How to Fix QuickBooks Won’t Open Error After Windows Update? Fixing Guide

By Mohd On May 5, 2021

QuickBooks accounting software is used especially by small and medium business owners. It has user-friendly software which helps in tracking finances, managing invoices, sales, etc. In fact, QuickBooks has incredible features that increase the productivity of the companies. But even after such popularity and features, it is not completely free from errors, after all this is just software. Sometimes, users come across “QuickBooks won’t Open error after Windows update.”

This error affects the operation of a company directly affecting the business growth. To save you from this trouble, we have come up with a power-packed post. While troubleshooting this error, If you have got any error then feel free to get in touch with the experts. They will help you with the best possible solutions.

In this article, we will tell you easy troubleshooting methods to fix QuickBooks won’t open errors.

Why won’t Quickbooks Open? All Possible Reasons

Understanding why my Quickbooks won’t open is the first step so that you could avoid the root causes in the future.

The company file name is exceeding the character limit.
Corrupted hard drive.
Installation of the QBs software is improper.
Missing QBWUSER.INI file.
Another cause of QuickBooks won’t open error after windows update error is outdated.
Damaged QBWUSER.INI file can also cause QuickBooks won’t open error.
Clicking multiple times on the QuickBooks icon can lead to not responding or not working.

Symptoms of QuickBooks Won’t Open Error

To save you from any kind of confusion, we have mentioned some symptoms through which you can easily identify this error.

The software often freezes.
Quickbooks won’t open company files.
Windows runs sluggishly.
The PC hangs from time to time.
The system doesn’t respond appropriately to the mouse and keyboard

How to Fix QuickBooks Won’t Open Error After Windows Update?

After understanding the reasons and symptoms of QuickBooks won’t open error, let’s move on to the prescribed methods and try to repair the error. Have a look.

Solution 1: Open the Company File from a Separate Folder Location

You have to open the company file using a different location, because the folder where you have stored the company file, might get damaged ultimately leading to this error. The steps are:

Press “Windows + E.”
Find the data having “.qbw extension.” If the file is located on the network server, then you have to browse the network drive where the data is stored.
Tap-right on it and Copy it.
Reach out to the “C drive.”
Then make a “New folder.”
Name it – “QBTEST.”
Open the folder of QBTEST and paste your company file.
Open QBs and press the “CTRL” key.
Tap on “Open or Restore an Existing Company” and also analyze the C:\QBTEST folder you had created.
Open that company file that you had pasted in the QBTEST folder.

Solution 2: Closing QBW32.exe and Renaming QBWUSER.INI File

Deleting QBW32.exe and renaming the QBWUSER.INI file helps in deleting all information saved previously opened files.

Steps to Close QBW32.exe

Right-tap on “Windows taskbar.”
Choose the “Start Task Manager” option.
Tap on the “Process tab” and then on “Image Name” to alphabetically arrange the processes.
Now locate and choose “EXE“.
Tap on “End Process” to turn off the “exe process“

Steps to Rename the QBWUSER.INI file

Access the folder containing the INI file, if you can’t find it then you need to enable hidden folders.
After that, tap on the “QBWUSER.ini.file.” Choose the “Rename” option.
In the last file name, type “Insert.old.”
Rename “ecml.file” also to fix QuickBooks won’t open issue.

Solution 3: Run Quick Fix My Program

Step 1: Download and Install the Repairing Tool – QuickBooks Tools Hub

Close QuickBooks and then download its latest version.
Save the file.
Open the downloaded file – “QuickBooksToolHub.exe.”
Carry out the instructions coming on screen for completing installation.
Agree to the terms and conditions
After that, click twice on the icon of the QuickBooks tool hub on the Windows desktop.

Step 2: From the QBs Tool Hub, Run Quick Fix My Program

This will close all the opened background processes used by QuickBooks and run a repair on the program. The steps are:

Inside the “QuickBooks tool hub”, select “Program problems.”
Now, select the Quick fix my program.
Open QuickBooks desktop as well as your data file.

Solution 4: Suppress QuickBooks Desktop

If the QuickBooks company file is damaged then you have to find the error with your company file. The steps are:

Right-tap on the QuickBooks icon.
Hold “CTRL key” and choose “Open“. Keep holding the keys till the “No Company Open” window gets opened.
Now open QuickBooks Desktop, select a company file, and open it.

Solution 5: Run QuickBooks Install Diagnostic Tool

If you have downloaded the QuickBooks tool hub already, then follow the steps explained below to use QuickBooks Install the diagnostic tool.

Open the “QuickBooks tool hub.”
Choose the tab of “Installation issues.”
Press tab on “QuickBooks Install Diagnostic Tool.” It will run now to fix the error. This process will take 20 minutes to get finished.
Now, reboot your PC.
Open QuickBooks as well as the company file to see if the error is repaired.

Solution 6: Fix QuickBooks Desktop Installation if done Improperly

Hold “Ctrl +Alt + Del.”
Choose the “Task Manager” option.
Tap on the tab “Process”
Right-tap on “QuickBooks processes“
Then tap on “End Process“.
After that, you will receive a confirmation process, you have to choose “End all processes” in it.
Restart QuickBooks again
Tap on “Repair QuickBooks.”

By now, Quickbooks won’t open error must have been resolved.

Final Words

We hope this informative article helped you to fix Quickbooks won’t open errors. With this, we bring you towards the end of this article. We expect that after going through this article and the troubleshooting methods above, you will be able to kick out QuickBooks won’t open after Windows update error with much ease.

For more help, you can get in touch with QuickBooks Customer Support anytime. The trained experts are available 24×7 to help you out with your query with the best guidance.

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