I *might* have a reliable way to create locked files. Had one or more locked ("used by another process") files after: 1) open Word file, make changes and additions; 2) Use Adobe 4.0 PDF Printer to print to file; 3) use Adobe 4.0 to verify contents of resulting PDF; exit those programs. Now no running programs..run Nero to make a data DVD of folder contents...FAIL due to one or more locked files. Tried Process Explorer and see no suspicious stuff (tried DOC, PDF). Ran handles, see nothing obvious output posted at [URL]http://www.oil4lessllc.org/FOO/[/URL] . Assume i can reproduce the lock problem as above. What "tracing" should i attempt and when? I can make screen snapshots courtesy of Paraben Screen Capture and if i shell to CMD i can run handle by hand (for some unknown handle.exe is not recognized in a BAT file) and re-direct to a a file for later use. As always, if i turn computer off, the files become unlocked after turnon.