What to do if DMS freezes when opening the program

This article explains what to do if Document Management System (DMS) freezes when opening.

Before you start:

This requires modification of the Windows Registry. Serious problems may occur if the registry is modified incorrectly. Intuit strongly recommends having an IT professional make these changes if you are not comfortable with editing the registry. It's also strongly recommended to make a backup of the registry before proceeding. See here for further instruction.

The issue can have several different causes:

1. Make sure you have access to the database DMS is trying to open.
   1. If you don't, first make a backup of the registry.
   2. Press the Windows key and R on your keyboard to open the Run prompt.
   3. Type RegEdit to search for and open RegEdit.
   4. Go to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER folder.
   5. Open the Software folder, then Lacerte\DMS\Program Options\Last Data Location in the registry and delete the database path.
   6. Try using the program again, if the issue continues, continue with the next step.
2. If the DMS database is on a network drive, check permissions and security settings for the users in the database folder:
   1. Go to the DMS database folder by right-clicking on the DMS desktop icon. Or, using the Windows search bar, navigate to the folder.
      • For instance, if the database is at X:\Shared\DMS, go to X:\Shared.
   2. Right-click the folder that contains the database and select Properties.
   3. Go to the Security tab and make sure that all users and user groups listed have Full Control checked in the Allow column.
   4. Try using the program again, if the issue continues, continue with the next step.
3. Delete all DMS temporary files:
   1. Press the Windows key and R on your keyboard to open the Run prompt.
   2. Type %temp% and click OK.
   3. Find the DMSTemp folder.
   4. Right-click this folder and select Delete. Click Yes to confirm.
   5. Try using the program again, if the issue continues, continue with the next step.
4. Reboot the machine in Safe Mode with Networking to rule out third-party software interference.
   • If DMS works in this environment, it means that a third-party program (potentially your antivirus software) is preventing DMS from running.
   • Work with your IT professional to determine what is causing the interference.
   • Try using the program again, if the issue continues, continue with the next step.
5. The error could also be caused by a corrupted installation of DMS, necessitating an uninstall/rename/reinstall of the program. See How to perform a clean install of Document Management System (DMS)