Spotlight hanging open/save dialog boxes (com.apple.metadata.mdserver)

This has been crippling my mac for ages. Everytime I open or save a file, or try and get info from one in "columns view" finder or the window just hangs for about 5mins or so. Finally someone here suggested I check the console and I get a looping error message:
380: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
380: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
380: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
380: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
380: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
380: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
380: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
380: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
377: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10004003
377: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
377: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
377: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
377: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
377: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
377: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
377: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
377: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
377: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
377: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
377: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
377: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
421: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
377: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
377: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
421: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
Or if I try and use Spotlight:
2006-06-03 23:52:03.118 System Preferences[421] Error: _MDSetExclusion returned -1
421: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
2006-06-03 23:52:19.215 System Preferences[421] Error: _MDSetExclusion returned -1
421: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
2006-06-03 23:52:42.129 System Preferences[421] Error: _MDSetExclusion returned -1
421: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
2006-06-03 23:53:36.351 System Preferences[421] Error: _MDSetExclusion returned -1
421: Can't checkin with server named com.apple.metadata.mdserver, error 0x10000004
2006-06-03 23:53:46.352 System Preferences[421] Error: _MDSetExclusion returned -1
Can someone suggest how on earth I can fix this or stop it happening. I'm about to throw my Mac out a window!!!
G5 Dual 2.5, 20 Apple Monitor Mac OS X (10.4.6)

I found the answer myself - see this other thread I started to find out the cause. In short though, Spotlight itself is corrupt and was causing me no end of headaches so I disabled it using "spotless" a utility for just that purpose.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=467039

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Spotlight hanging open/save dialog boxes (com.apple.metadata.mdserver)

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