Install

I recently upgraded my company's 4 QB files from 2017 to 2024, and encountered this same problem when I uninstalled 2017 and replaced it with 2024. After installing the new version, and rebooting, I was unable to open ANY of the data files in multi-user mode, and couldn't get the DB Server Manager Utility to open on the server at all. I tried uninstalling, reinstalling, rebooting, checking my share paths, nothing worked. After checking my Windows application event logs and correcting some things there I was finally able to get the server manager app to open on the server, scan my folder, and finally allow the QB files to open in multi-user mode. I threw the kitchen sink at the server trying to fix this, but ultimately I believe the following steps are what fixed the issue. Please note that my setup worked perfectly for years until the moment I uninstalled QB Pro 2017 with QB Pro 2024 already installed. The second I uninstalled 2017 my company files could no longer be accessed in multi-user mode and I couldn't get the QB Database Server Manager program to open - it flashed an icon in the system tray by the clock for maybe 2 seconds, then disappeared. I could still open the company files from the workstations with the data files on the shared server drive, but if I tried to put them in multi-user mode I would get that error message that directed me to the QB website. I made these repairs in a remote session with my server, which my computer automatically records, so if this doesn't fix your problem feel free to let me know and I will rewatch the important parts of the recording to see if I missed something.
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MY System Config:
- QuickBooks Pro Desktop 2024 with (2) 3-User License Packs
- Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit Version 1909 Build [removed]
- 20GB RAM
- Intel Xeon E3-1225 v3 @ 3.20GHz.
- 500GB PCIe Gen 3 NvME M.2 SSD
- No Third-Party Security Software
- Windows Firewall Disabled
- Wired 2.5Gbps Network Card with Static IP Address for LAN, Network Set to PRIVATE in Windows
- Network setup to turn off password protected sharing, enable 40/56-bit encryption, turn on public folder access
- Windows Defender is ON but with exceptions made to ignore:
- The folder my QB company files are in
- The QB 2024 install directory
- The Intuit Common Files directory where the QB Server Manager utility is installed
- Windows has 1 LOCAL User Account with a password
- The folder the QB company files are in is shared with all users, groups, and the hidden EVERYONE user
- The office runs a simple peer-to-peer network with a Windows 10 Pro workstation acting as a server for several small apps, like QB, and 6 to 10 desktops for employees all running Windows 10 or 11 Pro.
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MY STEPS TO FIX THE PROBLEM:

• - Backup your computer and QB company files
• - Uninstall all QuickBooks & Intuit branded programs
  • - Settings → Apps
  • - Control Panel → Add/Remove Programs
• - Delete any/all QB Service Users in Windows User Accounts
• - Delete any/all QB branded Windows Services
  • - Open an elevated command prompt and for each QB service on your system listed, type the following commands followed by the ENTER key
    • - sc stop SERVICESHORTNAME
    • - sc delete SERVICESHORTNAME
      • - Replace SERVICESHORENAME above with YOUR service names
• - Repair a common Windows log file error by recreating a missing directory
  • - This might have been unique to my system, but it was part of the sequence I did to fix QuickBooks, and it won't hurt anything if your system doesn't have the same issue.
  • - Open an elevated command prompt (should open to C:\Windows\system32) and enter the following commands, hitting ENTER key after each
    • cd config\systemprofile\AppData\Local
    • mkdir TileDataLayer
    • cd TileDataLayer
    • mkdir Database
    • exit
• - Archive old QB Server settings for your company files
  • - Open the folder containing your QuickBooks data files (QBW)
  • - Rename ANY files ending in the extensions .ND and .DSN by appending them with .old
    • - There should be at least 1 of each file type for each of your QB data files
    • - For example, if your QB file name is "MyCompany.QBW" you should have a file named "MyCompany.DSN" and "MyCompany.ND"
    • - Rename those files to "MyCompany.DSN.old" and "MyCompany.ND.old"
  • - If you do NOT see any files with those extensions, or you don't see any file extensions at all, you need to enable this setting in Windows
• - Repair an issue with Windows 10 not allowing interactive services beyond Build 1803
  • - This might have been unique to my system, but it was part of the sequence I did to fix QuickBooks. My event log showed error messages specifically stating that the QB Data Server program and services wouldn't start because they couldn't run as interactive, which this fixes.
  • - Open the Windows registry editor
    • - START → RUN → regedit
  • - Navigate to the following registry path:
  • Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Windows
  • - Find the key named 'NoInteractiveServices' and double-click it to edit
    • - Change the REG_DWORD value from 1 to 0
  • - Close the registry editor
• - Run system file checker
  • - Open an elevated command prompt and enter the commands below followed by hitting the ENTER key
    • sfc /scannow
    • exit
• - Reboot the computer AFTER the scan above finishes (this is important, don't skip this reboot)
• - Find your QB setup/install file and run it as an administrator
  • - RIGHT click on the file
  • - On the window that drops down LEFT click on RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR
  • - Choose the CUSTOM install option
  • - Select the install type that matches your needs
    • - I chose the last option, which is to install only the QB Network Server files as I was doing all of this on my "server" PC
• - Reboot your system
• - Open your Windows programs and look for the folder named "QuickBooks"
• - Create a shortcut to the QuickBooks Database Server Manager on your desktop
  • - In your programs list, in the QuickBooks folder, RIGHT click on the icon for "QuickBooks Database Server Manager"
  • - Click either CREATE SHORTCUT or SEND TO → DESKTOP (CREATE SHORTCUT)
• - Change that program so that it always runs as an administrator
  • - RIGHT click on the icon for "QuickBooks Database Server Manager"
  • - On the menu that appears LEFT click on PROPERTIES
  • - Click the COMPATIBILITY tab
  • - Click the CHANGE SETTINGS FOR ALL USERS button at the bottom
  • - Place a check in the last box on the new window that reads "Run this program as an administrator"
  • - Click OK and then OK again on the main window to get back to your desktop
• - Double-click the shortcut icon you just modified to launch the QB Database Server Manager Utility program
• - Scan for your company files like normal