slideshow folder will not change! :(

i recently updated to the latest version from SVN and found that every time i go into settings->appearance->screensaver the XBMC' jams (i overwritten the userdata preferences, including the GUI xml),
i played with it for a few minutes and discovered that it was because of the "slideshow folder" parameter in the .xml file. so i changed it back to default and it worked - BUT - it seems i cannot change that path because every time i select one from the GUI and hit the "ok" button everything's freezing.. i tried to run XBMC from console so i could see the error myself but there is no error.. - it says everything's okay till the point of unloading the selection window and then nothing..
anyone has/had that symptom?