QuickBooks throws error -6000, -83 or -6000, -305 when opening a company file. These are file access errors that prevent you from getting into your accounting data. The 6000-series errors all relate to QuickBooks failing to open or lock the company file properly.
The Fix
Copy the company file to your local C: drive and try opening it there:
# Copy company file locally (adjust path to your file)
Copy-Item "\\Server\Share\CompanyFile.qbw" -Destination "C:\QB_Test\"
If it opens locally, the problem is network-related. If it fails locally too, the file itself may be damaged.
Run QuickBooks File Doctor
Download and run QuickBooks Tool Hub from Intuit's website, then:
- Open QuickBooks Tool Hub
- Click "Company File Issues"
- Select "Run QuickBooks File Doctor"
- Browse to your company file
- Select "Check your file" (takes 10-15 minutes)
File Doctor repairs common file corruption and permission issues.
Check Folder Permissions
On the folder containing the company file:
# Check current permissions
icacls "\\Server\Share\QB_Company"
# Grant full access to Users group
icacls "\\Server\Share\QB_Company" /grant "Users:(OI)(CI)F" /T
QuickBooks needs full read/write/delete permissions. Domain users often lack delete rights, which breaks file locking.
Delete Blocking Files
Remove temporary files that can block access:
# In the same folder as your .QBW file, delete these:
Remove-Item ".ND" -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue # Network descriptor
Remove-Item ".TLG" -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue # Transaction log
Remove-Item "*.DSN" -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue # Data source name
These files regenerate automatically when QuickBooks opens the company file.
The 6000-series errors (6000-77, 6000-80, 6000-83, 6000-301, 6000-305) all indicate file locking or access problems. The specific second number hints at the cause, but the troubleshooting steps overlap significantly.
Related Reading
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