Any attempt to install new hardware results in a system hang.
"Please wait while Windows updates the hardware information database ..."
A slider sits at 0%, forever.
Task manager reports the program is not responding. No kidding!
End task works sometimes, causes a fatal error other times.
First happened when I plugged a Canon G1 into a USB port. Other port handles a Microsoft Natural keyboard, which works in either port.
System/device manager reports both USB ports functioning properly.
Tried a new Sandisk ImageMate card reader. Same thing.
Tried control panel, add device (scanners and cameras). Same problem.
Add new hardware. Guess what, hang again.

Windows ME 4.90 (Build 3000)
AMD Duron 650, Asus 200MHz FSB AGP Pro/4X Socket A motherboard (VIA Apollo KT133 Chipset), 128 MB Micron P-133, 30GB Maxtor 7200rpm, 32MB NVIDIA RIVA TNT2 Model 64 Ver. 4.0, Award Software BIOS 07/21/00, Samsung SyncMaster 900IFT

if you have norton on your system...

take a look in c:\windows\inf(it's hidden... you'll have to unhide files to see it)... if there are more than... say... 600 files in this folder, you're going to have some deleting to do.

delete all files that say OEM(a number).inf and are 0kb in size.

and turn off System Doctor before installing anything else.

Attempting to install a second hard drive, my computer would hang also at the "updating hardware information database." I went to Windows\Inf and found almost 35,000 OEMx.inf files (all 0kb in size). I deleted them all, turned off Norton System Doctor, hooked up the ribbon cable and power supply to my new hard drive (slave) and that did the trick. The hardware updating wizard took about 10 seconds to do its thing, and the machine finished booting, and I was able to complete the installation with the Wizard Seagate provided.