When accessing the company files, QuickBooks often crashes due to technical glitches. You may also encounter different types of error codes on the screen. If you are unable to open the company files or QuickBooks crashes when opening company file then you should diagnose the cause and troubleshoot the error. Thus, we bring you this guide where we will be explaining each method in detail.
Through our guide, we will help you to spot the reasons why QuickBooks crashes when opening company file. In addition, we will provide you with several methods to fix the error.
Why Does QuickBooks Crashes When Opening Company File?
If the QuickBooks software or company files are corrupted, you may encounter errors unexpectedly. Users fail to access the company (QBW) files due to the following reasons:
- You are probably using the wrong way to access a file type.
- The QBW file is opened already by a different user on the sharing network.
- QuickBooks company files are damaged.
- You must be using the wrong version of QuickBooks to access the files.
- If you have set reports, large files, and other windows to open automatically, QuickBooks software is likely to get frozen.
Other problems such as compressed or encrypted files, access permissions, file extension or file name, or corrupted data can also cause errors.
How to Fix “QuickBooks Crashes When Opening Company File”?
Before getting started, one has to ensure if the issue is with your QuickBooks program or company files. As you identify which thing you are having the problem with, you can proceed with the repairing methods.
To fix the error, you also need to check the file type. Make sure that you are opening the file with the QBW file extension. Moreover, you can try opening the sample company file, turn off the hosting mode in QuickBooks, move the file from its original location to desktop, rename transaction log and network data files.
If QuickBooks can’t let you access the company files then you can execute diagnostic tools that will help you to repair the QuickBooks program and company files. By repairing QuickBooks software and company files, you can easily access the QBW files.
Here, we suggest you follow these methods with step-by-step instructions. Let’s read ahead!
Fix 1: Check the File Type
QuickBooks uses different types of file names to store your data. To access the company files, you are required to check if you are opening the right file type. File extension that ends with QBW keeps all the company data. Hence, make sure that you open the file with the QBW file extension. This should also be noted that you cannot access the portable (QBM) files and backup (QBB) files using the QBW file extension.
After verifying the file extension, if you are still unable to access the company files and QuickBooks is crashing then you can move on to the next fix.
Fix 2: Verify If the Problem is with Your QuickBooks or Company Files
Identifying the exact reason why QuickBooks crashes when opening company file will help you to solve the issue. Thus, it is important that you find out if the issue is with your company files or QuickBooks Desktop.
To verify this, you can do the following:
- Click on the Windows “Start” menu.
- Then, type the “File Explorer” in the search bar.
- Open the “File Explorer” when it appears in the search result.
- Locate the “QuickBooks.exe” file from the QuickBooks folder.
- Now, double-click the QuickBooks software icon while pressing down the Ctrl key. Make sure that you don’t release the Ctrl key until the “No Company” window opens.
- Once the window is open, you can open the company file. If it does not open then click on the “Open a sample file”.
If both the QuickBooks program and company files don’t open then you should do something to repair them. To repair the QuickBooks program, you can run diagnostic tools such as QB Install Diagnostic Tool and run Quick Fix my Program from QuickBooks Tools Hub. You can even perform a clean installation or suppress QuickBooks Desktop. For repairing the company files, you can read the next method.
Fix 3: Disable Hosting on Workstations
When you host the company files on the network, you keep the Host Multi-User Access option enabled. If you turn off hosting mode on the workstations, there are chances that you can access the company files easily.
- Launch “QuickBooks Desktop” on any of the workstations.
- Make sure you don’t open the company file.
- Go to the “File” menu.
- Switch to the “Utilities” option.
- If you find the “Host Multi-user Access” option then do not select this option. But, if you see the “Stop Hosting Multi-User Access” option, click on it to disable hosting.
- After that, move to the next workstation and repeat the same steps. Make sure that you disable this hosting option from all the workstations.
Once you are done checking the workstations, you can switch to the server computer. This computer is basically the one that hosts the company file. You can use the following steps to disable hosting on server computers.
- Launch “QuickBooks Desktop” on the server computer.
- Then, click on the “File” menu.
- Go to the “Utilities” option.
- When you see the “Host Multi-User Access” option, select this option.
- After this, toggle the setting and repeat the same process. Now, click on the “Stop Hosting Multi-User Access”. This will reset the “Multi-User Mode”.
After performing these steps, you can again enable the hosting mode to check if you can access QuickBooks and its company files.
Fix 4: Move the Company File to a New Location
There can be instances when the location of the company file is causing the error. In such a scenario, you can open the company file from a different location. To do so, you will have to copy the file from its original location to the desktop. Then, you can access the file from there.
- Click the “Start” menu.
- Here, you can search for the “File Explorer” through the search bar.
- From the “File Explorer” window, locate the folder that contains your company file. It should be saved with the QBW file extension.
- Once found, click right on the company file and press the “Copy” button.
- Now, switch to the desktop screen and click right to choose the “Paste” option.
- When the file is moved successfully, click right on it again and choose the “Rename” option.
- Make sure you name the folder that you can recognize easily, for example, the QBTest folder.
- After that, you can open “QuickBooks Desktop”.
- Then, click on the “File” menu.
- Click the “Open or restore company”.
- Pick the file you moved to the desktop and click the “Open” button.
If you can easily access the company file, it indicates the issue with the location. Thereafter, you can move the copied file from the desktop screen to the original location and use it as your primary company file. Make sure you change the name of the original file you copied earlier. This way you won’t open the old file anymore. All you have to do is click right on it, choose the Rename option and add OLD at the end of the file name.
Fix 5: Rename ND and TLG Files
Transaction Log (TLG) files and Network Data (ND) files are required to run QuickBooks properly. By renaming these files, you can solve the issue and access QuickBooks software.
- Go to the “Start” menu.
- Here, you can look for the “File Explorer” using the Windows search bar.
- Now, locate the folder containing your company files.
- At this point, you can find the files with the “ND” and “TLG” extensions.
- Thereafter, you can click right on the file and choose the “Rename” option.
- After that, add the “Old” at the end of both the file names.
When you are done changing the ND and TLG file name, launch QuickBooks again to open the company file. This will create the new TLG and ND files automatically. In case you are still unable to open the company file then rename the company file and TLG file only. Make sure you don’t rename the ND file.
To Conclude
If QuickBooks crashes when opening company file then you can execute the troubleshooting methods to repair both the QuickBooks software and company files. Here, we have provided the easiest methods to try. Make sure you perform these methods carefully. If required then you can run the Install Diagnostic tool or perform a clean install to repair QuickBooks Desktop and its errors.
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