[cvsnt] failed to obtain lock

[Lewis Looks-Twice]

I got this message:
cvs [status aborted]: Failed to obtain lock on /.directory_history,v: FAIL 
Lock not within repository

when I tried to do: "cvs status" this morning

I downloaded and set up CVSNT 2.5.01 (Travis) Build 1910 on windowsXP Pro a 
day or so ago.  Yesterday, I was running command-line CVS using cvs.exe and 
had resolved to use that for source-control

I've been trying to get some, any kind of source control working, and after 
trying and not being able to get any to work, I tried CVS command 
line.  Not pretty, not simple, but it would do the job.  However, it seems 
to have stopped working this morning.

Does anyone know what causes this and how it can be fixed?  I hunted over 
every CVS site and in the book, no helpful information there.  They all 
spoke about file-permissions in UNIX/Linux none of which apply here.  I'm 
the same user I was when I installed, and set up, and ran the program 
yesterday.  I tried changing the read-only permissions on the files, but it 
changes them right back.

Werewolves - scary on the outside, sweet on the inside