QuickBooks Point of Sale installation, as with the installation of other versions of QuickBooks Desktop, encounters errors, some of which clearly state the reason for the failure and even suggest a solution. In contrast, some errors like QuickBooks Fatal Error could frustrate a user. This happens as only a little information is displayed to the user once he or she encounters the fatal error. There are a few reasons responsible for triggering fatal errors while installing QuickBooks POS, and once the exact cause is known, the error can be resolved quickly. After profoundly analyzing the error, in this article, we have listed all the possible solutions and the reasons so that you can quickly figure out the cause. Follow the complete article for detailed information.
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What does QuickBooks Fatal Error mean?

QB Desktop Fatal Error
Popularly known as the Unrecoverable Error, the QuickBooks Fatal Error arises in many situations. These can be accessing or editing your company file, restoring the backup data file, making changes in your banking information, opening or closing QB, etc. Experts suggest that since the occurrence of this error is not fixed, the most evident reason behind the same is a glitch in the QB backend coding. Users might notice a warning text alongside this error that displays, “QuickBooks has encountered a problem and needs to close.”
What Causes the QB Desktop Fatal Error?
To find out the best ways to troubleshoot QuickBooks Fatal Error, we first need to understand the factors that trigger the same. Following are the common reasons that cause QuickBooks Point of Sale installation to display fatal error.
- Damage in the installation file for QuickBooks Point of Sale.
- If the Windows Installer is corrupted, then also the fatal error can occur in QuickBooks.
- Working on an old or outdated version of QuickBooks or the Windows operating system.
- Incorrect configuration in your computer device.
If you are also facing issues installing other applications on Windows, then it indicates that the fatal error is appearing because of a corrupt or damaged Windows installer file, and you will need to update the installer for a fix.
Solutions to Fatal Error while Installing QuickBooks
Here are the priority solutions you must try to fix the fatal error in QB:
Solution 1: Update QB Desktop Point of Sale using External Patch
When you avail of an external patch and update QuickBooks Desktop Point of Sale using this, you can help fix the fatal error:

Update QB Desktop Point of Sale
- Follow the link and download the latest patch to update QuickBooks POS.
- Press Ctrl + Alt + Del key together and select Task Manager.
- Under the Process tab, locate QBPOSShell.exe, QBPOSDBService.exe, and qbpos.exe processes.
- Right-click each process and select End Task.
- Select Yes for the confirmation.
- Once you close all the processes, press Windows + R and type services.msc in the Run window’s text box.
- Hit OK and scroll down in the services list to find the QBPOS Database Manager service.
- Right-click the service and select Stop.
- Now navigate to C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks Point of Sale XX\UPDATE and press Ctrl + A to select all the files in the folder. (If you find the folder is empty, then make sure to display hidden files in Windows.)
- After selecting all the files, press Delete and hit Yes.
- Try installing POS once again, and if the problem persists, follow the next troubleshooting step to get rid of the QuickBooks installation fatal error.
Solution 2: Repair Windows Installer File
Since a damaged Windows installer file causes the fatal error in QB, repair it as follows:

Repair Windows Installer File
- Press Windows + R and type services.msc.
- Hit OK and find Windows Installer in the list of services.
- Right-click the service and select Properties.
- Under the Startup Type drop-down list, choose Manual and press OK.
- Now right-click the service, and from the left side panel, select Start.
- Follow the Windows Installer Update link and download the latest installer file.
- Install the file from the downloads and restart Windows.
- Try installing QuickBooks POS once again and check the status of the Fatal Error in QuickBooks.
Solution 3: Perform a Clean Installation of QuickBooks POS
When nothing else works, attempt the clean installation of QuickBooks POS to resolve the fatal error in QuickBooks:

Installation of QuickBooks POS
- Uninstall QuickBooks POS from the Add or Remove Programs under the Control Panel.
- Download the updated POS installation file from the link.
- Double-click the installation file from the downloads to begin the installation.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
- Open QuickBooks POS after the installation.
Hopefully, the solutions mentioned above will help you get rid of the QuickBooks Point of Sale installation fatal error. In case the solutions didn’t help, and you are still struggling to get rid of the QuickBooks Fatal Error, get in touch with one of our POS experts at our POS Support Number +1- 855 738 2784 for assistance.
FAQs
Why am I getting a fatal error in QuickBooks Desktop?
The various reasons behind a QuickBooks Desktop fatal error include:
- A damaged Windows installer file
- A corrupt QuickBooks Desktop Point of Sale installation file
- Missing QB or Windows update
- Damaged data due to sudden shutdowns or other causes
- Problems with your computer
- Problematic program code that needs repairing
- Network fluctuations while you download or install the QuickBooks application
Understanding these triggers becomes quite critical when you wish to avoid the QuickBooks Desktop Point of Sale fatal error.
When does the fatal error in QuickBooks Desktop emerge?
QuickBooks users might experience the fatal error, also known as the unrecoverable error in the following situations:
- When you attempt to install a program update for QB Desktop Point of Sale
- When opening your QB Desktop
- While working on QB Desktop
- When launching the QB Desktop file on a workstation
- When printing, emailing, or saving a file as PDF on QB Desktop
- When the Rebuild utility runs
- While performing bank reconciliation or digging into such reports
How do I get rid of the QuickBooks Desktop fatal error?
The fatal error in QuickBooks Desktop will go away when you attempt the following solutions:
- Download an external patch for QuickBooks Desktop Point of Sale update
- Terminate QB Desktop Point of Sale services and processes in the Task Manager
- Pause the QBPOS Database Manager service from the Windows services list.
- Remove the update folder contents.
- Clean Install QuickBooks Desktop
- Launch QB with all windows closed
- Change your QB user and then access the app
- Open a sample company file and move its location
My QBW file is damaged and causing a fatal error. How do I repair it?
If you want to repair a damaged company file possibly causing a fatal error in QB, try the following solutions:
- Use Verify And Rebuild Data: Verify and Rebuild Data utilities are built-in tools in the QuickBooks file menu. They specialize in fixing problems with corrupt QuickBooks company files. The path to access it goes File >> Utilities >> Verify Data (to detect problems) and Rebuild Data (to fix them).
- QuickBooks File Doctor Tool: Another excellent tool in the QB Tool Hub package is the QB File Doctor Tool. Find it in the Company File issues tab and run it straight away.
How do I ensure the fatal error won’t return to my QB Desktop?
To prevent QuickBooks Fatal Errors, follow these steps:
- Create regular backups of your QuickBooks data to prevent data corruption.
- Don’t forget to employ the latest version of QuickBooks with all updates installed.
- Use a computer that satisfies the QuickBooks’ system requirements to prevent performance issues.
- Install reputable antivirus and anti-malware software to protect against potential threats.
- Maintain a stable and secure network connection to prevent data transmission errors.
- Consult with a QuickBooks expert for proper setup and maintenance guidance.

