Situation:

When going to Details screen in a client (usually Individual) the following error occurs:

Exception EAB Zip Invalid in Module W??tax.exe @ Address... not a PkZIP File

Solution

If the error is occurring on only one workstation, this is often the result of a corrupted installation of Lacerte.  To resolve this error:

  1. Within Lacerte, go to Settings, then System File Path, and click Change.
  2. Note this path contained here.
  3. Close the program.
  4. Hold the Windows key and press R to open the Run prompt.
  5. Type in the path found in Step 2, and add Setup??taxsetup (where ?? is the two-digit tax year).
    • Example - C:Lacerte15taxSetup15taxsetup
  6. Select OK and proceed with the normal installation.

If the error occurs on multiple clients and/or multiple computers, replace the tables file:

  1. Hit the F10 key while in the program to open the Technical Support Information screen.
  2. Note the System File Path under the System Information tab.
  3. Close the error and the program.
  4. Navigate to the System FIle Path and open the Option?? folder (where ?? is the tax year).
  5. Locate the TABLES.W? file (where ? is the tax year).  Right-click the file and select Rename.
  6. Add -old to the end of the file name (for example: TABLES.W3-old).
  7. Open Lacerte and see if the error persists.

If the tables file is not the culprit, you can typically resolve the error by replacing the entire Options directory, but note that doing so will either revert your options back to Lacerte defaults or revert them back to the prior year settings.  To replace the Options directory:

  1. Navigate to the System File Path found in the previous solution.
  2. Right-click the Option?? folder and select Rename.
  3. Open Lacerte.  If you had the prior year program installed, it will import the settings from that year.  If you did not, it will revert back to program defaults.

A detail file swap may also be required to correct this error. For more information on how to perform a Detail File Swap please see Performing a Detail File Swap in Lacerte Tax