Error Initialising Borland Database Engine (or BDE)

Payroll Pro uses an extra program called the Borland Database Engine to control reading and writing of information in the payroll database. This is installed on your computer when Payroll Pro is fully installed from a CDROM or by downloading the full installation from our website.

Some examples of cases where you may get an error similar to "Error Initialising the Borland Database Engine" (or the BDE) are:

If some other program which also uses the Borland Database Engine is uninstalled from your computer, it is possible that uninstalling
the other program could have removed the BDE.
If you copied Payroll Pro from another computer instead of fully installing it.
If any files are deleted from the folder on your computer where the BDE resides.
If the original installation process was interrupted for some reason.
If your security settings are blocking Payroll Pro from working correctly.

Solution 1 - Extra Setup

If you are using Windows XP please go to Solution 2 below, and skip Solution 1.

Please check your security settings (or get an IT person to do this for you) to ensure some setting on your computer is not blocking your use of Payroll Pro. This may be as simple as changing the account settings for the person logging on to the computer.

If the initial installation was interrupted then you may receive the "Error Initialising the BDE" message.

From the Main Menu of Payroll Pro, select the "Troubleshooting" option. You can find this by clicking the HELP option in the top menu of Payroll Pro, and you will see "Troubleshooting" in the menu which drops down. In Payroll Pro version 2, you can also access troubleshooting by clicking the "Troubleshooting" button to the upper right hand side of the main menu.

Try clicking the "WINDOWS VISTA, 7 OR HIGHER" button, and choose "EXTRA SETUP". Doing this will not cause any problems.
After doing this try Payroll Pro again to see if the problem has been solved.

If you have already tried this or are using Windows XP please go to Solution 2 below.

Solution 2 - Reinstall the Database Engine

In many cases this should be a quick easy process using the "Troubleshooting" option in Payroll Pro as follows:

While this process will not delete your Payroll data, it is still recommended that you have a current backup of your Payroll before continuing.

When the Payroll Pro TroubleShooter appears, look for the heading "Error Initialising Borland Database Engine", and click the button labelled "3. Reinstall Database Engine".

If this gives the message "Payroll Pro could not find the required setup file", go to Solution 3 below.

Otherwise you should be able to continue by clicking an "Install" button.

If during the installation process you receive the following message, select REPAIR, then click NEXT, then click INSTALL:

"Payroll Pro Database - Install Shield Wizard"
* Modify
* Repair <= select this option "Repair" if the modify,repair,remove message appears.
* Remove

After this, restart your computer and all should now be OK.

Solution 3 - Fully re-install Payroll Pro

If Payroll Pro was copied from another computer instead of being fully installed, then please close all programs and then try fully installing Payroll Pro. You can install Payroll Pro over the top of the existing copy.

To install Payroll Pro Version 2, you can download Payroll Pro from here: fsspp.exe
If you use Payroll Pro Version 1, use this file: fsspp1.exe

You may need to re-enter your licence key afterwards.

If you have now fully installed Payroll Pro and restarted your computer and the problem still occurs, please see Solution 4 below.

Solution 4 - Remove the database program, then re-install it

It would be very unusual for the problem to still occur after all of the above have been tried. However, if after trying the above instructions you still receive the error message, please try the following. It is helpful if you have some computer knowledge before you continue with these steps.

STEP 4a - remove the Payroll Pro Database program.
- While this will not delete your Payroll data, it is still recommended that you have a current backup of your Payroll before continuing.
- Close all programs.
- Click START then open CONTROL PANEL.
- Choose "Programs and Features". In Windows XP and earlier higher this was called "Add or Remove Programs".
- The list of programs will usually be in alphabetical order so look for "Payroll Pro Database". It should have a green icon beside it.
If this is not in the list, go to step 4b now.
- Click "Payroll Pro Database" and select "REMOVE".
- Now close all programs and restart your computer.
- After your computer has restarted, proceed to step 4b.

STEP 4b - rename the BDE folder to BDEold
- Go to "Computer" (on Windows XP and earlier this was called "My Computer")
- Open C:\Program Files (by double clicking on it)
- Note - if you cannot find the following in "C:\Program Files", check for a folder called "C:\Program Files (x86)" - ie with an (x86) in
brackets after the word "Files". On some 64 bit Windows versions, some programs get put into this folder instead.
- Look for the "Common Files" folder - if it is there open it, if not go to step 4c.
- After Opening "Common Files", look for "Borland Shared", if it is there open it.
- Look for a folder called "BDE".
- If it is there, rename it to BDEold.
(usually you can right click and choose rename to do this).

STEP 4c - rename another BDE folder to BDEold
- From "Computer" (or "My Computer" for Windows XP) open C:\Program Files (or check "C:\Program Files (x86)" if you have a 64 bit Windows version and cannot find the information in just "Program Files").
- Look for a folder called "Borland".
- If it is there open it, otherwise go to step 4d.
- Look for a folder called "Common Files" - if it is there open it.
- Look for a folder called "BDE".
- If it is there, rename it to BDEold.
(usually you can right click and choose rename to do this).

STEP 4d - Reinstall
- From the Payroll Pro TroubleShooter, click the button "REINSTALL DATABASE ENGINE"
- If Payroll Pro cannot find the required setup file you will need to reinstall the latest version of Payroll Pro as per Solution 3 above.
- When installing, you can install over the top of the current Payroll Pro installation.
- If during the installation process you receive the following message, select REPAIR, then click NEXT, then click INSTALL:

"Payroll Pro Database - Install Shield Wizard"
* Modify
* Repair <= select this option "Repair" if the modify,repair,remove message appears.
* Remove

- Restart your computer and all should now be OK.
- You may have to re-enter your licence name and licence key again.