Hi @jzorn,

I appreciate the time and effort you’ve put into trying to fix this issue over the past few days.

The error message, "Sorry, we need to verify your subscription before installing QuickBooks, but we can't connect to our servers," indicates that the license validation servers for older versions. 

Please be aware that older versions, including QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise 15, are discontinued under Intuit’s current policies. As the licensing servers for these versions have been disabled, upgrading to a newer subscription-based version will be necessary to continue using the program without interruptions.

In addition, QuickBooks Desktop versions have changed their licensing model and now primarily operate on a subscription basis. This means even if you have a license number or product key for your older QuickBooks Enterprise 15, Intuit may require subscription validation for activation.

In the meantime, you can use a QuickBooks Desktop trial version to access your data. This will let you continue your work until you decide on your next steps.

If you have questions, don't hesitate to reply.

Thanks for the reply.  Seems a bit unfair after spending a lot of money to buy this in the first place and "owning" it outright.    Is there a way to import the data to a single user verson of standard quickbooks since is a very small 50 member no profit club?  It worked Dec 2024 when I installed it on a new machine.  I guess this is why I dropped quickbooks for my small business 6 years ago when they started charging exorbitant amounts for a very small business. 

@jzorn 

Can you install the trial version of QB Desktop Pro 2015 or later on your Surface Pro? You can purchase a 3rd party service to downgrade your file and run it on old QB Desktop 2015 Pro (or later) with a one time license.

Hi, Jzorn. Thanks for coming back to us. I understand how disruptive installation issues can be when you are trying to keep your organization running smoothly.

As long as you have the backup company file ready, you can restore it to the same installed and registered QBDT 2015 version, or a QBDT 2024 Enterprise trial version for the purposes of accessing your data.

QuickBooks Desktop 2015 was designed for older versions of Windows, so it may not install or function accurately on newer versions (such as Windows 11), as it is a discontinued version. Since you were able to install it on a newer OS before, this can be an environment or permissions issue. I recommend looping in your IT pro to review the machine’s settings, security software, and admin rights.

If you have more details to share, feel free to click on Reply. We’re here to help.

Yes it did work on WIN 11 but now says cannot verify my ownership registration.  Someone earlier told me the old registrations are no longer on servers so I would be forced to upgrade which I will not do for a 50 member non-profit club.  I do have tthe date in a QB file of course.  Can the Enterprise 15 be imported in a stand alone standard Quickbooks one user version?  I assume I can find one on ebay inexpensively and what would be the least costly one that would work with the data file I have?  Thanks

I have reached out to a service company and have asked about it.  Thanks

You should install all trial versions from 2015 to 2021 on your Surface Pro to ensure which version works best before downgrading your file from Enterprise.