Could not lock System prefs.Unix error code -96431284

While restarting the application server, we keep getting the following errors. Is there any idea why this could be happening?

WARNING: Couldn't flush system prefs: java.util.prefs.BackingStoreException: Couldn't get file lock.

22:31:22,046 ERROR [STDERR] Oct 30, 2006 10:31:22 PM java.util.prefs.FileSystemPreferences checkLockFile0ErrorCode

WARNING: Could not lock System prefs.Unix error code -96431284.

22:31:22,047 ERROR [STDERR] Oct 30, 2006 10:31:22 PM java.util.prefs.FileSystemPreferences syncWorld

Here is the JVM details

java version "1.4.1_05"

Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.4.1_05-b01)

Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.4.1_05-b01, mixed mode)

[741 byte] By [smv9902a] at [2007-10-3 8:38:55]