to create a separate home partition in an already installed system. (with a reminder to backup) I also wondered if there are other debian files that need to be removed.
I have sysv-rc-2.86.ds1-38
 I read in wikki GTK+1, and GTK+2 are not compatible, and metacity uses GTK+2 but that may not be relevant
I've included some of the details of the email including the link urls, and hope someone can explain in more detail, or if this applies to another bug. I was worried the email was spam (how to delete your home file with one key stroke)

http://www.getdeb.net :

Fresh installs are much easier to perform if the data (/home) and the OS are not on the same partition. If the installation was done into a single partition, it is recommended to split it (http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/separatehome). Backup is strongly recommended if you are going to perform partition changes.
If you don't have a separate home and still want to perform a fresh install, you must backup your data to an external media or to an another disk. Then, reinstall the system creating the recommended partitions and restore the data from your backup.

If you cannot perform a fresh install and will need to do a distribution upgrade it is recommended that you remove all getdeb packages prior to the upgrade. You can remove all the getdeb packages following the procedure at http://www.getdeb.net/docs/uninstall.pdf .
I'll attach the getdeb file removal pdf