Grub update hangs from Ubuntu Update Manager

[Randy Decker]

On 6/10/2010 I posted to https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/114106 
a problem that arose after I upgraded from Ubuntu 9.10 to 10.04 on a dual boot 
system with XP.  Both O/S systems currently boot and run with no apparent 
errors.  However, the Update Manager hangs after displaying a terminal with 
"setting up grub-pc (1.98_1ubuntu6)."  Grub-install /dev/sdb  and update-grub 
both appear to work fine from a terminal.  I don't want to bother you if the 
problem is not grub related but it appears that Grub has a sync problem.  I 
don't know what needs to be sync'd, or whether it is even a GRUB problem.  I 
don't find anything relevant when I search for grub and sync.  Where can I look 
for better understanding of how to fix the problem?

Thanks for listening and any pointers you can supply.
Randy