Your clear and helpful explanation regarding the distinctions between "upgrade"
and "update" are quite informative. There is a "however":

The warning message from Update Manager is as follows;

NOT ALL UPDATES CAN BE INSTALLED

Run a partial upgrade to install as many updates as possible.

This can be caused by: etc.

I really don't want to "upgrade", desiring to do as you recommend, ie awaiting
the next LTS version which I understand is the regular release # 10-04. In the
meantime, I would be happy if "update manager" would stop bugging me.

It seems to feel that it has unfinished business which it can't complete. I am
unsure how much help I would derive from a "partial upgrade" and don't have any
idea how to do a "partial" anything not offered me as a choice.

I want to purge the debris left behind by a failed printer install and have
created a greater problem for myself. How do I clear this "stuff"?

I was also attempting to install in the same session 'gadmin-samba', 'grub-doc'
'gparted' and 'parted-doc' none of which were installed.

I have deleted the prior posts in the interest of brevity messages 16622 and
16660 comprise this thread.