Managing libraries on external drive btw two Macs

Tommyd · 2024-05-17T22:14:29+00:00

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Title explains the goal. I've been trying to do this for months and I don't understand. They are different Mac OS, could that be a problem?

I downloaded some libraries in Native Access using an external drive on a new Mac. Seems fine. When I return the next day, Native Access doesn’t recognize the downloads and asks me to Install them again, even though the drive is mounted and the files are there.

When I plug in the same external drive to a second Mac, with libraries installed, it showed I needed to repair the library path to the external drive. I did. But Kontakt still will not load / or see those libraries.

I also have some content loaded on the local drive of the second Mac. How do I get both locations to work in Kontakt?

It’s very confusing and the online directions are not working. It's been so frustrating I just don't use NI products. (Also, Kontakt 7 crashes and will not run on the new Mac. The old Mac is probly too old to support Kontakt 7. That's all another frustrating topic.)

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PoorFellow

@Jeremy_NI , I guess that the above Mac question needs your level of experience and insight ?

Tommyd

Can someone suggest a strategy or direct me to support articles? I've probly seen them, but maybe there is something I've missed. Thx,

Simchris

Well. The apps have to be installed on the boot drive. The sample libraries can be installed on external drive. I have done this for 15 years. The trick with Windows is to name the drive with same drive letter for BOTH systems; I often name it something like SAMPLES and drive letter of H. On Mac, I just name the drive SAMPLES, and install stuff to that drive. On my other Mac, I attach the drive, and install the apps, with the sample location set to same drive. Or put another way, try reinstalling something on Mac #2 with the sample drive set as SAMPLES (or whatever your external drive is called), so that is blessed the file path as correct location. Seems to work for me. Hope that made sense. upshot: install apps on EACH machine for licensing with samples loaded to external drive each time you do install on EACH machine; using the same external drive for both. Again, apps won't install on the external drive, only sample libraries. I create a folder called 'NI' on mine; so I am saving ALL my samples to /SAMPLES/NI/sample-library-name …

Tommyd

OK thanks. My issue is one Mac is older and already has the apps on it. I pressed the button to correct the file path to the samples on the ext drive but when I returned next session the samples were not recognized. Are you saying I have to reinstall the apps on the older Mac to make them see the libraries on sample ext drive?

Mert_NI

Hello Tommyd,

Here is the Knowledge Base Article that can help you with this subject: https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/210281485-How-to-Share-KONTAKT-Libraries-Between-Two-Computers-Using-an-External-Hard-Drive ,

Please keep in mind, that, this is not possible to share between two computers. The above only works with library content.

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