QuickBooks is an application that licenses and registers to the volume serial number of the local hard
disk. When the license is created an encrypted file is stored that can only be unencrypted if the volume
serial number matches the system it was installed on. When Unidesk creates a new desktop, Microsoft
generates a new unique volume serial number. Therefore, if a layer is created and licensed during
creation, then deployed to different desktops, the license cannot be unencrypted on the new desktop and
the system must be licensed again.

QuickBooks can be installed in a layer but it must be licensed on each desktop that uses it. QuickBooks
can also be installed in the Persistent layer (UEP). 

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Instructions

Licensing Considerations

QuickBooks is an application that licenses and registers to the volume serial number of the local hard
disk. When the license is created an encrypted file is stored that can only be unencrypted if the volume
serial number matches the system it was installed on. When Unidesk creates a new desktop, Microsoft
generates a new unique volume serial number. Therefore, if a layer is created and licensed during
creation, then deployed to different desktops, the license cannot be unencrypted on the new desktop and
the system must be licensed again.

This licensing method has the most impact on Non-Persistent Desktops. See the Non-persistent section
later in the document for more details on how to handle licensing with Non Persistent desktops.


Layering Naming and versioning

Unidesk recommends including the OS Type and OS bit level in the name, for Example QuickBooks Pro
2012 Win7x32. For versions remember that when choosing a layer you can see the version name but not
the version description. Use naming that will allow you to differentiate versions appropriately. For
example while still in development/testing “1.0 12-12-14-2012 QA ONLY”, but when ready for production
“1.0 12-12-2012”.


Installation Steps

If installing QuickBooks into the UEP just install by running the normal setup process. Then review the
section for installing QuickBooks into a layer to determine if some of the other recommendations make
sense you’re your installation. 

Install QuickBooks in a Layer

Install QuickBooks. This takes about 20 minutes. After the install open QuickBooks, select Help and
choose “Update QuickBooks”.



 

Here we will do two things, one is to perform and update of the software and the other is to disable

automatic updates.

In options disable updates.



Then in Update Now, Run Get Updates


 

After running the update command close and reopen QuickBooks. You will be prompted to install the updates.
 

After Reboot

After updating QuickBooks it will restart and Unidesk will REBIC. When the system comes back up you

will have to delete the following file. This will reset the licensing back to request licensing on first use

after the layer is deployed.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application

Data\Intuit\EntitlementClient\EntitlementDataStore.Ecml
 

Register QuickBooks

After QuickBooks is installed and updated use the Help\Register QuickBooks to register the software.

This creates the dat file used when the application opens to ensure the software has been registered.
 

Remove the SyncManager from Run

When complete open the registry and edit the Run key to remove the Intuit Sync Manager from the Run

command. Sync manager is used to integrate online services.

The key is in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Disabling Intuit Data Protect

This Quicken feature is for an online backup service that must be purchased separately from Intuit. There

is no way to normally disable this feature from running and when logging in with Guest privilege only this

program crashes during login so we found a way to disable it.

First disable the service QBIDPService.

Then rename the InuitDataProect.exe to IntuitDataProtect.exe.old in the “|Program Files\Common

Files\Intuit\DataProtect” folder.

Then create a txt file with one line

REM replaces IntuitDataProtect.exe

Then rename this file to IntuitDataProtect.exe

Quicken will launch this file instead of the actual .exe. It is likely that after an update this routing must

be performed again.

Then Finalize the Layer
 

Remove Startup Junk from All Users

Open the following directory and remove the Data Protect and Update Agent.

Updates

To update the software Add a version to the layer. Open QuickBooks choose help and then Update

QuickBooks. Then run Update Now. When complete reboot if required and finalize the layer.

Considerations for Non-Persistent Desktop

Since QuickBooks licenses to the volume serial number of the machine it runs on, it must be licensed

separately on each system. For Non-Persistent desktops that means that we need to hold off taking the

initial system snapshot until we can log on to the machine and create the QuickBooks license. We could

find no way to script the licensing process.

To hold off the initial snapshot follow these instructions.

http://www.unidesk.com/support/kb/manually-delaying-snapshots-nonpersistent-desktops