If, after downloading the software (for example, Tax Year 2021) to your computer’s “desktop” screen;

you left-click twice on the icon to “launch” the software and get an error message similar to the partial screenshot below, taken from the top of the message,

then the text circled in blue depicts the “path” to a computer file named user.config that’s damaged (or “corrupted”) and must be deleted:

• nLync documented this error after a preparer with the last name “Jones” brought it to our attention.

• You’ll notice that the third item in the path below is “Jones,” which is one folder in a series of folders.

The error above is from the Jones computer.  The solution below is from a computer at nLync.  Your installation of the software won’t be identical to either.  These steps illustrate the process of looking at your error message like a map through the folders on your computer.

First, locate your desktop;

left-click on the icon in the shape of a magnifying glass at the lower-left corner;

type in “file explorer”;

and press Enter, resulting in:

Secondly, left-click on the arrow to the left of a series of icons, the first being Local Disk (probably your C-drive);

left-click on View;

and, after ensuring that the box next to Hidden items is checked;

resume clicking arrows on Users;

the next folder ("owner" on this computer; check your error message);

AppData;

Local (only the first two folders are displayed);

Apps;

2.0;

Data;

97YPR6QN.3D0;

07QRQWEC.3XL;

taxl..tion_0000000000000000_07e5.0000_59cbc0084ea9594f;

and then Data (again; different from the one above).

Next, left-click on 2010.0.331.0;

and, finally, left-click  and delete user.config.

Now, relaunch the tax software from the desktop, and it should work.