Resolve Sage 50 Company File Not Opening Issue in Different Condition – Quick Solutions

Scenario 1: Sage 50 won’t open the company file when opening data that is not being converted to a new version

In case you’re encountering the “Unable to open Sage 50 Company file” error when trying to open data that hasn’t been converted to the new version, there are a few steps you can take. Make sure that your Sage 50 software is up to date, check for any file corruption issues, and verify that you have the necessary permissions to access the file. If the problem continues, it is advised to contact Sage 50 technical support.

Step 1: Start the Sage 50 Program as an Administrator

1. First, close the Sage 50 software.
2. From the Sage 50 icon, right-click on it and select Properties.
3. Now choose the option for Administrator option.
4. Next, open the Company File.
5. Locate the content that you want to move and then click on the Add Permissions button in the file’s toolbar.
6. Now, you’ll need to copy the SAJ folder and SAI files to the C drive.
7. Open the user permissions settings and scroll down to find an option called “Everyone.”
8. Ensure that there is no hidden content in the SAJ file folder.
9. Re-open the data file.

Step 2: Confirm that the File is on Sage Drive or Remote Data Access (RDA)

To download the data file from Remote Data Access, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Welcome screen.
2. Connect to a shared company by clicking the connect button.
3. If you need to sort or filter a company, select the appropriate company checkbox.
4. Click the Connect button.

Step 3: Maximum number of users already logged in through Remote Data Access

If the file is shared using Remote Data Access and the maximum number of users is already logged in, this error will occur if another user tries to log in. Today, many people use remote data access through their browsers, so it’s important to know about these types of errors so you can fix them early on.

1. To see how many users can log in simultaneously
   • Open the Sage 50 software and go to Help, About Sage 50
   • Click Support Info
   • The new screen will list the number of users on its top left.
   • If you want to verify the number of users, go to File > View All Users.
2. If the maximum number of users is already logged in, one user must log out before another can log in to that specific company file.
3. Confirm that the people registered for your subscription all have the correct serial number. If they don’t, it could be because your subscription doesn’t support the number of people you were expecting.
   • Go to Help, Upgrade your Sage 50 Product
   • Please enter your Account ID and Serial Number
   • If you are connected to the internet and want to retrieve your key code, please open Sage 50 and press OK.
   • If you are not connected to the internet, you can enter the Keycode manually.
   • If you are connected to the internet, then the key code will be added automatically
   • Press OK when you’re ready to complete activation.

Step 4: mysqld.exe is locked in Task Manager

1. On a network, always make sure the users are completely logged out of Sage 50 and open Task Manager on the server.
2. Ensure users from all show processes are selected, and end all instances of the mysqld.exe process under the Processes tab.
3. After your process has finished, try to open the company file again on your workstations.
4. If you’re on a standalone, make sure Sage 50 is closed down. Make sure that Task Manager is open and shows processes from all users selected. Close any mysqld.exe processes that appear in the list of running tasks.

Step 5: Your data may be corrupt

1. To start, restore the corrupted files from your backup.
2. If you ever need to open your company file and have not made a backup, now you can.
3. It’s best to seek assistance from experienced aspirants, who will be more likely to be able to repair your data.

Step 6: You have hidden or missing files or folders

1. Open the company file location.
2. Open up the Saj folder and verify that the files and folders are there.

Step 7: Your Sage 50 version is up-to-date

1. Be sure to download the latest version.
2. Install the update manually on your PC by navigating to C:\Users\Public\Documents\Sage Software\Simply Accounting\Download.

Step 8: Check the network connection

1. Make sure that you have access to the assigned drive where your data files are located.
2. If you’re running the files over a network and don’t have access to the network drive that was mapped, or you’ve lost connection to the network drives.
3. Move data to a new location on your hard drive and add permission options.
4. Copy the .SAI file and the .SAJ folder to the root of the C drive and add everyone to the user permission settings.
5. Make sure all of the Sage 50 files are closed.
6. Open the data file again.

Step 9: Confirm that your network connection is private

1. Right-click on your Network connection icon and click on “Network and Sharing.”
2. Check the status of any WiFi network to verify that it is Private/home/work/domain and not public.
3. If a status says public, change it to private.

Step 10: Wrong Icon

1. Make sure you are using the correct icon for your application.
2. To view the new version, you will need to unpin (right-click and select “unpin from taskbar”) and then pin the new version (right-click the desktop shortcut and pin it to the taskbar).

Step 11: Filename

1. When saving your document, shorten the file name, removing any special characters and dots.
2. If the name of an SAJ instance or SAI instance does not match the corresponding TA, rename both the SAJ name and the SAI name to match.
   • (e.g., TA.SAJ, TA.SAI), Then open the file again

Scenario 2: Sage 50 Company Does Not Open When Clicking OK at the Log-in Prompt

Here we are going to guide you on how you can fix the Sage 50 not opening the company file when clicking ok at the login prompt.

Causes for the Error: If your company does not open when you click OK at the login prompt

Here is the list of causes of Sage 50 unable to open company files.

• You don’t have the right to access the data, or the Data is restricted
• Your Data may be corrupted
• You are Using an Old Version of Sage 50
• Network Connections are Not Working or are Down
• Pervasive Actian needs to be restarted
• Your DDF files are damaged
• The company you are trying to open is not in the correct data location
• The .dat files are expandable
• The icon is not running in compatibility mode

Solutions for the Error: If your company does not open when you click OK at the login prompt

Solution 1: Run the Application as an Administrator

When you are not authorized to access the data or you have restricted rights to access the data, you need to log in as an administrator to fix “Sage 50 Company does not open when you click OK at the login Prompt.” The process is listed below:

• First, you have to close Sage 50.
• Second, look for the Sage icon and right-click on it. Then choose the “Run as administrator” option.
• After that, open the company file.
• Now move the data to a new place, and then add permissions to it.
• Find the .SAI file and the SAJ folder, then copy and paste them into the C drive.
• After that, add the user permissions for everyone.
• Check that there are no hidden files in the .SAJ folder.
• In the end, try to reopen the company file.

Solution 2: Restore Data from a backup made earlier

When the data gets corrupted, you get the error “Company didn’t open when you clicked OK on the login prompt”. To fix this, it is necessary to restore it from a backup made earlier. The process is listed below:

• Log in to the company you want to restore a backup.
• Click on the File, then click Restore.
• Click on Browse, browse to, and select the backup file you want to restore.
• Click on Open.
• Click on OK, then click on Yes.
• Click on OK, enter your login name and password, then click on OK.

Note: If you haven’t restored the data from the backup, you should contact Sage experts and ask them if the data can be restored.

Solution 3: Update the Sage 50 Version

Your Sage 50 version is not updated, and you get the error “Company did not open when you clicked OK at the login prompt”. To fix this, updating Sage 50 is necessary. The process is listed below:

• Log in to your server and launch Sage 50 by right-clicking on the icon and selecting Run as Administrator
• Click on Services> Check For Updates> Check Now
• If any results say “Entitled”, check that update(s) and click Download
• Once the download has been completed, close Sage 50, and click Ok on the message: “There is a program update ready to be installed. Please have an administrator log in and install the updates on the machine hosting Sage 50”.
• Open File Explorer (folder icon on the Task Bar) and browse to the Sage updates folder:
• Note: The updates are kept in the same directory as the company databases in a folder named Updates. Typically, this location is C:\Sage\Peachtree\Company\Updates or S:\Sage Data\Updates
• Right-click on the update and click Run as Administrator.
• If a window named “Windows installer co-ordinator” appears and says “Please wait while the application is preparing for the first use,” go ahead and click Cancel.
• Note: This window may appear behind the Sage window, so be sure to move the Sage window around.
• Continue with the installation of the update (if it lasts longer than 10 minutes, cancel the update, launch Sage 50, and check your version to see if it was updated).
• Once it has finished, you can launch Sage 50 and follow the prompts to convert your data as needed.

Solution 4: Assess the security of your connection to ensure it is secure

If you’re executing files across a network and don’t need access to a mapped network drive, or if you have an incorrect mapping, or the connection is lost. Then you troubleshoot the “Company does not open when you click OK at the login prompt” error. To fix it, the process is listed below:

• Ensure that you have access to the assigned drive where your data files are located.
• When you’re running the files over a network and don’t have access to the network drive that was mapped, or you’ve lost connection to the network drives.
• Move data to a new location on your hard drive and add permission options.
• Copy the .SAI file and the .SAJ folder to the root of the C drive and add everyone to the user permission settings.
• Make sure all of the Sage 50 files are closed.
• Open the data file again.
• Note: If you have stored the file on a network location and are experiencing difficulty accessing that specific location or network drive, it is advised to contact IT professionals immediately for assistance.

Solution 5: Restart Actian

When you want to open a company, it says Pervasive needs to restart, and you get an error “Your company did not open when you click OK on the login prompt. You have to restart Actian to fix this. The process is listed below:

• Verify that Sage is turned off on all computers
• On the keyboard, press the Windows+R keys
• Type services.msc
• Press the Enter key
• Right-click on Actian PSQL Workgroup Engine or Pervasive PSQL Workgroup Engine
• Click on Stop
• Once it stops, right-click on Actian PSQL Workgroup Engine or Pervasive PSQL Workgroup Engine, and then click on Start
• Close the Services Window and Open Sage
• Now, confirm that you can log in to your company file

Solution 6: Regenerate DDF files

When your DDF files are damaged or the Company does not open those DDF files, you need to regenerate DDF files to fix “Sage 50 Company does not open when you click OK at the login prompt”. The process is listed below:

• Browse to the directory holding the company file that won’t open
• Browse to the directory containing the company file that will not open
• Delete any files with the *.DDF file extension
• Rename the COSESS.DAT file to OLDCOSESS.DAT
• Open your company to regenerate *.DDF files
• Confirm that you can now log in to your company

Solution 7: Locate the company where the correct data is located

When you try to open a Sage 50 company file, right-clicking on the login prompt does not open the company because the data location is incorrect. Find the correct company data location to open it. The steps to find are listed below:

• Choose Browse from the list of previously opened companies and see the directory next to the name of the company.
• Press Windows Key + R on your keyboard, type %programdata%\sage\peachtree in the run box, and press Enter.
• In the folder that opens, double-click on the Peachtree### file (where ### is the version number).
• DATAPATH = Browse to the line reading (it’s the leftmost line with a semi-colon)
• Ensure you have an ending \ at the end of the data path line
• Confirm that the company directory is inside this data path

Solution 8: Rename the .dat files

When you try to open a company and when you click OK on the login prompt, the company does not open because .dat files are expendable. So, rename them. The process is listed below:

• Browse to the company data folder
• Rename the following files by putting the word old in front:
  • ALARM.DAT
  • ALERT.DAT
  • ATTCHMNT.DAT
  • ATMNTBDL.DAT
  • UserPref.DAT
• Confirm that you can now open the company

Solution 9: Set the icon to run in compatibility mode

When your icon is not running in compatibility mode, and you try to open the company, it doesn’t open on the right-click login prompt. To fix this, set the icon to run in compatibility mode. The steps are below:

• Right-click on the Sage software icon
• Then choose Properties > and then choose the compatibility tab
• Uncheck the box Run this program in compatibility mode for
• In the Privilege Level Section, check the box Run this program as an Administrator
• Select Apply, and then click on OK
• Confirm that you can now open your company

Scenario 3: Sage 50 cannot open company files after installing or upgrading

Sage 50 won’t open the company file after installation or upgrade; it may be due to compatibility problems or corrupted data. Try running the software as an administrator, checking for updates, or restoring a backup. If the problem persists, it is suggested to contact Sage Support for assistance in resolving the issue immediately.

Causes of Sage 50 won’t open the company file after installing or upgrading

• In the new version, the company has never been opened.
• The configuration (INI) file on the workstation has the wrong data path.
• The path is not the same place where the company data is saved.
• The company was mistakenly overwritten with another company.
• Only Remote Desktop (RDP) can be used to access the company’s data.
• Data was lost when switching from Windows XP to Windows 7
• Workstation installed locally without a mapped drive
• Switch from a Single User License to a Multiple User License
• Wrong permissions
• Installation on a new system using a new data path
• Data has not been restored and is on another data path.
• Browse companies in automatic backup mode, instead of using a program

Solutions of Sage 50 do not open the company file after installation or upgrade

Solution 1: In the new version, the company has never been opened

If the company has never been opened in the new version, you need to follow the steps mentioned below.

• The first thing you should do is go to File.
• Select Open Company when you’re on the File Options screen.
• Choose the company in the list.
• Now select OK to start the conversion wizard.
• Then the Sage 50 software has to be closed and reopened.
• Finally, confirm that your company is included in the Sage 50 list after closing and reopening.

Solution 2: The configuration (INI) file on the workstation has the wrong data path

Follow the instructions below if the configuration (INI) file’s data path is incorrect.

• First of all, the shortcut is to press Windows + E.
• Next, find the directory in File Explorer.
• After opening File Explorer, go to INI (Initialization File).
• The Sage 50 US Edition configuration file must now be opened.
• Then scroll down and find the line starting with DATAPATH= to find the data path.
• The next step is to navigate to the location of the configuration (INI) file.
• Now open the PeachtreeXXX.ini file that matches your version of the program.
• Then look for DATAPATH= in the third paragraph’s final line.
• The contents are changed = to reflect the proper data path.
• The next step is to select File and then Save.
• Now it’s time to close the INI file.
• After that, restart Sage 50.
• Select File from the drop-down menu, and then select Open Company.
• Finally, see if your company file is included in the list.

Solution 3: Company data is kept in a different location from the data path

• You can locate your company’s data folder by looking for company.dat in all of the directories where your data might be located.
• Your company name will typically be abbreviated on each duplicate of your company data folder unless it has been manually modified since it was created.
• Put your company on the right data path.
• Now, Restart Sage 50
• Once done, go to the Select File option.
• Then, open the Company from the drop-down menu.
• Finally, see if your company’s file is included in the list.

Solution 4: Map Drive Disconnected

If the mapped drive is disconnected, follow the steps below:

• Map or remap the previously mapped disk to the data destination on the workstation.
• Then press the Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
• Select This PC from the left side now.
• Select a drive letter from the Drive list after that.
• Then, to find the folder or computer, either choose Browse or type its path in the Folder box.
• Finally, select the Finish button.

Solution 5: Incorrect permissions or is locked

• Make sure the Company folder is not locked.
• Make sure that the folder has the original inherited attributes of the shared folder.
• The company should now be visible and open to you.

Solution 6: Backup was restored across the company

In case the backup was restored in a company, you can follow the steps below to restore the backup and check your required company file.

• Find the company’s most recent backup first.
• In case necessary, restore the most recent backup by following the steps below:
  • Choose File first, then Restore to Sage 50.
  • Then select Browse and go to the folder where your backup file (.PTB file) is located.
  • Next, select the Open button.
  • Now choose your preferred method of restoration:
    • Change the current company data or information about an existing company
    • A new company. If you want to restore the backup to a new folder, select this option.
    • If you want to restore the backup to a different folder, choose this option and create a new company. Your current data won’t be overwritten if you do this.
  • Then select the preferred restore choices (often All).
    • Company Data
    • Customized Forms
    • Web Transactions
    • Business intelligence report or intelligence reporting report
  • Click Finish after double-checking your restore options.
  • The company will reopen after the restoration is complete.
• Finally, determine whether your company is included in the list.

Scenario 4: Won’t open the Sage 50 company file on the network

When user try to open company on the server or on another computer, get an error message is “Cannot find location“.

Causes for the Sage 50 Company file cannot open on the Network

• For local networks, the mapping of Windows is not updated
• We are no longer able to connect to our networked drives or our Sage data after installing the most recent Windows update (Windows 10 version 1803).
• The Homegroup function has been removed in the Windows 10 upgrade.
• On local mapping, the actual server IP address is different.

Solutions for Sage 50 won’t open on the network

Step 1: Confirm these first

• Verify that no firewalls or antivirus programs are active on the server, local computer, or computer hosting the data. (For example, Windows Defender, McAfee, Norton, and other “on-access” scanners.)
• Check to see if Sage 50 is installed on every workstation with the same version.
• Make sure the problem is fixed. Continue to Step 2 if the problem doesn’t go away.

Step 2: Find the actual IP address

Note: It should be noted that this procedure works with local area networks (LANs).

• Get the server’s IP address: On the server, select Start, Run, type CMD, then press Enter.
• Type ipconfig, then press Enter to get the server IP address
• From the local computer: Select Start, Run
• Type in \\IPaddress and press Enter
  • Example: \\10.150.20.170
• From the explorer window, open the company on the server
• Note: If it opens without giving you any error messages, you need to change the mapping on your computer locally or make a new drive with the updated location.

Step 3: On the local computer, create or fix the mapping

• Right-click My Computer on the desktop and select Map network drive.
• Select the drive letter
  • example: Z:
• Type \IP address in the Folder field and press Finish. If you see the old drive listed already, correct the IP address
  • Example: \\10.150.20.170
• Open the company using Sage 50 Accounting’s mapped drive.

Step 4: Before returning to the hostname, check the IP address first to ensure that it works

• Go to the \ipaddress and ensure the file opens
• Go back via \hostname and ensure the file opens
• Check that you can restart it and that it now opens using the hostname.

Scenario 5: Sage 50 won’t open the company file.” During or at the end of conversion

If you encounter the error message “Sage 50: Unable to open the company file” during or after the conversion process, there are several potential causes. Check for file corruption, compatibility issues, and ensure you are using the correct version. Contact Sage support for further assistance and troubleshooting steps.

Error message: “Unable to open the company file.” at the end of or during the conversion process

Follow the process to solve the error message “Unable to open the company file” at the end of or during the conversion process.

Solution 1: Verify the file Path Location

• Ensure that all files are located on the local drive while converting to the new version.
• In case the file is located on the network, please make a copy of the file and store it locally.
• After conversion, copy the file back over to the network.
• Confirm that the file path does not exceed 284 characters.

Solution 2: Confirm if the sample company is open or not

• Open the sample company
• Navigate to C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Simply Accounting\20XX\Samdata\>\ Universal> is your version of the program, which can be Pro, Premium, or Enterprise
• Select Universal and click on OK.
• On the main screen, click on View, then make sure there is a checkmark on Choose Company Window At Startup.
• Select Open a sample company from the Welcome menu and click OK.

Solution 3: Verify whether there are duplicate files in the SAJ folder

• Open the .SAJ folder.
• Check for duplicate file names that contain:
  • ibdata1 (Copie de Joe conflict 2012-09-27) ibdata1 (joe’s conflicted copy 2013-01-09)
  • accounts (1).frm, simplygroupmembership (2).frm, tbgtah01-1.frm, or tbgtah01-2.frm;
• Just verify that there are no extra files or folders in the MySQL folder

Solution 4: Find and Restore a Backup

• Discover and restore cabinet (.CAB) backup files locally
• It is advised that you restore to a new one .SAI file and .SAJ folder
• Ensure no conversions already exist in the SAJ folder
  • When a conversion fails, time-stamped text files called conversion log files are generated. These logs provide information about failed conversions and the possibility of only partial conversion of the data file.
  • (i.e., 2017-06-28-16-20-55.txt – this file failed to convert on 2017 June 28 at 4 pm
• Find and restore files before this date

Solution 5: Adjust Anti-Virus and Real-Time Scanners

• In case you have more than one antivirus/security software, uninstall them until you have only one left, and disable it before conversion
• In case your computer is installed with Microsoft Security Essentials (or any other anti-virus), do the following:
  • Disable real-time protection
  • Disable auto protection
  • McAfee requires both real-time scanning and a firewall
• Close the firewall and real-time scanning.
• Disable any auto backup software you may be using on your computer to back up company data files.
• Confirm the Windows Event Viewer log.
  • In case you get a warning message for MySQL related to IPv6
• Right-click the Sage 50 icon and run it as an administrator.
• Start the conversion again.
• After the file conversion is complete, re-enable any security software.

Solution 6: Check your errorlog.txt file

• Navigate to the location of the data file and open the errorlog.txt file. If you see significant blank sections or sections with unusual characters, this indicates file corruption, causing an inability to convert it.
• In case errorlog.txt looks ok, move to the MySQL and simply folder; see something about (the second last edition of XXXX)
  • Sometimes it can go as far as the 3rd edition xxxx.
• By right-clicking on the Sage 50 icon, choose Run as administrator.
• After this, confirm that you can now start the conversion

Solution 7: Verify that the file has no read-only and hidden attributes

• Confirm that the company file (the SAJ folder and the SAI file) has no read-only and hidden attributes.
• Right-click on both (no read-only and hidden) and select Properties.
• Check Read-Only and Hidden.
• Click Apply, then Uncheck Read-Only and Hidden
• Click Apply again.
• Apply the changes to all subfolders in the SAJ folder.

Solution 8: Check the Advanced Database. Check the log

• In the previous version of Sage 50, select Maintenance, then Advanced Database Checking
• Open Windows Explorer.
• Go to C:\Users\<username>\Documents\ My Documents\Simply\DbVerifier\Logs
• Access the most recent numbered log file and scroll down to navigate to the bottom of the file.
• If the conversion log says that ‘simply.tnxtpids’ does not exist, follow solution 3 above.
• Try the conversion once again.

Frequently Asked Questions