QuickBooks Desktop is the most sought-after accounting software and boasts a global user base. Intuit also provides frequent updates for the software so that users can get the best experience. But you cannot prevent the software from receiving some errors over time. A problematic situation arises when users find QuickBooks is not responding or has stopped working. The error occurs due to a myriad of factors. It can become challenging to fix it if you don’t know the right steps you should take. But there’s no need to worry. In this article, you will find different methods to resolve non-functioning QuickBooks.

 

Why QuickBooks Is Not Responding?

While working on the software, you often find that the QB program stops abruptly. When QuickBooks doesn’t respond or stops working, you will get the following error message: ‘A problem caused the program to stop working correctly or Windows is checking for a solution to the problem.’ There are a handful of reasons that can cause this problem. Here are the most common ones.

• Corrupt QBWUSER.INI file in your device or network.
• Damaged hard drive linked to the device. The hard drive is also not fully accessible.
• The QuickBooks Desktop freezes or stops working properly. It’s a result of the program file being corrupted. 
• The name of the company file is very big and makes the software lag. It will crash QuickBooks Desktop.
• There are damaged files in the Windows operating system.

What to Do When QuickBooks Is Not Responding?

Now that you know the answer to why has QuickBooks stopped working, it’s time to troubleshoot the problem. But before proceeding with the techniques, it’s recommended that you restart your system and launch QuickBooks. For doing that, you can navigate to ‘Start‘ and from there to ‘All Programs.’ Here, right-tap ‘QuickBooks,’ press the Ctrl key, and open it. 

Download and employ the QuickBooks Install Diagnostic Tool

It is an effective tool that will help you fix whatever is causing QuickBooks not to respond. Download this tool and follow the steps below.

 

• Save the file you download to your system, which has QuickBooks software.
• Exit all applications currently running on your system. 
• Now, run the QBInstall tool. 
• Start your system again after you run the tool. It will ensure that all Windows components are updated. 

 

Clear EntitlementDataStore.ecml file

You will see the message ‘Delete EntitlementDataStore.ecml file‘ when there is wrong information at the time of the installation of QuickBooks. It may also display this message if the file that has this information is corrupted. To fix this issue, you need to delete the EntitlementDataStore.ecml file. You can delete it with these steps.

 

• Close the QuickBooks file.
• Navigate to the Windows Start button and from there to ‘Run.’
• Copy and paste the information in its dialog box. 
• Right-tap on ‘EntitlementDataStore.ecml‘ file and choose the option of ‘Delete.’

 

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Rename the QBWUSER.INI file

Another effective measure to implement on finding that QuickBooks has stopped working is renaming the QBWUSER.INI file. You can do so by going through these steps given below.

 

• Choose ‘Start‘ followed by ‘My Computer‘ then ‘Tools‘ and ‘Folder.’
• Now select the ‘View‘ tab.
• Navigate to ‘Advanced Settings.’ Once there, choose ‘Hidden files and folders’ followed by ‘Show hidden files and folders.’
• Now tap ‘OK.’
• Choose ‘My Computer‘ followed by ‘C drive.’ Then go to ‘C:\Documents and Settings\[Username]\Local Settings\Application Data\Intuit\QuickBooks [year]’
• Now right-tap the’ QBWUSER> INI’ file and rename it. To rename, replace .INI with .INIold.

If you find that you can open your QuickBooks file after you rename QBWUSER>INI, try opening a sample file. To do so, open the QuickBooks file and tap on ‘Open a sample file.’ Then click ‘Sample Product-Based Business.’

Access the company file from a different folder location

The specific folder where the company files are kept can get corrupted or changed. To access the company file from a different folder location, follow these steps. 

• Hit ‘Windows‘ plus ‘E‘ keys on your keyboard to launch a computer window. 
• Locate the data file that has a qbw file extension.
• Go to the network drive where this data file is stored while you are looking for the file on a network server. 
• When you find the company file, right-tap it and choose ‘Copy.’ 
• Go to C: Drive and make another folder there. 
• Name this folder as the QBNEW folder.
• Now, open this folder and paste the company file. 
• Now, enable QB while pressing the Control key.
• Choose ‘Restore a Current Company‘ or ‘Open‘ and go to the folder where you have ‘C:\QBNEW.’
• Access the file in the QBNEW folder that you earlier copied.

 

Use the QuickBooks system repair tool

Many people find that the most common troubleshooting methods do not fix their issues. So, you can use the system repair tool effectively when you find that QuickBooks 2011 has stopped working. Follow these points.

 

• Download the QuickBooks System Repair Tool on your computer.
• Save the file in a place where you can find it later. Ideally, you should save it on your desktop.
• Exit all the current programs that are running in the background. After that, install QuickBooks File Doctor Tool.
• After the tool installs, browse the company file and tap ‘Continue‘ to commence the process. 
• It will take around 20 minutes. After the scanning ends, restart your console to fully complete the process.

 

Start the device again and turn off antivirus software temporarily

Sometimes the antivirus software can cause QuickBooks to stop responding. You can restart the device and disable antivirus software for some time.

• Start by restarting your device. 
• If you see the error occurring, disable both the antivirus program and the Windows defender. 
• Start your system again to finish the process.

 

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Final Words 

Now, you know the measure to take when your QuickBooks is not responding. Follow the different fixes one by one, and you’ll find the reason why your software isn’t working. If you cannot follow the instructions or have some questions, contact expert QuickBooks customer care services. QB experts will tackle all your issues.