Sage 50 Error: “Your database engine on computer [server] is unavailable”

Sage 50 error  “Your database engine on computer [server] is unavailable” occurs because of network issues or database manager errors. Sage 50 won’t be able to connect with the data file if the Actian service isn’t even operating, which will result in the problem. Additionally, this issue might be brought on by other security systems like Windows Firewall. In rare instances, improper data paths and programme paths in Sage 50 might prevent the database from being reached. It is crucial to use a thorough approach while attempting to resolve this problem so that you can eliminate underlying reasons when investigating the mistake.

In this post, you’ll learn how to fix Sage 50 error connecting to the database.

Error: “Your database engine on computer [server] is unavailable”

Causes of Sage 50 cannot connect to its database error:

• Windows firewall is blocking the connection
• Actian isn’t working
• Damaged WMI file in windows
• Different versions of Sage 50 on server and workstations
• Incorrect network profile

6 solutions for Sage 50 error connecting to the database

Start with the solutions, please. In order to eliminate the root causes of the error, proceed with each remedy in the sequence given. Use an admin account in Windows to repair this problem since many of the tasks in these solutions demand admin capabilities.

Solution #1: Verify the data path

When Sage 50 is launched, an incorrect data route may prohibit it from accessing the data. The Sage 50 issue connecting to the database is the outcome of this. To resolve this issue, you can check to make sure the data is kept in the appropriate data path.

Here are the steps to locate the company file directory:

1. How to find the location of your company file:
   • Choose Maintain from the main menu.
   • Click on company information.
   • Select the Directory option  to expand it so that you can view the full location of your company file.
2. How to locate a remote data access company:
   • From the left panel, choose the Systems option.
   • Click on Company Maintenance.
   • View and note the location of the data file/company file.
3. How to find the location through the new company screen:
   • From the File option, choose Open Company.
     Note: you’ll find all company files listed here.
   • Click on Open an existing company file.
   • View the directory where the company file is stored.
4. How to locate the company file with file explorer:
   • Press Windows + E, to launch the File Explorer.
   • From the top right corner, click on the Search field.
   • Select the option All Files and Folders.
   • Enter COMPANY.DAT  in the search field, and hit enter.
   • In the view option for windows explorer, choose Detail so that all the appropriate details about the files are displayed in corresponding columns.
   • View and note the directory where the company file is saved.

Here are the steps that you can use to find the location of program path in Sage 50:

1. Launch windows File Explorer.
2. Go to the following directory: C:\ProgramData\Sage\Peachtree.
3. Launch the Configuration File by double clicking on it.
4. From the list of programs, choose Notepad as default program to open this file type, then click on Ok.
5. In the notepad, find the DATAPATH= line and note the directory where the company file is saved.
6. In the notepad, find the PROGRAMPATH= and note down the program path of Sage 50.

Solution #2: Change network profile to private

The Sage 50 installer sets up Windows Firewall to allow connections for Sage 50 when you install Sage 50 for the first time. The firewall rules produced by the installer won’t function as planned, though, if you’ve set Sage 50 network to public. As a result, you must configure Sage 50’s network to be private.

Steps to change network profile to fix Sage 50 error connecting to the database:

1. Click on the Start menu icon, and type Control Panel.
2. Choose the Control Panel option.
3. From the listed options, choose Network and Internet Settings.
4. Change the settings from Public to Private.
5. From the Network profile options, click on Private to change network preference. 
6. Choose the settings option, and then click on Test Connectivity to ensure that your network connection works despite changing the network settings.

If you still get the Sage 50 error “Your database engine on computer [server] is unavailable”, then move to the solution provided below.

Solution #3: Create custom rules for Windows Firewall 

To rapidly create exceptions for Sage 50, it is simple to establish customized firewall rules. You don’t get the Sage 50 issue linking to the database when Sage 50 can connect to the company file.

You must have administrator privileges to create custom firewall rules on Windows. Furthermore, in order to follow these instructions, you’ll need to have extensive operating system understanding.

Steps to create firewall rules to fix error “Your database engine on computer [server] is unavailable”:

1. In the Start menu’s search bar, type in Windows Defender Firewall. Then hit enter.
2. Choose the Advanced Settings from the left panel.
3. Click on the Inbound Rules option that is given in the left pane.
4. Move your mouse to the right pane, and Choose New.
5. Select the radio button against Port, then click on Next.
6. Enter the specific Port numbers assigned to your version of Sage 50 accounting software, and then click on Next.
7. From the available options, choose the ratio button against Allow the connection, and then click on Next.
8. Choose Private as the Domain Option, and then choose Next.
9. Enter a descriptive name for the firewall rule, a name such as “Sage 50 accounting inbound.
10. Click on Finish.
    Note: these descriptive names help you to identify the custom rules that you create in the future.
11. Go through the same steps to create an Outbound Rule instead of an inbound rule.

You have made Sage 50 an exception to both the incoming and outgoing rules, enabling it to connect to the corporate file that is kept on a different server.

Solution #4: Reinstall Actian to repair its program files

The database management system used to maintain the data in Sage 50 corporate files is called Actian. Action updates the database and records the necessary modifications each time you complete a job in Sage 50. Sage 50 relies on Actian to interact with the database, thus if Actian files are corrupted, Sage 50 won’t be able to connect to the database.

Steps to uninstall Actian from your server:

1. Either close Sage 50 and all its instances, or restart your server system.
   Note: before closing Sage 50 on the server, you should ask all the other users to log out of the company file; otherwise, the changes that they made to the data will not be saved in the company file.
2. Press Windows + R to open the run too.
3. In the text field, enter AppWiz.cpl. Hit Enter.
4. Choose Actian PSQL v13 Workgroup R2 from the Programs & Features window.
5. From the toolbar above, click on Uninstall.
6. When the installation wizard appears, follow the instructions provided to uninstall Actian completely from your system. 
7. Restart your system after you’ve uninstalled actian from the system.
8. Delete the pvswarch and pvsw folders from C drive.
9. Further, delete the following files from the C drive:
   1. pvsw.log file 
   2. PSQL_v[version number os Sage 50]_Install.log file.
10. Remove the Pervasive Software folders from Program Files and Program Files (x86) folders.
11. Press Windows + R to open the run command again.
12. Input regedit in the text field once again, and hit enter.
13. On the Computer option, hover the mouse and right click. Then choose the Export option to create a backup of windows registry, which can be restored if you accidentally delete an essential windows registry.
14. Browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software and delete the Pervasive Software and PEYX489ZK.
15. Close the Registry Editor.

Steps to reinstall Actian in windows:

1. Press Windows + E and the File Explorer window will appear.
2. Browse to C:\Sage\Sage50_[version]. Or go to the location that you installed Sage 50 in.
3. Go to the PervasiveMin folder and launch the SetupGroup32_x82.exe. Then click on Next.
4. After accepting the license agreement, click on Next.
5. Click on Complete, then on Next.
6. Click on Install, to begin the installation of actian on your system.
7. Click on Finish once the installation completes, then restart your system.

Actian, Sage 50’s main database management system, has been successfully restored. If any Actian files were harmed in the past, they would already have been fixed. So that you may access your company file in Sage 50.

Solution #5: Check for damage to the WMI file

Windows needs WMI files to conduct a number of operations. Various script languages won’t run on Windows if the file is destroyed. One cause of the Sage 50 issue linking to the db might be serious harm to a WMI file.

Steps to check if WMI file is damaged:

1. Press Windows + R to launch the run command.
2. Input eventvwr into the text field, and hit enter.
3. From Windows Logs, Choose the option titled Application.
4. For WMI files, view the references provided on the screen.
5. Get in touch with IT professionals in our team if you find WMI files mentioned in the error logs.

Solution #6 : change preference for internet protocol

You must make IPv4 the primary network protocol on Windows since IPv6 may damage certain of its components. Due to the fact that there are fewer steps involved, changing settings via the registry is simpler.

Steps to change network protocol preference from IPv6 to IPv4:

1. Use an admin account to log into Windows.
2. Press Windows + R to open the run command.
3. Input Regedit in the text field, and hit enter.
4. From the left pane, navigate to HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters.
5. Choose the New Key option to create a new registry key.
6. Fill in the following information required for creating a new key option:
   1. Key: DisabledComponents
   2. Type: REG_DWORD
   3. Value: 0x20

Sage 50 will now use the IPv4 connection protocol to connect to the business file saved on the server because you’ve successfully disabled IPv6 in Windows.

As an alternative, you may look for a data path and programme path in Sage 50 using another business file.

Steps to find program and data paths from Sage 50:

1. Launch Sage 50.
2. Once the program opens, log into a Locally stored Company File.
3. From the File option, click on Open Company.
4. Note down the directory for the data path.
5. Type Sage 50 in the Start menu, and right click on the Sage 50 icon.
6. Choose Properties and note down the program directory.

Note: Examine the program path as well as the data path. Attempt to run Sage 50 after moving the data file to the proper position if they are different. The program route can also be changed, although doing so takes a lengthy time.

If you still receive the  “Your database engine on computer [server] is unavailable” error, then check your internet connection, and ensure that it’s working.

Conclusion

By using the suggestions in this post, I hope you were able to resolve the Sage 50 error “Your database engine on computer [server] is unavailable”. I’ve included a thorough, step-by-step tutorial for investigating and resolving this problem. Ask your system administrator if you don’t already have an admin account, as the majority of these remedies need you to have administrator permissions in Windows.

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