It sounds like you were able to resolve the issue of not being able to download transactions by deactivating and reactivating express web connect. That is a good step to take when encountering issues with downloading transactions. Other steps you could have taken to troubleshoot the issue include:
• Checking that your internet connection is stable and strong
• Ensure that you are using the latest version of QuickBooks and that it is fully updated
• Confirm that your login credentials for the financial institution are accurate
• Try downloading the transactions in small batches rather than all at once
• Confirm that you have selected the correct account to download the transactions
• Try disabling any firewalls or antivirus software temporarily to see if that resolves the issue
It's also good to know that you no longer get those zero amount transactions, that could be caused by incorrect account mapping, it would have been resolved when you reactivated the express web connect.