10.4.3 Disk Utility fails to unmount non-Startup Volumes

When I first try to Verify, Repair or even Erase an internal SATA disk (not permissions; secondary drive) with Disk Utility, the first time it fails to do so returning "failed with error Could not unmount disk" - I think because .Trashes/501 is open (I'm doing an lsof on the Volumes in question).
The second time it works OK and Verifies etc.
Is this a known bug in 10.4.3 Disk Utility?
Is there a solution?
TIA
G5 DP 2 GHz   Mac OS X (10.4.3)  

Yes, I found it thanks to the expert help of Nick at Apple, who had me create a second User Account, in which I did not get the error, then binary chop all my 220 preferences until it turned out to be a corrupt loginwindow.plist!
Letting Tiger recreate this on restarting now has DU working as it should.
Thanks, AppleCare!

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