How To Fix QuickBooks Error 6000 83? Causes And Solutions

QuickBooks error 6000 83, also known as company file error, is quite common among Windows and Linux users. This error occurs for multiple reasons, mainly when you create a backup of your company file and restore it.

While getting this QB error can be frustrating and disrupt your workflow, you can easily fix it using the quick solutions mentioned in this guide. So, let’s start by understanding this error, its causes, and finally, how to fix QuickBooks error 6000 83.

Table of Contents

What Is The QuickBooks Error 6000 83?

QB error 6000 83 is classified as a file-related error, typically occurring while accessing or restoring the backup file. In addition, you may face this error while trying to make a company file backup. Usually, a message appears on the screen whenever someone gets this error stating, “An error occurred when QuickBooks tried to access the company file.”

You may also get other error messages based on what you were trying to do in your QuickBooks account. Furthermore, the error message may vary depending on where you keep your company files.

Now, after understanding this error, let’s learn about the possible reasons for getting error 6000 83 in your QuickBooks software.

Possible Causes For The QB Error 6000 83

As discussed, there are several reasons for getting the QuickBooks error code 6000 83. So, if you’re facing this error, the following factors might be the cause:

Your QuickBooks company file is missing or damaged.
There are insufficient permissions to access the network server.
The folder containing the QB company file is corrupted or damaged.
You converted an old version of the QB company file over a network.
Insufficient permissions for the QBDataServiceUser.
You don’t have Windows user permissions in order to perform the activities.
Your Firewall settings are causing issues.
The QB company file has an incorrect extension, like .qbm or .qbb and not .qbw.
Multiple computers are hosting the company file in the multi-user mode.
An incorrect Windows version or regional language is not set to English.
Hosting is active on both the workstation and server.

Well, whatever the cause may be, the good news is this error is fixable. However, how you fix this error will depend on the task you were performing when you got the error. So, let’s learn how to fix QuickBooks error 6000 83 when the error is because of different reasons.

How To Fix QuickBooks Error 6000 83 Based On What You Were Doing When The Error Occurred?

You can get the error -6000,-83 when you open, back up, or restore your company files in QuickBooks Online and Desktop. Based on what you were doing, you can get the error due to the following reasons:

You Were Creating A Backup Of Your Company File
You Were Restoring Your Company File

Let’s learn how to resolve QB error 6000 83 for both cases:

You Were Creating A Backup Of Your Company File

You can follow these steps if you were creating a company file backup and got error 6000 83. Here’s how to fix it:

Firstly, close your QuickBooks account on the device where you host your company file. For this, head to the “File” menu and press “Quit QuickBooks Desktop.”
Then, navigate to the “Windows Start” menu.
Enter “File Explorer” into the search bar and select “File Explorer.”
Tap “My Computer” or “This PC” from the navigation bar.
Double tap to open the “C: drive.”
Right-click on your screen, select the “New” option, and click “Folder.” You can name this new folder “QB Test Folder.”
You must now create a backup company file to move forward. Once you finish doing it, QuickBooks will ask you where you want to save the backup file. Save the backup in the C: drive folder you just created with the name “QB Test Folder.”

Not sure how to create a backup company file in QuickBooks? Well, there are two ways to back up your QB company file, i.e., Automatically or Manually. Also, you must follow both steps to create a backup successfully.

Step 1: Creating A Backup Company File

By backing up your company files, you can save everything present in your company file. This includes templates, images, accounting data, letters, and files such as QB Statement Writer, Loan Manager, Cash Flow Projector, and Business Planner. While it can back up all these things, it can’t back up the payroll forms. However, don’t worry; we will discuss how you can back up your pay rolls later.

As mentioned, there are two ways to back up the data, either automatically or manually. Let’s discuss both these methods.

Scheduling Automatic backups

Follow these steps to back up your company file automatically:

Head to the “File” menu in your QB account and tap “Switch to Single-user Mode.”
Then, again, head to the “File” menu and hover over the “Back Up Company” option. After that, select “Create Local Backup.”
Now, click “Local Backup” in the window and select “Next.”
In Local Backup, tap “Browse” and select the “QB Test Folder” file to back up your company file.
You may also select the number of backups you like to keep.
Return to the “Online and Local Backup” section and press “Complete verification.” This test confirms your backup files are working fine before you finally save.
Once ready, hit “OK.”
Tap “Save it now and schedule future backups” and hit “Next.” If you don’t want to save it now, select the “Only schedule future backups” option.

Click the “Save backup copy automatically when I close my company file checkbox.” Also, pick the number of times between backups.
Press “New” to create a schedule. Enter details in the data field to establish a backup schedule. You can pick a specific day or time of the week.

Once you finish setting up your schedule, hit “Ok.” QB will then ask you to type in your Windows sign-in password. You must give this permission to run the scheduled backup.
Finally, hit “Finish” to create your backup.

QuickBooks simultaneously create your backup and schedules future backups. You’ll get a confirmation message from QB once it finishes creating the backup.

Backing Up The Company File Manually

You’re free to back up your company files whenever you want. Follow these steps to back up your company file manually:

Firstly, head to the “File” menu in QB and tap “Switch to Single-user Mode.”
Then, again, head to the “File” menu and hover over the “Back Up Company” option. After that, select “Create Local Backup.”
Now, click “Local Backup” in the window and select “Next.”
In Local Backup, tap “Browse” and select the “QB Test Folder” file to back up your company file.
You may also select the number of backups you like to keep.
Return to the “Online and Local Backup” section and press “Complete verification.” This test confirms your backup files are working fine before you finally save.
Once ready, hit “OK.”
Finally, select “Save it now” and then hit “Next.”

QuickBooks will only create a single backup company file. You’ll get a confirmation message once it finishes.

Backing Up The Payroll Forms

As mentioned, QB can’t automatically back up the payroll forms. However, there are some ways to save them. A simple method would be printing and saving the copies to the hard drive. You can also save them as PDFs if you use QB Enhanced Payroll.

You can just send the folder with your saved payroll forms to your account so they can edit your started payroll tax forms.

Firstly, navigate to the Windows “Start” menu.
After that, search for “File Explorer” and open it.
Look for the “[your company name] Tax Forms” folder. This folder contains your entire payroll data.
Save this folder and forward it to your accountant. Also, don’t forget to send your backup company file with it.
Make sure your account puts the Tax Forms folder together with your company file folder after they finish restoring it.
After they finish reviewing it, ask your accountant to copy the Tax Forms folder and send it back to you. Repeat the same steps on your device to open up the forms.

Step 2: Adjusting Your Backup Settings

Well, you may want to know when you last backed up the company file.

Head to the “File” menu and select “Back Up Company.”
On the right side, you’ll see the date and time of your last backup.

To change the backup preferences:

Head to the “File” menu and select “Back Up Company.”
Next, tap “Create Local Backup.”
After that, hit the “Options” button.

Finally, make the changes and click “OK.”

Lastly, when you’re done creating your backup company file, you must restore the company file using the new backup.

Restoring A Backup Of The Company File

When you restore, QB uses the “.qbb” file to make a new company file, “.qbw.” Follow these steps to restore your backup company file:

Head to the “File” menu in QuickBooks and tap “Open or Restore Company.”
Then, press “Restore a backup copy” and hit “Next.”
After that, select the “Local Backup” option and tap “Next.”
Now, look for your backup company file named “[Your company name].qbb.”
Select the folder where you want to save the restored company file.
Next, hit “Open.”
Finally, once ready, hit “Save.” If a message appears on your screen asking about overwriting the existing data, select your preferred option out of all the options. We recommend you not to overwrite anything unless you’re sure about it.

And that’s how you successfully create a new company file and fix the error 6000 83.

If you no longer see the error, we recommend using the backup file as your primary company file.

You can move to the server setup section (Windows or Linux), which we’ll discuss later in this guide if the error is still there.

However, if your company file isn’t on any server and you still get the error 6000 83, you can contact our ProAdvisors.

You Were Restoring Your Company File

Another possible case of getting the error 6000 83 is when you restore your company file. Follow these steps if you get this error while restoring your company file:

Solution 1: Checking The Backup Filename

It’s important to note that your backup company file name and the folder containing it must be free of any special characters, spaces, or symbols.

Firstly, head to your Window’s Start menu.
Enter “File Explorer” in the search bar and click on it.
Now, look for the folder containing your backup company file.
Right-click on the file that ends with “.qbb.” Then, click “Rename.” You can call it your QBB file or the backup company file.
Ensure the filename has no special characters, spaces, or symbols.
Right-click on the folder that has your QBB file. Then, select “Rename” and ensure to remove special characters, spaces, or symbols.
After that, repeat the steps we mentioned in restoring a backup of the company file section.

Try solution two if you still see the error 6000 83.

Solution 2: Creating A Portable Company File

You can follow these steps to create your portable company file:

Firstly, open and log in to your QuickBooks account.
Then, head to the “File” menu and tap “Create Copy.”
Tap “Portable company file” and then hit “Next.”
Try to give your portable company file a different name to avoid confusion between your regular company file.
Next, pick a location to save the portable company file.
Once ready, click “Save” and hit “OK.”

Your portable company file name will look like “[Different company file name].qbm.” Now, use your portable company file to restore the company file.

Try solution three if the error 6000 83 still exists.

Solution 3: Restoring The Backup File From The Local Hard Driver

You can store your backup company file on your local hard drive/C: driver or a server. However, if the backup company file is on the server, you must move it to your C: driver or local hard drive. After that, follow the steps for creating a portable company file mentioned above to restore your company file. Once the error is resolved, you can return the company file to the server.

Still, getting error 6000 83? Try the solutions mentioned in the next section.

How To Fix QuickBooks Error 6000 83 Based On Where You Keep Your Company File?

Now, after looking at the solutions for fixing the error 6000 83 based on what you were doing, there may still be some of you getting this error. This error 6000 83 can also occur based on where you keep your company file. Usually, the following might be the cases:

You Keep Your Company File On A Windows Server
You Keep Your Company File On A Linux Server

Let’s understand how to fix QB error 6000 83 based on where you keep the company file.

You Keep Your Company File On A Windows Server

Follow these steps to resolve the QuickBooks error if the company file is on a Windows server:

Solution 1: Turning Off Hosting On The Workstations

Hosting the company files over a network? Ensure the Host Multi-User Access option is not active on the workstations. These devices connected to your network don’t help host your company files. You must ensure that your server computer is the only one hosting.

Firstly, open your QB accounts on one of the workstations.
Then, avoid opening your company file. Just head to the “File” menu and select “Utilities.”
If you find the “Host Multi-User Access” option, avoid selecting it. Keep moving to the next workstation until you find the one causing the issue.
Select all the workstations with the “Stop Hosting Multi-User Access” option.

You must repeat these steps on all the workstations.

If the error 6000 83 remains, move on to solution 2.

Solution 2: Using QB File Doctor

Downloading the QuickBooks File Doctor and letting it scan your files may help fix this error. In case the File Doctor finds any issues, let it fix them. Here’s how you download, install, and run QB File Doctor to fix the error 6000 83.

Step 1: Downloading And Installing QuickBooks Tool Hub

QuickBooks Tool Hubs works best on Windows 10, 64-bit. If you’re using some other Windows, you may face some issues.

Firstly, close your QuickBooks account.
Then, download the latest version of the QB Tool Hub. You may save this file in the “Downloads” folder or on the Windows desktop, where you can easily find it.

Note: If you already have this installed, check your QB Tool Hub version by going to the “Home” tab. At the bottom, you’ll find the version.

Now, open the downloaded file, i.e., “QuickBooksToolHub.exe.”
Make sure to follow all the on-screen instructions to finish the installation.
Once it finishes, right-click on it and select “Open.” You’ll find the icon on your Windows desktop.

In case the icon doesn’t appear on your Windows desktop, search for “QuickBooks Tool Hub” in the menu search bar.

Step 2: Running Quick Fix My File

After you install the tool hub, it’s time to run “Quick Fix my File.”

Firstly, in the tool hub, click “Company File Issues.”
Then, tap “Run QuickBooks File Doctor.” It may take around one minute to open.
Now, select your company file from the drop-down menu once you’re in. If your file is not there, click “Browse and search” to locate your file.
Next, press the “Check your file” option and then hit “Continue.”
Finally, type in your QB admin password and hit “Next.”

Usually, the scan takes around 10 to 15 minutes to complete, depending on your file size. The scan sometimes says it was unsuccessful, even if it resolves the problem. Once the scan ends, open your QB account and the company file.

If you still get the error, move to solution 3.

Solution 3: Restoring From A Backup

If you own a company file backup, you can use it to restore it. You can follow the steps mentioned in the “restoring a backup of the company file” section. However, if you don’t have a company file, move to solution 4.

Solution 4: Editing The Windows Hosts File

If you still see the error, you can also test your network to confirm where it’s causing the issue. For this, head to one of the workstations. After that, follow these steps to edit the Windows hosts file:

Step 1: Getting The Device’s Names And IP Addresses

Well, before we jump into the steps, you must carry a pen and paper with you as you’ll need them later. Also, ensure you have access to both workstations and the server computer as a user with admin rights.

So, to start with, you must first follow these steps on the server computer. Repeat the same steps on your workstations once you finish performing these steps here. Your server computer is responsible for hosting your company file. Meanwhile, the workstations are devices that can access your company file saved on the server.

Firstly, on your server computer, press “Windows+R” on the keyboard.
Then, enter “cmd” in your Run windows, and then hit “Enter.”
Next, enter “ipconfig /all” and then tap “Enter.” Ensure you keep a space after ipconfig.
Now, write down the IP address (also called IPv4) and hostname on paper.

Finally, repeat the same steps on your workstations.

Step 2: Editing Windows Hosts File

Like previously, you must perform the following step on both your workstation and the server computer.

Firstly, close your QuickBooks account.
Then, open your Windows “Start” menu on the server computer.
Next, tap “Computer.”
Now, head to either:
- “C:\Windows\Syswow64\Drivers\Etc”
- “C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\Etc”
Double-tap the host file, then click the “Notepad” icon.
- The server computer will contain the workstation’s name and IP address.
- The workstation will contain the server computer’s computer name and IP address.

Step 3: Saving The Changes To Your Host’s File

You must save the file once you finish updating the IP on both workstations and the server computer.

Firstly, head to the “File” menu in Notepad and select “Save.”
Then, type in the name of the file as “hosts.” Ensure to include quotation marks.
Next, click “Desktop” and hit “Save.”
Now, look for the saved file, right-click, and press “Copy.”
After that, browse to the file location you selected in Step 2. Head to either:
- “C:\Windows\Syswow64\Drivers\Etc”
- “C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\Etc”
Look for the host’s file, right-click on it, and tap “Rename.”
Rename your host’s file to hosts old. After that, hit “Continue.”
Finally, press “Ctrl+V” on the keyboard. Then, hit “Continue.”

Well, that’s a wrap-up for all four solutions for how to fix QuickBooks error 6000 83 if you keep your company file on a Windows server. Reach out for expert support if you still get the same error.

You Keep Your Company File On A Linux Server

Now, after learning how to fix this error on a Windows server, it’s time we also look at what steps you need to take to fix the error 6000 83 if you keep your company file on a Linux server.

However, before you learn about these steps, we suggest you only perform them if you’re somewhat familiar with how Linux networks work. Also, before you proceed, ensure you have permission to perform changes to your server. You can take the help of an IT professional if you require it.

Well, if you’re familiar with this server, you can follow these steps to fix error 6000 83.

Solution 1: Configuring The Linux Server

Follow these steps to configure the Linux server:

Firstly, open “Linux Database Server Manager” on the server.
Then, you must configure “Database Server Manager” as well as the directory in the Initord.conf file. Not sure how to do that? Check the section below.

Configuring The Linux Database Server Manager

You must be the root user if you want to set up the Linux Database Manager:

Step 1: Updating the qbmonitord.conf file

You must list the shared directories in the qbmonitod.conf file in order to give your users access to the company files. Here’s how you do it:

Firstly, start a terminal window.
Then, you have to edit the “/opt/QB/util/qbmonitord.conf” file.
Now, type in the full path for all your directories on a separate line.

For example:

/QBcompanyfiles
/QBData
Restart the “qbdbfilemon” or “qbmonitord” service.

Step 2: Creating A Samba Share

If you want your Windows computers to see shared directories on the Linux server, you must set them up as Samba shares. To learn more about configuring a Samba share, you must read the Samba documentation for the Linux distro.

Follow these steps to create a Samba share:

Becoming The Root User

Firstly, start a terminal window.
Then, type in “sudo password root.” Then, hit “Enter.”
Finally, enter your password.

Creating A User Group

First, type “groupadd -r groupname” and then hit “Enter.” Your Group name can be “QBusers” or any other name you wish to create your group with.
Type in the group name: userone, usertwo, userthree to list the group users you made in step 2.

Adding Users And Passwords

Type in “useradd user” to add all the users from Step 3 to the group you made in Step 2.
For every individual user, type in “smbpasswd -a user” in order to activate the Samba user account as well as to set a password.

Setting Share Permissions

Type in “chmod -R 775 /directory” so your users can be allowed to “read/write/execute” the shared directory.
Type in “chgrp -R groupname /directory” if you want to change the ownership for the shared directory.

Now, head to the “/etc/samba” section to add the following to the “smb.conf:”

[share_name] – You should replace “share-name” with the name you prefer for the share. This name is visible to your Windows clients.
path = /directory – You should replace the “directory” with the full path of the directory you made on the Linux server in order to store the QB company files.
comment = “samba share for your company files”
Valid users = “user1,” “user2,” “user3” – You should replace “user” with the names you mentioned in step 2.
public = “no”
printable = “no”
writable = yes
Create mask = 0765

Finally, type in “service smb restart” in order to restart the Samba daemon.

Once you’re finished configuring your Linux server, restart QB Enterprise on the host computers. If you can open the company file, the error is gone. However, try the next solution if the error 6000 83 is still there.

Solution 2: Configuring The Host File

If configuring the Linux server didn’t fix the error, you can try configuring your host file. Firstly, ping the server to get your IP address and server name. Follow these steps to configure your host file:

Start by opening the Windows “Start” menu on a device connected to the network.
Enter “CMD” into the search bar and tap “Command.”
Next, enter “Ping[Your Linux server name] in the window and tap “Enter.”
Type in the IP address and server name.

Next, you must edit your host files. Ensure all the devices connected to the server have the right Linux server name and IP address. Proceed with the device where error 6000 83 is showing.

Close your QuickBooks account on all your computers connected to the network. Head to the “File” menu and tap “Quit QuickBooks Desktop.
Then, go to the Windows “Start” menu.
Enter “File Explorer” into the search bar and open it.
Now, tap “My Computer” from the navigation bar or “This PC.”
Double-tap the “C: drive” and open the “Windows” folder.
Look for the “System32” folder. Open your “Drivers folder” and then double-tap the “ETC” folder.
Next, right-click on the “C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts” file. Then, tap “Open with” and click “Notepad.”
Head to the bottom of your file. Enter the Linux server IP at the end of the text.
After that, click “Tab” from your keyboard and add the Linux server name.

Note: Use the correct case when entering the Linux systems file names.

Finally, select the “File” tab and then hit “Save.” Now, close your Notepad.

Try opening your QB Desktop and company file. Well, if you can, the error is resolved. However, if you are still getting the error 6000 83, it’s best to take the help of the QuickBooks support team. You can also contact MWJ Consultancy at +1 877 469 0298 for a free consultation.

QuickBooks error 6000 83 can occur for many reasons, including missing or damaged QB company files, insufficient permissions, corrupted company file folders, etc. There are multiple ways to fix this error: creating a company file or restoring the company file.

If your company file is on a Windows server, you can resolve QB error 6000 83 by turning off hosting on the workstations or by using the QuickBooks File Doctor. On the other hand, if the file is on a Linux server, you may fix this error by configuring the Linux server or the Host file.

If you still get the QB error after trying all the above solutions, you must consider getting expert support.