System: Ubuntu 10.04 amd64
Kernel: 2.6.32-23

I saw the following warning during the installation of the hibernate script and uswsusp, without realizing until the next boot up that it would cause a failure at boot -- "failed to stat resume device":

cryptsetup: WARNING: found more than one resume device candidate:

/dev/mapper/cryptswap1

UUID=9357635d-66da-422e-a138-3dc24ecac143

cryptsetup: WARNING: target cryptswap1 has a random key, skipped

Using an install CD I ran the rescue, logged in as root and uninstalled hibernate & uswsusp, which also resulted in the same warning.

I was only able to boot using a previous version of the kernel -- the install log didn't show update-initramfs generating (or attempting to generate) any initrd.img except for that for the latest kernel version.

https://ubuntugenius.wordpress.com/2...re-you-reboot/

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...up/+bug/497110
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...x/+bug/577916/
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...ux/+bug/499940

I discovered the "could not stat the resume device file" error behind a splash screen. My main OS wouldn't boot when the second hard drive (in an optical drive bay adapter) was removed either to use the DVD burner or to use my laptop without the docking station. (Lenovo X60). After reading this thread which stretches from July '07 through 2010...now March 2012...I tried removing the uswsusp packages and rebooted with no problems. Since I don't use hibernate I'm probably OK, but I do have my laptop set to "suspend" when I close the cover. So far, so good. I haven't tried running the DVD burner in place of the second hard drive, but booted OK with laptop separated from docking station AND when I closed the cover it "suspended" and reawoke when I opened the cover. I think I'll leave well enough alone until some time when I can reinstall uswsusp and see if it properly configures itself so as not to cause problems.
Thanks to all for the many suggestions