Most windows users will relate to this. One day you are streaming Netflix. Everything seems fine until suddenly you see a dialog box flashing on the screen showing an Error 20. This dialog box is shown by QuickBooks, and you understand something is wrong. You will see this error mostly if you have Windows 7 or above versions.
Error code 20 in QuickBooks desktop is the most common issue that is found among Windows users. It is a great difficulty among business owners who need to send out invoices or other important information. This is usually seen when the user is trying to upgrade its Windows version to the upcoming latest updates. When you see an error it usually means that the printer is not activated. A major cause of this error is the deleted Key_Current _configsoftware key.
Why does QuickBooks error 20 occur?
There are many reasons why your QuickBooks printer has an error 20. The primary reason would be that you have not updated your current windows operating system.
- Additionally, there may be a missing software key of ‘‘HKey_current_configsoftware’. This mostly occurs if your software key stops the printer from working. It usually means that the key itself is outdated.
- Another reason may be because you have more than one version of the QuickBooks printer on the computer. Although it does not cause a possible threat it is a possible reason for the error. If the software is installed in different directories of the system, you should not have a problem.
- If you find that your QuickBooks is not able to download a PDF of an invoice. And therefore, you are getting the error; it simply means that the printer is not compatible with the PDF driver. Additionally, it can also mean it isn’t compatible with your operating system.
Troubleshooting of QuickBooks Printer Not Activated Error Code 20
We are here to solve that problem. You will find two solves to fix your QuickBooks printer not activated error 20. We will go through it step by step and get your computer fixed.
Solve 1: Reinstall QuickBooks
The most basic thing that every rookie does is disconnect and reconnect the printer. So, we are going to do the same here. We will uninstall and reinstall the QuickBooks software. This will be very helpful as it would get rid of any damaged or corrupted files that may be causing this problem. Additionally, to prevent any further problems it is recommended to use the system security app. Also, it is best to clean up the internal disk before you reinstall the QuickBooks. If you have trouble following up, go through the steps below:
- Close all running programs related to QuickBooks and otherwise
- Go to control panel
- Find and click the ‘programs and features’ option
- Locate your QuickBooks and right-click to find the uninstall button.
- Wait for the program to successfully uninstall.
Now that you have uninstalled the software, we are going to reinstall the software. Follow the steps below to trace your path.
- Remove any damaged file
- Download and install a fresh file of QuickBooks
- When your program has completely reinstalled close the file
- Finally, restart your computer to let the changes sink in.
Solve 2: Manually resolve it
Another way that you can fix this problem if you do not want to uninstall the software at all is by manually editing it. This can be a comparatively trickier process but nonetheless, we will help you with the steps. There are primarily two ways you can do this, so we will start with the first method.
Method 1
The reason why you might be facing error 20 may be because you have not updated your windows 7 operating system. Therefore, follow the steps below to manually update the registry key:
- On your keyboard press, the Windows button + R keys and you will find the run dialog box to come up
- Type regedit and run as administrator
- Then search for HKEY_CURRENT _CONFIG and you will find a way for your registry editor.
- Choose the permissions tab in the drop-down and verify your access.
- Finally hit ok and close the windows.
- Now you have access to all keys and hardware. So your printer should start working fine.
Method 2
This is specified for people who have windows 10 as their operating system. We will do the manual registry through PowerShell. If this sounds confusing already, follow the steps below:
- Hit the start button
- And type “cmd” and hit the right-click button
- Then select run as administrator
- Type the command PowerShell and hit enter
- Then copy-paste the code mentioned below on the command box
PowerShell.exe -NoProfile -NoLogo -NonInteractive -Command “$key = [Microsoft.Win32.Registry]::CurrentConfig.OpenSubKey(‘Software’,[Microsoft.Win32.RegistryKeyPermissionCheck]::ReadWriteSubTree,[System.Security.AccessControl.RegistryRights]::ChangePermissions); $acl =$key.GetAccessControl(); $rule = New-Object System.Security.AccessControl.RegistryAccessRule (‘Users’,’FullControl’,’ObjectInherit,ContainerInherit’,’None’,’Allow’); $acl.SetAccessRule($rule); $key.SetAccessControl($acl);”
Your problem should be solved. Further, you should not get the error message.
Conclusion
Software errors are not uncommon for Windows users. QuickBooks can also be a little tricky to handle if everything does not work ideally. We hope that we have been able to help you solve your problem. However, if you need any further assistance related to QuickBooks error code 20 or others, feel free to get in touch with our QuickBooks error support team at 1-800-761-1787.
