QuickBooks Desktop 2020 update loop

We can repair QuickBooks Desktop, Schnuggs.

You can run the repair tool to help you fix common errors right away.

To start, let's ensure that you have created a backup copy of your company file. Then, you can restart your computer so there will be no programs that may affect or be affected during the repair. Once ready, you can follow these steps on how to repair QuickBooks:

1. Open the Windows Start menu, then select Control Panel.
2. Select Programs and Features then Uninstall a Program.
3. Click QuickBooks from the list of Programs, then Repair. 
4. Select OK to start the repair. 

5. You may have to restart your computer to complete the repair.

After the process, you can update your QuickBooks to the latest release again to make sure you have the most recent fixes and security updates. However, if you're prompted with an error code after the repair, you can use this article to resolve the error you're getting: Fix QuickBooks Desktop install errors.

Keep me posted on how this works. I'm just around the corner to help you with your questions. Take care!

Hey Catherine,

I ran the repair from the "Add/Remove" menu, then started QuickBooks as the user. I was able to run the "Get Updates" function as the user, and then opened as administrator. I saw the "updating QuickBooks" window open and seem to progress through the update. Afterwards, I rebooted and ran QuickBooks as the user again, and was met with the same "Updates are available. Please contact your system administrator to install" message. So, I closed the user session and ran as admin, got the same message "reboot is required", and then QuickBooks closed automatically. Seems that the loop isn't broken yet, and I did not receive any of the errors outlined in the "Fix QuickBooks Desktop install errors" KB. Any other ideas? During my troubleshooting, I ran across a lot of QuickBooks videos that show an "Install Now" button when the software is run as administrator, but I can't seem to get that button to surface.

Open Task Manager, halt ALL running QB applications including database manager(s), Perform a cold reboot (COmpletely shut down, not just restart)  Then try the repair tool again. I believe this is how I had to fix this issue.

Also take a peek at your .ND and .TLD files as they become bloated over time.  It is never a bad thing to occasionally rename these as OLD as they will be recreated when you log in again.

I would presume you know that all users must exit the application and that you have to change to single user in order to update since this is not your first go around

Ok, here's what I did:

• Confirmed QuickBooks is in Single User mode
• Halted all QB applications via task manager
• Renamed the .TLG file .TLG.OLD
• Cold rebooted
• Reran the tools:
  • QuickBooks Install Diagnostic Tool
  • QuickBooks Program Diagnostic Tool
  • Repaired via Add/Remove menu
• Opened QuickBooks as admin, received the message "Reboot required"
• Opened QuickBooks as user, received the message "There's a new QuickBooks software update waiting for you. Looks like you don't have the required permissions. Contact your system administrator."

Doesn't look like the suggestions worked. Any other ideas?

I appreciate all the steps you've performed on how to isolate the error, Schnuggs.

Looks like the issue persists even after doing all the steps we've suggested. Let me direct you to our Phone Support Team who can do a remote session with you so they can investigate the root cause of the issue. 

Here's how to contact us: 

1. Click Help from the menu and click QuickBooks Desktop Help.
2. Select Contact Us.
3. Enter a brief description of your concern and click Let's talk.
4. Select the best or convenient way you'll want to get in touch with us. 

For more details about our support hours and types, and other ways to reach out to us aside from contacting us within the system, you can click here. 

Always know we're are to help you if you have any other questions. Have a good one!

Here's what I did.

Logged out of user from Windows 10

Logged in as admin on Windows 10 using the admin account that I used to do the update.

Started Quickbooks and finished doing the updates.

It appears that Quickbooks upgrade added a Quickbooks process to the startup as the Admin account, which it can't start using the user's Windows profile.

Logged in as the admin profile started the process enough to get the upgrade moving.

This appears to be some sort of process bug with upgrading using an Admin account when the user doesn't have permissions.

The other suggestions didn't work for me, the repair was not an option, only uninstall. I tried the QuickBooksToolHub, it ran a bunch of updates and still didn't fix it. Then I looked at the C:\Program Files (x86)\Intuit\QuickBooks 2021 and found the QBUpdateUtility, ran it and it fixed the problem by updating QB to the latest version.

Hi there, @PlamenHristov. 

I'm happy to see that QuickBooks Update Utility resolved your issue. Thank you for sharing what worked for you, so that our other users can see and try that suggestion too. 

Please feel free to reach out to the QuickBooks Community at any time. Have a wonderful day! 

None of the solutions posted worked, and even uninstalling and reinstalling I continue to get the same message.   

Thanks for joining this thread, @sandy. I want to ensure you'll be able to get rid of the error so you can get back to working order.

I appreciate you sharing information about the outcome of the steps you've performed. Since you still experience the same thing, I recommend running your QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) program in administrator mode. Here's how:

1. Close your QBDT account.
2. Then, look for the QBDT icon and right-click.
3. Next, choose Run as administrator.

Once opened, update your QBDT to the latest release so the system will allow the recent component of the program. If the same thing happens, the security set up on your firewall's settings might be set to high and set restriction that cause the issue. To fix this, let's configure the firewall set up.

Please don't hesitate to leave a reply below if you have any other concerns managing your QuickBooks account. I'm always here ready to lend a hand. Have a good one and stay safe. 

Three years later this still exists on QB 2022. Non admin users of a company cannot update their QB because of this loop. Even after IT team runs the program as admin to fix the issue. How do they not know how to fix this? 

@DivinaMercy_N 

Great, just great answer.

The entire thread is about 'we' can't open QB

Yet your solution is  Once opened, update your QBDT to the latest release 

How, exactly, are we supposed to do an update when we can't get the friggin' program to open ??????????.

It's August 2023, and no solution to this issue.