Solution: Quit all applications, exit Windows, re-boot the computer and re-start BSA. Such errors are, unfortunately, quite common in the Windows operating system. They result from an application being unable to safely access its protected memory area. They are not necessarily caused directly by the application that is running when the error occurs. In other words, BSA/CC did not necessarily cause the error. The only sure solution is to re-boot the computer to
clear the memory area. If the error keeps happening, it is likely you have a hardware memory error or a corrupt database. See the next question for more on corruption.
Solution: Your database is probably corrupt. Quit all applications, exit Windows, re-boot the computer and re-start BSA. If the error continues, your database is corrupt.
First try to Repair the database using the built in Repair feature. This requires that you read the Help file first so you can get the Repair code. After you run the Repair, BE SURE TO IMMEDIATELY PERFORM A HOUSECLEANING by selecting that function from the Utilities.
If that does not solve the problem, you'll need re-store from a recent back up. From Home Menu, select BACKUP (or 'Utilities' and then 'Backup' in BSA Pro) and then Retrieve. Then, Replace all Data | Retrieve from the A (or B) floppy drive. After the retrieval, you will need to check to be certain the program acts properly and re-enter any data that was entered after the back up was made.
If the problem continues, your back up was also corrupt. Continue going back through your back up disks until you restore from one that is not corrupt.
Database corruption can occur from a number of sources. Most of the causes relate to mixing databases from different machines and from power fluctuations and faulty hardware. Once corrupt, a database application such as BSA can act unpredictably. In some cases, BSA can automatically detect the corruption and repair it. Often, however, the ONLY solution is to restore your database from an uncorrupted back up file. That is why it is so important to make frequent back ups on new floppies.
If you are using a very old version of BSA that doesn't have the Repair Database feature built in, we offer a free utility in our download area that you can use to attempt to repair your database. If you have no back up disks or all your back ups are also corrupt, you can try this utility as a last resort to repair your database.
CLICK HERE to go to the FREE download area.
Finally, we offer a Data Recovery service that specializes in recovering data from corrupt databases. seaBILL customers who wish to use this service can have their corrupt database analyzed and repaired for a flat fee $200 which is 1/3 off the normal minimum cost for this service. If the database is not corrupt or cannot be repaired there will be no charge. If you suspect your database is corrupt and you wish to use this service, please visit the
seaBILL Secure Upgrade Store and order the Data Recovery service. When your order is received, you will receive detailed instructions for transmitting your database to seaBILL via email. It will then be forwarded to a Data Recovery specialist for analysis. If the database can be repaired and the data recovered, your database will be returned to you electronically and only then will the charge be processed. The analysis and recovery process normally takes 3-5 business days. If a longer time is needed, you will be notified.
Solution: Windows thinks there is another copy of BSA running. This may not be true but since Windows thinks it is, you have no choice but to follow the instructions in the error message: Quit all applications and re-boot your computer. Another possibility is that your BSA.MDB file is missing. This can occur if you accidentally delete it or if you have a corrupt database. See the answer to number P2 above or P4 below for more info.
Solution: This error can occur when your hard drive is defective and cannot be read from in the normal manner or when the database is so badly corrupted, it is not even recognizable as a database. In this case, you effectively have lost your database file and you can either reinstall the program or recreate the file using the technique described next. (In either case, you'll need a new password if you're using BSA Pro version 4.3 or greater. Please read the Note below.) If your hard drive is damaged, you can expect further problems from your computer so be on the lookout for this.
If the error message is that the BSA.MDB file is missing, confirm the file is missing by searching for that file.
In Win95 or greater use START | FIND | FILES OR FOLDERS, type BSA.MDB in the 'Named' box and select FIND NOW. If the file is missing, you can copy your BSAEMPTY.MDB file as BSA.MDB, restart BSA and restore from a back up.
If the file is not missing, re-name it as BSAOld.MDB in case you want to try to salvage data from it later.
In either case, make a copy of the BSAEMPTY.MDB file by locating it in Explorer, right clicking on it and selecting COPY from the pop up menu. Then, right Click in the right side of Explorer in a blank area and select PASTE from the pop
up menu. This will make a copy of your BSAEMPTY.MDB file. Then, right click on the Copy of BSAEMPTY.MDB and select RENAME from the pop up menu. Finally, type BSA.MDB as the file name for the copy of BSAEMPTY.MDB and save it by pressing Enter. Then, you can start the program, go to Home Menu as soon as possible (there's no need to re-enter your firm
and biller information) and perform an ALL DATA RESTORE from your most recent uncorrupted back up.
Note: Do NOT use a selective restore in this scenario since it can cause a loss of the referential integrity in the database since you will be effectively 'merging' two, dissimilar databases.
Also, if you are using BSA Pro v4.3 or greater, you will require a new password. Please read question P7 below.
Solution: Unfortunately, the QuickBooks installation routine improperly overwrites certain newer DLL files used by BSA with older ones used by QuickBooks. Simply re-install BSA/CC and the newer files will be restored.
Solution: The operating system (Windows 95/98, Windows NT, etc.) generates this message when there is insufficient system memory to perform the operation in question. This is not a message generated by BSA or Conflict Checker.
This can occur from time to time if you haven't re-booted your computer in a long time or if you have several programs open at once, etc. The simplest answer is to acknowledge the message, close all applications, exit the operating system, power down the computer (cold boot) and re-start the operating system and the program. If this occurs frequently, you probably have a hardware problem related to memory. This should be diagnosed and resolved by a competent hardware technician.
Solution: The password won't work the second time. Installing multiple copies of the programs not only violates the seaBILL Limited Use License Agreement but also vastly increases the chances of corrupting your database. Thus, you should not attempt to run multiple copies of our programs simultaneously.
We now have an automated password reissuance feature for registered users.
Click Here to Login to the seaBILL Members Only portion of this web site and get a new
replacement password
Microsoft has instituted a similar password protection policy. To read more about it,
click here.
For help moving the program to a new computer Click Here.
Solution: This message does not appear in licensed copies of BSA or Conflict Checker unless you have made a change in your
computer, have mixed databases from different machines or some other change such as an upgrade has occurred. This message normally
appears when you try to run BSA on a machine that has not been licensed to run it or when you mix databases from different licensed
machines or when you have changed the basic configuration of a machine upon which BSA or Conflict Checker was installed and licensed.
This message will also appear if you manually move a copy of the database file from one installation of the program to another.
To avoid this problem, you must use the built in Retrieve feature in the program. If this is the case, then you should uninstall the program,
reinstall it and request a new password. Then, retrieve your old data from within the program using the built in feature. DO NOT copy the
old database file into the new program folder or you will get this error message again.
If you did not copy the database file in manually and you are a registered user of BSA or Conflict Checker and are not
attempting to violate the license agreement (which allows only one copy of the program to
be installed on one computer), you will need
to use the Support Form to request support. If your free support period has expired, you will need to purchase additional email support
on the upgrade store. Click Here to go to the Upgrade Store.
Solution: This problem is usually caused by an out of date printer driver that is sending infinite page break commands. You should visit the printer manufacturer's web site and download and install the latest printer driver.
Even though the printer may be acting fine in other programs such as Word or WordPerfect, it is still most likely an obsolete printer driver. These other programs are much less demanding in their print routines and do not tax the driver's abilities nearly as much as BSA can in a print job.
Also, if the report you are trying to print has an option to 'Page Break after Matters' or 'Skip zero bal Matters' or something similar, select that option to see if that helps. Sometimes, forcing a page break early solves the problem since the printer driver does not get a chance to send its own page break commands.
Also, try using Selected Matters for the report rather than All Matters. This may cause the print job to be small enough to complete.
Also, if you have another printer driver installed, make it the default printer and test it to see if it works in Print Preview mode (you don't have to have the printer connected).
Even if you don't have another printer installed, you can install one of the many pre-loaded printer drivers in Windows by simply selecting the option to Add a New Printer from Control Panel and selecting one of the more popular printers. After you install the driver, make it the default printer and try a 'Print Preview' in BSA of the report. If it works, you know the actual printer driver is causing the problem and you should download a new one for your actual printer from the printer manufacturer's web site.
Finally, you can try another printer if possible.
Solution: If your back up media (usually a floppy disk) contains a valid BSA back up file, you will not get this error. So, the problem is either that the disk does not contain a BSA back up file or the file it contains is not valid (something's wrong with the file).
You can check the contents of the disk using Windows Explorer to see if it contains a BSA back up file name. The default back up file name is BSABAKUP.ZIP. If you changed the name of the back up file, then it will be named what ever you changed it to.
If the disk contains a BSA back up file name and you can't retrieve from it, then the back up file is bad. You can confirm this by trying to Unzip the file in some program other than BSA. BSA uses a standard compression algorithm when it makes a back up in order to save space. The compression algorithm is a version of PKZIP technology that is commonly supported by virtually all freely available compression software tools. So, you can try to unzip the file in something other than BSA (WinZip for example). If you can't do this, then something is wrong with the file. If you can do this in some other program, then BSA will be able to open it and retrieve from it as well.
Solution: Your operating system (usually XP or Windows 2000) was not completely and fully installed when the computer was first set up. As a result, certain required DLL or other similar 'helper' files are missing or obsolete which causes the NTVDM to fail. The simplest solution is to re-install the operating system. Here's a link to a Microsoft Knowledge Base article that, though inartfully entitled, discusses the concept and offers suggestions: Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 165214
Solution: The error message indicates your Windows operating system files have been corrupted, possibly by a virus. The autoexec.nt file has been damaged. While we do not support Windows, it's possible the following will help: Go to C:\windows\repair (or wherever your windows folder is located). Look for the autoexec.nt file and copy and paste it back into the windows\system32 folder. You can also contact Microsoft for help. Here's a link to a free Microsoft Knowledge Base article that explains in much more detail: Microsoft Help
Solution:
Look at how dates are displayed in the program. They should show as
month/day/year as in 10/15/1999 (October 15, 1999). If they don't show that way, you probably have your Regional Settings/Short Date style set to something other than English US.
Our programs are written in the US and are designed for use primarily in the US. To change your Regional Settings, from your Desktop in Windows 95/98/2000/XP/NT, select START | SETTINGS | CONTROL PANEL, then select REGIONAL SETTINGS and make certain you are set to English(United States). Then select the DATE tab and check your Short Date style. It should be mm/dd/yyyy (for month/day/year) and the Date Separator should be a forward slash (/). After setting these options, select APPLY and then OK to close the small window. Then, you may have to re start your computer for the changes to take effect.
