Received an error code 111 while trying to backup the company file

Good morning, @Erica-Bloom. 

Thanks for reaching out to us here in the Community. 

It seems as if you have your verify turned on to run before each backup. This checks the company file for data damage, so you feel comfort that you have a clean back up in case you needed to restore that back up in the future. 

Additionally, if the verify catches an error message, you'll want to rebuild the company file. A rebuild is there to go in and resolve the errors that are found by the verify utility. I've included the steps below to run a rebuild. 

1. Open the File menu. 

2. Choose Utilities then Rebuild Data. 

3. Select OK to confirm you want to close all open windows. 

4. Create a local back up as usual (The Rebuild will automatically run this before rebuilding the data).

For more details about rebuild and verifies, check out Verify and Rebuild Data in QuickBooks Desktop. 

Please let me know if you have further questions or concerns. I'll be here to help you every step of the way. You can always reach out to the Community or me anytime you need a helping hand in getting back to business. Take care! 

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Sorry for the late reply. 

I have done the steps you mentioned, but it has not cleared the error message. Is there a way to clear this message so I don't have to re-build every time I back up the file?

Hello there, @EricaR.

 Error code 111 mostly occurs in the application system due to file damage. The file must be repaired by either restoration or by replacing it with an earlier saved backup copy of the stored data.

Since you’ve already performed the given steps by my colleague and still get the same error, I recommend contacting our data recovery support team. They have the proper tools to identify the cause of this issue.

 Here’s how:

1. Login to your QuickBooks Desktop. 
2. Go to the Help tab.
3. Select QuickBooks Desktop Help.
4. In the Have a Question window, click the Contact Us link.
5. Then, select any topics.
6. Under Here's how to connect with a QuickBooks expert section, click the Get Phone Number button.

I’ve added screenshots for visual reference.

You can also use this link as a reference to look for an article if you’re having other issues with QuickBooks Desktop: Help article. 

Please know that you can always leave your comment below if you have any other questions. Have a nice day!

@EricaR 

How big is your file size?

Have you considered a 3rd party service provider to fix the issue? A lot of them have an express service which could have you sorted within 24 hours. Let me know if you would like a recommendation.

very large file size.

@EricaR 

If you are using QBD Pro/Premier and your file size is larger than 150-200 MB, try to condense it (and you may split the file). 

We have this problem. I contacted Quickbooks technician who had me run the rebuild. That caused 1711 errors dating as far back as 2005. Does anyone know how to fix this. I have 1267 unpaid bills which have been paid 689 missing checks that were originally entered. This items have to be in quickbooks somewhere. Does anyone know how to fix this issue?

Thank you for bringing your concern to the Community, lpsuds.

I understand how essential it is for your company to keep accurate financial records. This ensures that you can complete your year-end tasks quickly, especially when it comes to submitting taxes and forms.

We'll have to run the QuickBooks Doctor File (QBDF) to resolve the error. It's a built-in tool that's used to troubleshoot network issues, connection errors, Windows issues, data corruption, diagnostic errors, update errors, and so on.

Here's how to launch the utility:

1. Be sure to close your QuickBooks.
2. Download the most recent version of the QuickBooks Tool Hub (1.5.0.0).
3. Save the file where you can easily find it.
4. Next, open the file you downloaded (QuickBooksToolHub.exe) and follow the on-screen steps to install it.
5. Once done, double-click the icon on your Windows desktop to open the tool.
6. From there, go to the Company File Issues menu on the left panel.
7. Choose Run QuickBooks File Doctor. This step might take some time, and you might have to wait for some time.
8. In QuickBooks File Doctor, select your company file from the drop-down menu. In case you are unable to see the file, then it can browse and look for the file.
9. Select Check your file (middle option only) and  Continue.
10. Enter your QuickBooks admin password and click Next. 

When the scan is complete, you must open QuickBooks and the company file. If you continue to get the same result, I recommend contacting our Technical Support Team for more in-depth troubleshooting steps. They can also help you find the missing checks.

You can find more information about the tool in this article: QuickBooks File Doctor. It goes into detail about when to choose to Repair the file for your existing version of QuickBooks or Open the file in a newer version of QuickBooks.

For future reference, feel free to bookmark the Community page in your browser. It includes resources to help your business thrive and articles to guide you on how to manage your accounting tasks smoothly.

Reach out to me again if you need further assistance while working in QuickBooks. I'm always willing to lend a helping hand, lpsuds.

@lpsuds 

Consider to run the Condense Data utility to remove old data.

If we condense the qiuckbooks file, will we lose the old data along with the error that was created in 2005?

We have done that and it made the problem worse.