diff --git a/src/files.c b/src/files.c
index 00d539b3f..20b80ef6e 100644
--- a/src/files.c
+++ b/src/files.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ extern int errno;
 #endif
 
 #ifdef PREFIXES_IN_USE
-#define FQN_NUMBUF 2
+#define FQN_NUMBUF 3
 static char fqn_filename_buffer[FQN_NUMBUF][FQN_MAX_FILENAME];
 #endif
 
@@ -909,7 +909,7 @@ int retryct;
 	lockname = make_lockname(filename, locknambuf);
 	filename = fqname(filename, whichprefix, 0);
 #ifndef NO_FILE_LINKS	/* LOCKDIR should be subsumed by LOCKPREFIX */
-	lockname = fqname(lockname, LOCKPREFIX, 1);
+	lockname = fqname(lockname, LOCKPREFIX, 2);
 #endif
 
 #if defined(UNIX) || defined(VMS)
@@ -1013,7 +1013,7 @@ const char *filename;
 	if (nesting == 1) {
 		lockname = make_lockname(filename, locknambuf);
 #ifndef NO_FILE_LINKS	/* LOCKDIR should be subsumed by LOCKPREFIX */
-		lockname = fqname(lockname, LOCKPREFIX, 1);
+		lockname = fqname(lockname, LOCKPREFIX, 2);
 #endif
 
 #if defined(UNIX) || defined(VMS)
diff --git a/sys/share/pcunix.c b/sys/share/pcunix.c
index 2ec56227a..ee112821d 100644
--- a/sys/share/pcunix.c
+++ b/sys/share/pcunix.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ eraseoldlocks()
 void
 getlock()
 {
-	register int fd, c, ci, ct;
+	register int fd, c, ci, ct, ern;
 	char tbuf[BUFSZ];
 	const char *fq_lock;
 # if defined(MSDOS) && defined(NO_TERMS)
@@ -180,10 +180,17 @@ getlock()
 
 gotlock:
 	fd = creat(fq_lock, FCMASK);
+	if (fd == -1) ern = errno;
 	unlock_file(HLOCK);
 	if(fd == -1) {
 		chdirx(orgdir, 0);
-		error("cannot creat lock file (%s.)", fq_lock);
+#if defined(WIN32)
+		error("cannot creat file (%s.)\n%s\n%s\"%s\" exists?\n", 
+				fq_lock, strerror(ern), "Are you sure that the directory",
+				fqn_prefix[LEVELPREFIX]);
+#else
+		error("cannot creat file (%s.)", fq_lock);
+#endif
 	} else {
 		if(write(fd, (char *) &hackpid, sizeof(hackpid))
 		    != sizeof(hackpid)){