Fix Sage 50 Error Connecting to Database

The error message may appear in different forms, depending on the version of Sage 50 being used and the underlying cause of the issue. Some common error messages include “Sage 50 cannot connect to your database,“ “Sage 50 has encountered a problem and needs to close,” and “Error: “Your connection to the database has been lost”.
User Navigation
- What is the Sage 50 Error Connecting to Database issue?
- What Causes the “Sage 50 Error Connecting to Database” error message?
- How to Resolve the Sage 50 Error Connecting to Database?
- 🔔 Frequently Asked Questions
- How many computers can I install Sage 50 on?
- Can I install Sage Instant Accounts on two of my computers?
- How do I reset my Sage 50 Account?
- What are the causes of the “Sage 50 Could Not Start the Database Engine” error?
- To fix the ‘Sage 50 Error Connecting to Database’ issue, I am asked to check if the Data File Attributes of the .SAJ folder is Set to’ Read Only’. How to check this?
- My Sage 50 database is accessed remotely. I am getting the “Sage 50 Database not Active “error message while trying to access my database. How to resolve this?
- What is the Sage Database Synchronization Utility?
Because of its enhanced features and user-friendly navigation, Sage 50 is extremely popular among the business community across the world. It is also preferred widely by small and medium businesses and accounting professionals as with the help of it, they can streamline their accounting activities more efficiently. However, we should not forget one thing that like every other software, Sage 50 is also not fully free of bugs and errors.
Many users have intimated to us that they have faced the ‘Sage 50 Error Connecting to Database’ error message frequently of late. If you are also troubled by this issue, you are in the right place. In this blog, we are suggesting some easy solutions to this common issue. Just go through this blog, carry out the steps shown here and do away with this issue, for good!
Here we go!
What is the Sage 50 Error Connecting to Database issue?

The Sage 50 Error Connecting to Database issue is experienced by the users usually while trying to open a company file or a sample company. The error can vary and may include problems with the database server, network connection issues, incorrect login credentials, or corrupted files. When this error occurs, it can disrupt business operations and cause frustration for users who rely on the software to manage their finances.
Read More-: Sage 50 Cannot find the Connection Manager when opening the company file
What Causes the “Sage 50 Error Connecting to Database” error message?
Many functional and technical issues often lead to the occurrence of this issue. Some of these are mentioned below-
- The folder Sage 50 is connecting to is attached with a Read-Only attribute.
- The .SAI and .SAJ folder missing/corrupt
- The connection manager is blocked by the Firewall installed on your system.
- The Log Service of the Windows Event is disabled.
- An issue in the .NET framework.
- The Connection Manager is either not installed or has not been started on the server
- The UNC address is being used.
- The shared location used by the server has a permission issue.
- The anti-virus installed on your system may have detected the Connection Manager as a potential threat and may have redirected it to the quarantine.
How to Resolve the Sage 50 Error Connecting to Database?
Here, we are going to discuss multiple methods to resolve this issue –
Method 1-Restart the Sage 50 connection manager
Please follow the steps below –
- Log in to your computer as an Admin
- Go to Control Panel
- Click on Administrative tools
- Go to the Services section
- Locate the Sage 50 Database Connection Manager. Right-click on it.
- Select Stop.
Please Note– if you do not have administrator privileges, you will receive a prompt stating “The Connection manager service could not be started”.
- Open the company file and check if you are able to connect to the Sage 50 database or not.
Method 2- Make sure all the folders are files are visible in .SAJ folder
Please follow the procedure below-
- Navigate to the location where you have saved the company file
- Now, do a right-click on the folder with the extension .SAJ.
- Click on Properties
- Clear the hidden box checkmark, if exists
- Click on the tab named Apply and press OK.
- Now, open the folder with the .SAJ extension.
- Make sure all the files and folders within the .SAJ folder are visible when restoring a backup or opening a data file.
Method 3- Check if the SAJ folder has a ‘read only’ attribute
- Navigate to the location /folder where you have stored the company data
- Right-click on Sage 50 Data File
- Click on the Properties tab
- Remove the checkmark next to the Read-only attribute (in case it is checked)
- Click Apply
- Now, right-click on the SAJ folder
- Choose Properties
- Remove the checkmark next to the Read-only attribute (in case it is checked)
- Click Apply
- Click the checkmark named Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files.
- Click OK to finish
Also Read-: Sage 50 Cannot Connect to your Sage 50 Company Data Location
Conclusion
We hope the troubleshooting steps mentioned above would help you a great deal to fix the ‘Sage 50 Error Connecting to Database’ issue on your Computer. But before you perform the above options, please ensure that you understand your operating system better. All these solutions need advanced knowledge of your system. If you are finding it difficult to perform the steps above and are still not able to resolve this issue, we would recommend you to speak to some seasoned Sage professionals 1800 964 3096.

🔔 Frequently Asked Questions
How many computers can I install Sage 50 on?
For that, A license must be purchased for each computer on which a Sage 50 product is installed. Sage Accountants Network (SAN) members can buy from 2 to 40 user installations.
Can I install Sage Instant Accounts on two of my computers?
Each Sage Drive user is allowed to install the software on one other device to facilitate sharing the Sage Accounts data through Sage Drive. You have to install the software on another computer, in the same or a different location, using back up and restore to move the data between the two of your computers.
How do I reset my Sage 50 Account?
First of all, Go to Settings, then Data Management. Next, select Reset my Data. Now enter the email address you use to sign in to your Sage service, then choose “Delete Data.”
What are the causes of the “Sage 50 Could Not Start the Database Engine” error?
Many issues in your system may lead to the occurrence of this issue. Some of these are mentioned below-
🔹 When you try to access a file on another system that doesn’t have the latest version of the connection manager installed in it
🔹 A third party software is blocking the data file
🔹 The MySQL Connector/ODBC 5.2(a) is being blocked/interfered with by a security feature on the computer
🔹 If Sage uses the UNC address
🔹 The SAJ folder is having the read-only attribute enabled
🔹 An issue with the .NET framework
🔹 An issue with the SAJ envelope
To fix the ‘Sage 50 Error Connecting to Database’ issue, I am asked to check if the Data File Attributes of the .SAJ folder is Set to’ Read Only’. How to check this?
Please follow the steps below-
🔹 Navigate to the location /folder where you have stored the company data
🔹 Right-click on Sage 50 Data File
🔹 Click on the Properties tab
🔹 Remove the checkmark next to the Read-only attribute (in case it is checked)
🔹 Click Apply
🔹 Now, right-click on the SAJ folder
🔹 Choose Properties
🔹 Remove the checkmark next to the Read-only attribute (in case it is checked)
🔹 Click Apply
🔹 Click the checkmark named Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files.
🔹 Click OK to finish
My Sage 50 database is accessed remotely. I am getting the “Sage 50 Database not Active “error message while trying to access my database. How to resolve this?
Please follow the steps below-
🔹 From the Sage Drive/Remote Data Access, download a copy of the company file that is causing the error again
🔹 From the Sage 50 main menu, click on the Connect to shared company option
🔹 If asked, log in with your email address registered with Sage
🔹 Choose the company file that is giving the issue
🔹 Click on Connect
🔹 Provide the location and file name
🔹 Click Save.
🔹 If you have to overwrite the existing file that is giving the error, select the same location and name as that of the file.
🔹 Next, click on Yes, when prompted if you want to overwrite the file
🔹 After the company file is downloaded and synced, the issue should be solved and the company file should open.
What is the Sage Database Synchronization Utility?
Sage 500 provides an important feature called the Sage Database Synchronization Utility. This comes in handy when your database is hosted on a SQL server and you need to connect it to Sage 500. By creating a user named “Admin” in the new SQL Server, you can connect to your network database easily, with the help of this utility. It also allows you to reset internal database references.
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