2..32-20 kernel locks up on boot in less then a second

Binary package hint: linux-image-2.6.32-20-386

This new kernel ALWAYS locks up my test box (ThinkPad T43) hard, so the only data I have is on the screen when it crashes.
The previous kernel (2.6.32.19) still works just file, as have ALL the Lucid & Karmic kernels before.
There is some sort of panic ("Opps"?) at 0.3... seconds where I see:

...acpi_battery_update_async+0x19/0x4e
..._spin_locks_irqsave+0x2f/0x50
...run_one_entry+0x6a/0x190
...
... EIP: ... acpi_ex_read_data_from_field+0x131/0x168 ...

If you need/want more I have to take a photo, as there are no serial ports on this laptop.
He last console message is:

[ 0.... it just screen blanked on me, so SOMETHING lives, but it's not on the net and no keyboard typing has any effect...
No! The Power Button refreshed the screen, so something deep in there is still running
[ 0.945021] Freeing initrd memory: 12719k freed

and that's it.

  If you want more detail, email me. Note the various details that ubuntu-bug has gathered are from another Lucid test box I am running (T42p) and so are of suspect value in debugging this.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: linux-image-2.6.32-20-386 (not installed)
Regression: No
Reproducible: Yes
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-19.28-generic 2.6.32.10+drm33.1
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-19-generic i686
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: auser 1304 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: auser 1304 F...m pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'I82801DBICH4'/'Intel 82801DB-ICH4 with AD1981B at irq 11'
   Mixer name : 'Analog Devices AD1981B'
   Components : 'AC97a:41445374'
   Controls : 26
   Simple ctrls : 18
Card29.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:29 'ThinkPadEC'/'ThinkPad Console Audio Control at EC reg 0x30, fw 1RHT71WW-3.04'
   Mixer name : 'ThinkPad EC 1RHT71WW-3.04'
   Components : ''
   Controls : 2
   Simple ctrls : 1
Card29.Amixer.values:
 Simple mixer control 'Console',0
   Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined penum
   Playback channels: Mono
   Limits: Playback 0 - 14
   Mono: Playback 14 [100%] [on]
Date: Mon Apr 12 03:54:54 2010
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=db79b8ef-1eda-43d7-aecb-56b73353f101
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynx" - Beta i386 (20100318)
Lsusb:
 Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 019: ID 0781:5406 SanDisk Corp. Cruzer Micro 1/2/4GB Flash Drive
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
MachineType: IBM 2373HVU
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
 Socket 1:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   no card
 Socket 1:
   no card
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-19-generic root=UUID=dcd25304-3b77-420c-8793-e9a8178fa61c ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.33
SourcePackage: linux
dmi.bios.date: 01/20/2005
dmi.bios.vendor: IBM
dmi.bios.version: 1RETDIWW (3.14 )
dmi.board.name: 2373HVU
dmi.board.vendor: IBM
dmi.board.version: Not Available
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: IBM
dmi.chassis.version: Not Available
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnIBM:bvr1RETDIWW(3.14):bd01/20/2005:svnIBM:pn2373HVU:pvrThinkPadT42p:rvnIBM:rn2373HVU:rvrNotAvailable:cvnIBM:ct10:cvrNotAvailable:
dmi.product.name: 2373HVU
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad T42p
dmi.sys.vendor: IBM