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Errors

Application doesn’t open or start

There are instances where UltraTax CS won’t open or start when launched. Sometimes, no error message is displayed after attempting to open UltraTax CS. Many of these issues are due to interference from third-party applications in the workstation or server environment.

Troubleshooting questions

To narrow down the cause that is preventing UltraTax CS from opening, answer the following troubleshooting questions:
Does the application open from another workstation?
If you have a network installation of UltraTax CS and the application doesn't open on 1 workstation, go to a different workstation to see if the application will open.
If the application does open from another workstation, it indicates that there's nothing wrong with the UltraTax CS application itself, but something in the operating environment of the specific workstation that's experiencing the behavior that's preventing UltraTax CS from opening.
If it doesn’t open from any other workstation, it indicates that there may be an issue on the server-level that's preventing UltraTax CS from opening. Possibilities include a bad installation, lack of permissions, and third-party interference.
Can you open the application using a different Windows profile?
If you're troubleshooting a specific workstation where the application won't open, try signing into to the workstation as a different user and then try to open the application.
If the application does open while logged in as a different user, it indicates that there's an issue specific to the original user that's preventing the application from opening.
If you can't open the application while signed on to the workstation as a different user, for example, local administrator or domain administrator, then it indicates that the issue is specific to the workstation environment.
Do you get a specific error message?
Error messages are sometimes helpful as they can explain why UltraTax CS won't open.
Other times, error messages are generic and don’t give enough detail. For example, the errors "UltraTax CS 2014: utw14.exe has stopped responding" and "UltraTax CS has stopped working" are generic errors that only signify that the UltraTax CS application isn't responding but doesn’t explain why.
If you have a specific error message, search the Help and Support Center for the error message to see if there's a specific resolution.
Can you open prior years of UltraTax CS?
If you have prior years of UltraTax CS installed, attempt to open the prior versions of the applications.
If you're able to open a different version of UltraTax CS, it will narrow your troubleshooting to a specific version of the application.
If a different version of UltraTax CS doesn't open, it indicates that something is affecting multiple versions of the application.

Network-wide troubleshooting

If you're able to determine this issue is happening network-wide (on all workstations), review the following items:
Open files
Occasionally an open file stuck on the server may prevent UltraTax CS from opening.
To close open files on the server, follow these steps.
  1. Have every user on the network close out of all CS Professional Suite and Microsoft Office applications. You may have to utilize a task manager to make sure CS Connect Background Services are also no longer running.
  2. On the machine where the data is located, go to the
    Manage Open Files
     screen.
    1. Right-click on the start menu and select
      Computer Management
      . In the
      Computer Management
       window, select
      Shared Folders
       under System Tools then select
      Open Files
      .
    2. For Windows 12, select
      Start
       and in the search field, enter
      compmgmt.msc
      . In the console window, select
      Shared Folders
       under System Tools then select
      Open Files
      .
  3. Find any file that in its name or path references a CS Professional Suite, then select it and close it.
Disable the UltraTax CS homepage
View the homepage overview for instructions on disabling the UltraTax CS homepage. If you're able to open UltraTax CS after disabling the homepage, then the homepage files could be damaged or corrupted and need to be reset. Do the following to reset the homepage files:
  1. Have everyone close out of UltraTax CS.
  2. Go to
    X:\WinCSI\UTYYSys
    , where X represents the drive on which UltraTax CS is installed and YY represents the year of the application.
  3. Delete or rename the following files:
    1. utYYhome.con
    2. UTYYHome.HST
    3. UTYYHome.MHT
  4. Open UltraTax CS and new homepage files will be generated.

User-specific troubleshooting

Through troubleshooting, if you've narrowed down the issue as user-specific, review the following items that may resolve the issue of UltraTax CS not opening.
Run Desktop Setup as administrator
  1. Go to to
    X:\WinCSI\UTyy\Desktop
    , where X represents the drive to which UltraTax CS is installed and yy represents the version of the application, for example, yy = 14 for UltraTax CS 2014
  2. Right-click
    setup.exe
    , then select
    Run as administrator
UltraTax CS user profile
It's possible that the user's UltraTax CS profile is corrupt. Do the following to troubleshoot the UltraTax user profile:
  1. Go to to
    X:\WinCSI\UTyySys
    , where X represents the drive to which UltraTax CS is installed and yy represents the version of the application, for example, yy = 14 for UltraTax CS 2014
  2. Rename the file Rename the file
    _yUSUMSC.[user]
    , where y represents the version of the application and [user] represents the Windows sign in ID. This file is known as the user preference file or user control file.
  3. Try to open the application.
    1. If you're now able to open the application, no further troubleshooting is required.
    2. If you aren't able open the application, you may rename the user preference file back to the original file name and continue troubleshooting.
Clearing the user's temp directory
Do the following to manually clear a user's Temp directory:
  1. Close all applications.
  2. Go to
    Start
    .
  3. In the Search applications and files input, enter
    %temp%
    . Then select the
    Enter
     key on your keyboard. This will open your local Temp directory.
  4. Select all (CTRL + A on your keyboard) the items in the directory, then select the
    Delete
     key on your keyboard. Select
    Yes
     to the
    Delete Multiple Items
     window box.
    1. If you're prompted with the File In Use or Folder In Use window box, mark the
      Do this for all current items
       checkbox then select
      Skip
      .
  5. Try to open the application.
    1. If you're now able to open the application, no further troubleshooting is needed.
    2. If you aren't able to open the application, continue troubleshooting.
Permissions
If you're able to start the UltraTax CS from a workstation while signed in as a local administrator or domain administrator but not as a user, then it indicates that there's a permissions issue for the user.

Workstation and server-specific troubleshooting

PDF viewer
UltraTax CS requires Adobe Reader DC to be the default PDF viewer and can crash or not work as intended without this setting.
Third-party applications
Antivirus applications
Antivirus applications are necessary to protect your workstation or server from environmental viruses, spyware, malware, and other harmful and unknown threats. Thomson Reuters doesn’t recommend running a machine without an antivirus application installed. At the same time, Thomson Reuters doesn’t recommend a specific brand or type of antivirus application. What we do recommend is that the proper exclusions and exceptions are made within your antivirus application to prevent any potential interference with any CS application.
ToolBar applications
Toolbars are a type of malware that comes in the form of a toolbar extension to your Internet browser. ToolBar applications that have been known to cause this error include iLivid Download Manager, iLivid Toolbar, Windows JZip ToolBar, Imesh ToolBar, Windows Search QU ToolBar, Page Rage Bar, Media Bar, Bandoo Toolbar, Search Results Toolbar, and in some instances, Google Desktop and Google Toolbar.
Search protect
Search Protect is a browser hijacker, which we’ve observed will prevent UltraTax CS 2011 and 2012 from launching when installed. If you experience this behavior, check your Control Panel for Search Protect and uninstall it.
Windows components
UltraTax CS requires .NET Framework and Visual C++, 2 Windows operating system components to run the application. If one of the Windows components isn't installed or it's corrupt, it may prevent UltraTax CS from opening.

Uninstalling and reinstalling the application

If you've reached a point in troubleshooting where it's necessary to uninstall and reinstall the application, please make note of the following:
  • If you have a network installation and uninstall UltraTax CS from the Control Panel, it will uninstall UltraTax CS from the network location for all users. This isn't a recommended troubleshooting step if 1 user or more is able to access the application.
  • Uninstalling UltraTax CS doesn’t affect client data or application settings.
  • When reinstalling the application, make sure you're signed in as the administrator or that the installation is run as an administrator.
  • When reinstalling the application, make sure that your antivirus is disabled so it doesn’t interfere with installation.
  • If you reinstall the application and are still experiencing issues, as the next troubleshooting step, you may want to install UltraTax CS to a different location to see if you experience the same or different behavior. For example, point the installation to your local C:\ drive or different network drive and then try to open the application.

Last resort

If you've tried all of the troubleshooting steps earlier and you're still experiencing issues, you'll want to work with your IT Professional to run Windows Process Monitor (ProcMon) tool to diagnose what exactly is causing the issue.

This article applies to:

  • Product: UltraTax CS
  • Return type: 1040 Individual, 1120 Corporation
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