procedures

How To Procedures Full List

How-To Procedures (FULL LIST)

Initial Diagnostics

Right out of the gate (if it applies) make sure all connections are good and/or reconnect any of them just to make sure.

Check these connections:

Power, Video, Ethernet
Peripherals (Keyboard, Mouse, Wireless Adapters, etc.)
Printers/Scanners
Audio/Speakers/Microphone
External Hard Drives, USB Hubs, Adapters, etc.

Related Resources:

BIOS Access KB Shortcut Cheat Sheet

Manufacturer	Boot Menu Key	Manufacturer	Boot Menu Key
ACER	F12 / ESC	INTEL	F10 / F12
ASUS	ESC / F8 (DESK)	I-JEFF	ESC
ASROCK	F11 / F8	IBALL	F9
AVITA	ESC	LENOVO	F12 / F11(+FN) / F10
AVERTEK	F2	LG	F10
AGB	F12	MSI	F11
BIOSTAR	F9	MERCURY	F11
COMPAQ	F9 / ESC	NEC	F5
COLORFUL	ESC / F11	PACKARD BELL	F8
DELL	F12 / ESC (DESK)	PEAQ	F10 (+FN)
ESONIC	ESC	RAZER	F12
EMACHINE	F12	RDP	F7
EVGA	F7	REACH	F1 / F2
EI SYSTEM	F10	SUMSUNG	ESC / F12 / F2
ECS	F7 / ESC / F11	SONY	F11 / F10 / ESC
FUJITSU	F12	TOSHIBA	F12
FOXCONN	ESC / F12	TM1	F7
GIGABYTE	F12	WIPRO	F12 / F2 / F7
GATEWAY	F11 / ESC / F10	XIAOMI	F12 / F2
GSONIC	ESC	ZEBRONICS	F11
HP	F9 / ESC / F12	ZEBION	ESC
HUAWEI	F12

Software/Utilities We Use

Data Backup (Local & Cloud)

Email

HDD & SSD Disk Cloning

Clone a Hard Drive: Hardware & Software Methods

Hardware Troubleshooting

Devices & Printers

Networks/Networking

OSX - Apple Computers

Virus Removal & Tune-Up/Clean-Up Procedures

Windows 10 & 11

Software/Program Specific Troubleshooting

Microsoft Office/Office 365 Troubleshooting (PC & Mac)

QuickBooks

Quick Diagnostics & Repairs

Server Network Profile:

Make sure the “Server” network profile is Private and NOT Public
Ensure all Advanced Network Sharing options are on and Password Access is off

Database Server Manager:

Make sure the QuickBooks Database Server Manager is running on the client’s “Server” computer
Select the “Scan” button when the program opens
The scan itself can find and fix a large number of basic/minor issues with QuickBooks and QuickBooks network hosting

QuickBooks Services: Make sure the QuickBooks Services (Run → Services.msc) are all set to start Automatically, and under their Recovery Tab (in Properties) make sure “Restart on Failure” is set for all 3 restart options, if the service(s) were to stop.

QuickBooksDBXX

Service Name: QuickBooksDB32 or QuickBooksDBXX
Where XX = Year version of QuickBooks (e.g., QuickBooksDB31 for QB 2021)

QBCFMonitorService

Service Name: QBCFMonitorService

Scheduled Task: Create a scheduled task in the Windows “Task Scheduler” to make sure the QuickBooks Database Server Manager application auto-starts for the following triggers:

Computer Starts (1 minute delay)
User Login (30 second delay)
System wakes up from sleep
System is Idle

Advanced Diagnostics & Repairs

For a QuickBooks network setup, routine troubleshooting and repair procedures typically involve both network-level and QuickBooks-specific checks. These ensure proper file sharing, database server access, and multi-user functionality.

✅ 1. Verify System & Network Requirements

Make sure all systems (host/server and workstations) meet QuickBooks system requirements
Confirm that QuickBooks Desktop Database Server Manager is installed and running on the host computer
Ensure Windows is up to date, and QuickBooks updates are installed on all systems

✅ 2. Check Folder Permissions

The folder containing the company file (.QBW) must have full read/write permissions for all users who access it
Right-click the folder > Properties > Security tab > ensure Everyone or QBDataServiceUser has Full Control
Double-check that the company file is shared correctly on the network

✅ 3. Run QuickBooks File Doctor Tool

Download and run QuickBooks Tool Hub (from official Intuit support)
Use File Doctor from the Tool Hub to scan and repair:
- Company file corruption
- Network connectivity issues

✅ 4. Verify Hosting Settings

On each computer:

Open QuickBooks > File > Utilities:
- On the server, it should say “Host Multi-User Access”
- On workstations, it should not say “Stop Hosting Multi-User Access.” If it does, turn it off

✅ 5. Use QuickBooks Database Server Manager

Open QuickBooks Database Server Manager on the host computer
Click “Scan Folders” and add the folder that contains the company files
This creates proper .ND (network descriptor) files and allows the server to host the company files for multi-user access

✅ 6. Check Windows Firewall and AV Software

Make sure firewall ports for QuickBooks are open:

TCP: 8019, 56728-56730 (for QuickBooks 2021–2024)

Also allow exceptions for:

QBDBMgrN.exe
QBW32.exe
FileManagement.exe

Add exclusions in antivirus for the QuickBooks folder and services.

✅ 7. Map a Network Drive (Optional but Recommended)

Map a network drive to the folder containing the company file
Use the mapped drive path (e.g., Z:\CompanyFiles\YourCompany.QBW) to open the file

✅ 8. Check Services

On the host/server system:

Open Services (services.msc) and ensure:
- QuickBooksDBXX (XX = version year) is Running and set to Automatic
- QBCFMonitorService is Running
Restart services if needed

✅ 9. Test Network Connectivity

Try pinging the server by hostname from each workstation
Use \\ServerName\SharedFolder to test access
If this fails, check network sharing settings and any third-party security software

✅ 10. Rebuild/Verify the Company File

Open company file > File > Utilities > Verify Data
If errors are found, run Rebuild Data from the same menu

✅ 11. Multi-User Mode Test

Open QuickBooks on multiple workstations
Open the company file in Multi-user Mode
Go to File > Switch to Multi-user Mode and test concurrent access

🚨 Common Errors You Might Encounter

H202, H505 – Network or hosting configuration issues
6000 series – File access or corruption issues
6123 – Damaged .ND or .TLG files or connection failure

🛠 Tools You Should Use

QuickBooks Tool Hub (includes File Doctor and other repair tools)
Database Server Manager
Windows built-in tools (Services, Firewall, Event Viewer)

PowerShell Script - Fix QuickBooks Services Automatically

The following PowerShell script will check the status of the QuickBooks-related services on a Windows machine and starts them if they are stopped, but also sets their startup type to “Automatic” if it isn’t already. This ensures the services will start on boot, which is especially helpful for a QuickBooks multi-user host/server setup.

# PowerShell Script to check, start, and set QuickBooks services to Automatic
# Works with QuickBooks Desktop versions 2018–2024 (add more as needed)

# Define QuickBooks service names
$qbServices = @(
    "QuickBooksDB28", # QB 2018
    "QuickBooksDB29", # QB 2019
    "QuickBooksDB30", # QB 2020
    "QuickBooksDB31", # QB 2021
    "QuickBooksDB32", # QB 2022
    "QuickBooksDB33", # QB 2023
    "QuickBooksDB34", # QB 2024
    "QBCFMonitorService"
)

foreach ($serviceName in $qbServices) {
    $service = Get-Service -Name $serviceName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    
    if ($null -ne $service) {
        Write-Host "`nChecking service: $serviceName" -ForegroundColor Cyan
        
        # Set startup type to Automatic (if not already)
        $wmiService = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Service -Filter "Name='$serviceName'"
        if ($wmiService.StartMode -ne "Auto") {
            Write-Host "-> Setting startup type to 'Automatic'..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
            $wmiService.ChangeStartMode("Automatic") | Out-Null
            Write-Host "✔ Startup type set to 'Automatic'." -ForegroundColor Green
        } else {
            Write-Host "✔ Startup type is already set to 'Automatic'." -ForegroundColor Green
        }
        
        # Start the service if it's not running
        if ($service.Status -ne 'Running') {
            Write-Host "-> Service is NOT running. Attempting to start..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
            Start-Service -Name $serviceName
            Start-Sleep -Seconds 2
            $updatedStatus = (Get-Service -Name $serviceName).Status
            
            if ($updatedStatus -eq 'Running') {
                Write-Host "✔ Service '$serviceName' started successfully." -ForegroundColor Green
            } else {
                Write-Host "✖ Failed to start service '$serviceName'." -ForegroundColor Red
            }
        } else {
            Write-Host "✔ Service '$serviceName' is already running." -ForegroundColor Green
        }
    } else {
        Write-Host "⚠ Service '$serviceName' not found on this system." -ForegroundColor DarkYellow
    }
}

Write-Host "`n✅ All QuickBooks service checks complete." -ForegroundColor White

💡 How to Run This Script

Copy and Paste the code above into a fresh Notepad page/tab
Save the script as: QB_Service_Check_AutoStart.ps1
Run as Administrator:
- Right-click the script > Run with PowerShell
- Or open PowerShell as Admin and run it manually

Allow script execution if needed:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser