Recently a reader eMailed me about how they suddenly could no longer access any of their QuickBooks Company files after they received an update to their QuickBooks Desktop version. I did a little research on one of the copies of the same version of QuickBooks I had on a secondary computer I keep in my spare room and found that I had much the same issue.
I even ran several tests with the QuickBooks provided 'sample Company files' to find out if there were problems opening those, and indeed there were. So I broke out the 'medical bag' and began diagnostics to see if I could figure out what had gone wrong, because this clearly seemed to be a QuickBooks 'programmatic' error. I continued to explore the history of the process, as well as go through the various 'tools' that we all tend to use, and then it became very clear... it just happened that there was both a QuickBooks update and a Windows update almost simultaneously and the result was that the Windows permissions for QuickBooks had been changed ... (somehow, don't ask me how) ... in the process of the two updates installing.
The resolution turned out to be simple:
1) In the Search Box on the Windows Task Bar type 'File Explorer'.
2) Open File Explorer and then go to the drive where your QuickBooks programs are installed (probably the C: Drive).
3) In the C: Drive look for the appropriate directory where QuickBooks will be installed...
- If you have a 64-bit Processor-based Computer (most likely) then that directory will be C:\Program files x86\Intuit\QuickBooks (Year),
- If you still have a 32-bit Processor Computer (doubtful) then that directory will be C:\Program files\Intuit\QuickBooks (Year).
In the example shown below QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 21 (which is 2021) is contained in the directory noted above.
4) Open the appropriate QuickBooks directory and look for the QuickBooks program (QBW32.EXE) file.
5) When you have found the QuickBooks program (QBW32.EXE file), right click on it and select Properties.
6) When the Windows Properties box opens, select the Security tab (as shown below).
7) Under the Group or user names box select Edit next to the 'To change permissions, click Edit' option.
8) When the Permissions Edit window box opens, click the Add option as shown below.
9) In the object name window, type in "Everyone" and then select OK.
10) Back in the Edit Permissions window, make certain "Everyone' is highlighted in the Group or Users names list, and then select the checkbox for Full control, then select OK.
11) Repeating the process, in the Edit Permissions window select Add again.
12) In the object name window, type in "Users" and then select OK.
13) Back once again in the Edit Permissions window, make certain 'Everyone' is highlighted in the Group or Users names list, and then select the checkbox for Full control, then select OK.
14) You should now be ready to finalize the Windows permissions for QuickBooks if you were having problems. Select Apply and then select OK to save and close your settings.
QuickBooks, and various QuickBooks (utility) tools typically set/adjust these permissions as part of the installation and/or networking configuration which is run when the program is first set-up. You normally don't expect either a QuickBooks update and/or a Windows update to 'undo' these, but in this case it appears that a rare 'almost simultaneous' installation of updates produced a calamity of errors resulting in the issue. A little diagnostics, and a simple fix, resolved it in my case. That may or may not be true in all such cases.
It also goes to show you that things are not always as 'dire' as they may first seem...
DISCLAIMER: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute software consulting or advice. If you do not feel qualified to perform any steps or procedures that may be outlined for informational purposes within this article then seek the assistance of professionals. If you need consulting and/or advice, please contact an Information Technology professional skilled in QuickBooks and/or Microsoft software products. Insightful Accountant assumes no responsibility or liability for the use of, or attempted use of, any information contained herein.