stuck on "updating dependencies"

system:  rh9, kernel 2.4.20-28.1

i have a problem that appeared a couple of weeks ago:  every time i try
to do an update via redcarpet, it never get's past the "updating
dependencies" pop-up window.  then, when i close it out, something
slowly (over a 5 minute period) brings my system to a crawl...while this
is happening, the hd light is flashing like a strobe.  i tried to kill
rcd immediately after a failed attempt, but that didn't help. 
eventually, the system gets too bogged bown to display mouse movements. 
i have to do a hard reset to fix it.

any ideas what's going on?

thanks in advance,
patrick tisdale
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