Error -41 when trying to create a .pdf file

Legacy KB ID: 3886

Question

When I try to create a PDF file, why does it fail with the error:  ‘Activation error -41’?  It happens when emailing forms or reports, saving accountant’s changes as pdf and reconciling bank accounts. 

Answer

This error usually means that an older version of the QuickBooks PDF Converter is being used with a newer version or release of QuickBooks and the activation codes do not match.


(Many times, this error occurs just after reinstalling the QuickBooks PDF Converter and will only display once before working properly.)

 

Solution

Start with Step 1 and continue with subsequent steps until the issue is resolved. 

Note:  The QuickBooks PDF converter will appear with different names for different QuickBooks versions:

1.    Reckon Accounts Business 2013:  Quickbooks V4 PDF Converter;

2.    QuickBooks 2010/11 and later:  QuickBooks v303 PDF Converter;

3.    QuickBooks 2007/08 to 2009/10:  QuickBooks PDF Converter;

4.    QuickBooks 2006/07 and earlier: Intuit Internal Printer.

 

Step 1: Verify the QuickBooks PDF Converter Version


Windows 7 or Vista

1.    Sign in to Windows as a user with Administrator rights.

2.    Windows Start > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > View devices and printers (in Vista: Printer).

3.    Right click on the QuickBooks PDF Converter and choose Printer Properties (in Vista choose Properties).

4.    Click the Advanced tab.

5.    Click the Driver drop-down arrow and select the driver that corresponds to your QuickBooks PDF Converter:

o    QuickBooks PDF Converter: Amyuni Document Converter 300

o    QuickBooks PDF Converter 2.0 or 3.0: Amyuni Document Converter 400

6.    Click OK.

 

Windows XP

1.    Sign in to Windows as a user with Administrator rights.

2.    Windows Start > Control Panel > Printers and Faxes.

3.    Right click on the QuickBooks PDF Converter and choose Properties.

4.    Click the Advanced tab.

5.    Click the Driver drop-down arrow and select the driver that corresponds to your QuickBooks PDF Converter:

o    QuickBooks PDF Converter: Amyuni Document Converter 300

o    QuickBooks PDF Converter 2.0 or 3.0: Amyuni Document Converter 400

6.    Click OK.

 

Open Quickbooks and print a report as PDF.

 

If the problem persists, continue with:

Step 2:  Reset the Windows default printer settings

1.    Start > type regedit in the Search field and select regedit.exe from the list;

2.    Backup the Registry by

    1. Windows 7 & Vista: Start button > type regedit into the search box > Enter;
    2.  Windows XP: Start button > Run > type regedt32 > Enter;

 If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

    1. On the top menu line, click on File >Export
    2. Select a location to save the file and in the File Name box enter a name;
    3. In the Export Range section, click on All;
    4. Click Save.

3.    Go to HKey_Current_User\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\ (if the Windows key doesn't exist, create a new key).

4.    Export this key to the desktop (for safety reasons)

5.    Then check for the Device string value (create it if it is not there)

Also you may have to give the user account full control over the Device key to make this change

6.    Give it the value: winspool,Ne00 (if there is anything else there, change it to this value.)

7.    Press OK to save that value.  Close the Registry.

8.    In Devices & Printers you will now notice there is no default printer set.  Set your preferred printer as the default printer.

9.    Open QuickBooks and email an invoice.  The printer window will no longer come up (if it does or if you get a different error like error -41 go back follow KB ID 4546 again).

 

If the problem persists, continue with:

Step 3: Reinstall the QuickBooks PDF Converter


Windows 7 or Vista

1.  Sign in to Windows as a user with Administrator rights.

2.  Windows Start > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > View devices and printers (in Vista: Printer).

3.    Right click on the QuickBooks PDF Converter and choose Remove Device (in Vista click Delete).

4.    Repair QuickBooks

5.    Open QuickBooks and try to create a .pdf file.

 

Windows XP

1.    Sign in to Windows as a user with Administrator rights.

2.    Double-click the Printers and Faxes icon.

3.    Right click on the QuickBooks PDF Converter and choose Delete.

4.    Repair QuickBooks

5.    Open QuickBooks and try to create a .pdf file.

If the error persists, continue with:

Step 4:  Manually install QuickBooks PDF Converter as a printer.

Follow the steps above to uninstall the QuickBooks PDF Converter.

Click HERE for kb1154 Installing the "QuickBooks PDF Converter" or "Intuit Internal Printer" driver file for directions to manually install the QuickBooks PDF Converter.

 

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