QuickBooks has Stopped Working

QuickBooks has Stopped Working

‘QuickBooks has stopped working is a notorious error that can be caused by multiple underlying issues. The program either freezes or crashes as soon as it is launched. From company file names being too long to damage to windows files, there can be many causes for the error. It’s a typical issue to see these types of errors with your QuickBooks Desktop. They pop up when QuickBooks has stopped working or not responding.

Causes for QuickBooks Has Stopped Working Error

There are multiple causes for this error. These causes are listed below:

  • Damage to QuickBooks Desktop program files and/or QuickBooks Desktop installation.
  • Damage to QBWUSER.INI file
  • There is a hard drive that has corrupted data on it.
  • Damage to Windows Files
  • Installation Error
  • Too Long Company File Names

Here are the Signs and Symptoms of QuickBooks not Working.

When the QuickBooks stops working, not responding or won’t open, check out these symptoms to help troubleshoot a potential issue.

  • You will automatically shut down your computer
  • Computer’s screen will freeze and stop working
  • You enter the Quickbooks software, but it won’t respond to your input commands
  • QuickBooks is not opening

You Might Also Read: QuickBooks Error Code H202

How to Fix QuickBooks has stopped Working or Not Responding Error?

Troubleshooting is crucial in order to resolve issues that do not let QuickBooks open or freeze the software. These troubleshooting steps can be performed to fix the issue.

QuickBooks-has-Stopped-Working-Problem-SCreenshot

Before going ahead with any steps, please complete these first:

  • Firstly Restart your PC
  • Now Open QuickBooks Software
    • Click on Start > All Programs > Right Click on QuickBooks
    • Press Ctrl key and open QuickBooks

Solution 1: QuickBooks Tool Hub

Fortunately, Intuit provides the QuickBooks Tool Hub, a freeware, to resolve common errors faced by users. With many tools and features to resolve errors, QuickBooks Tool Hub becomes the best option to resolve this error.

To use QuickBooks Tool Hub to resolve the ‘QuickBooks has stopped working error, follow the steps provided below:

  1. Download QuickBooks Tool Hub.
  2. Launch the Setup by double clicking on it.
  3. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the program on your system. Also, agree to terms and conditions; otherwise the option to install will be disabled.
  4. Once the installation is finished, go to the Start menu, and click on QuickBooks Tool Hub.
  5. Select Program Problems.
  6. Click on Quick Fix My Program.

The tool hub will automatically close all background processes for QuickBooks. After this, it will perform a quick repair on the program files. Once the process is complete, you can launch QuickBooks and open your company file. However, if you still get the same error, then you should move on to the next step.

Solution 2: QuickBooks Install Diagnostic Tool

QuickBooks Install Diagnostic Tool is one of the tools available through the QuickBooks Tool Hub. It diagnoses and fixes issues with Windows program files related to QuickBooks accounting software. 

To resolve the ‘QuickBooks has Stopped working’ error with the install diagnostic tool, follow the steps provided below:

  1. Go to the Start menu, and launch QuickBooks Tool Hub.
  2. Select Program Problems.
  3. Click on QuickBooks Program Diagnostic Tool.
  4. The tool will scan for issues with windows components and program files which are related to QuickBooks accounting software. This process can take up to 20 minutes.
  5. Restart your system and Launch QuickBooks.

The process takes no more than 20 minutes to scan all the program files related to QuickBooks. Once the scan is completed, damaged windows components are automatically fixed. 

Solution 3: Temporarily Disable your Anti-virus Software and Restart your PC

  • Restart your system.
  • Open your QuickBooks Desktop after rebooting.
  • Enable your antivirus on the next reboot

Note: If the error still persists, take a moment to make sure your antivirus software is not preventing you from doing anything. Ask for help from your IT professional at this time.

Solution 4: Rename QBWUSER.ini File

If there is any damage to QBWUSER.INI file, then you can simply delete it to resolve the issue. However, a better option is to rename this file, leading QuickBooks to create a new one as soon as it is launched. 

Note: QBWUSER.INI file contains a list of company files opened with QuickBooks. After you rename this file, you’ll need to manually reopen each company file at least once to list it in QuickBooks.

To rename the QBWUSER.ini file, follow the steps provided below:

  1. Go to the folder which contains the QBWUSER.ini file. Folder name is usually [username]AppDataLocalIntuitQuickBooks[year]. You may have to enable visibility of hidden files to view the folder. To do so, follow the steps provided below:
    • Launch the File Explorer.
    • Click on View and select Options.
    • Select Change folder and search option.
    • Go to the View tab, and select Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives from the Advanced Settings section.
    • Hit Ok.
  2. Right Click on the QBWUSER.ini File.
  3. Select Rename and type in .old at the end of the file name. 
  4. Also, Rename the EntitlementDataStore.ecml file.
  5. Restart your system and launch QuickBooks.

Note: New QBWUSER.ini and EntitlementDataStore.ecml file will be automatically recreated by QuickBooks when you launch the software and open a company file. Your company file data won’t be affected in any manner. Also, after you delete the EntitlementDataStore.ecml file, you’ll have to reenter the product and license keys to activate the product.

You can find the product and license keys of QuickBooks in your registered email address or from your Intuit account. This information is also mentioned on the package for the installation disk of the accounting software. However, if you purchased the software from a third-party reseller, then you’ll have to get in touch with them to acquire this data.

Solution 5: Create a New Admin User for QuickBooks

In case your windows installation is damaged, you can create a new windows admin user by following these steps.

  • Open the Start menu and then open the Control Panel.
  • Click the link to add or remove user accounts.
  • After you do that, you will see a Manage Accounts dialogue box, and then click on the Create New Account option.
  • Create an administrator account by entering the account name.
  • Create account tab is to be selected.
  • Open the company file, and check whether the issue still persists.

Other Options

Updating the software can sometimes resolve the error. To update QuickBooks, follow the steps provided below:

  1. Launch QuickBooks and click on Help.
  2. Select Update QuickBooks.
  3. Select Update Now.
  4. Click on Reset Update to delete all the previously downloaded update files. 
  5. Select Mark All, and click on Update.
  6. Wait for the update files to download. You can minimize the window and continue working with QuickBooks.
  7. Restart QuickBooks and follow on-screen instructions to update the software.

Before you update QuickBooks, you should create a backup of your company file. To do so, follow the steps provided below:

  1. From the File menu, click on Single-user mode. Before doing so, ensure that all other users are logged out of QuickBooks.
  2. Go back to the File menu and select Back Up Company. Then Click on Create Local Backup.
  3. Select Local Backup, then Next.
  4. Click on Browse. Select the Location to which you wish to save the backup file.
  5. Click on Ok, then Save it Now.
  6. Hit Next. QuickBooks will create a backup file.

You can restore this backup file if anything goes wrong during the update process. Further, some users have reported that they cannot log into their company file because of the ‘QuickBooks has stopped working error. In such cases, the company file is damaged, and the user must restore a recent backup copy. QuickBooks also gives you the option to set up automatic updates.

Conclusion

This is your list of troubleshooting steps to go through if you ever encounter the issue that QuickBooks has stopped working or not responding. If the issue still persists after following these steps, then contact our QuickBooks enterprise customer experts team for further help.

FAQ’s

What is the cost of QuickBooks Tool Hub?

As mentioned above, the QuickBooks Tool hub is freeware, meaning that it is available for free. You can download and install the software without any issues.

Will deleting the QBWUSER.ini file affect my company file data?