Native Instruments across 2 hard drives

HiFiDave

I have not found an answer to this, but I'm sure it has been addressed somewhere. I have a laptop with an external SSD (usb) as well. I want to have some NI instruments only on the internal laptop drive for quick and portable work. So, Kontakt only libraries for example. Then, for when I need it, I plug in the USB SSD and get the full suite and other instruments, like Massive, etc. So is that even possible? How do I set it up and switch as needed?

Vocalpoint

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/34386/native-instruments-across-2-hard-drives

Content (and plugins) can only go to one location (currently) per File Locations in Native Access.

There is currently no facility to tell Native Access to install these things "over there" and these other things "over here".

VP

HiFiDave

Well actually that is not true. Somehow, and I'm not sure, I have some library on drive "1" and another library on drive "2"

I'm not sure how it happenned as I've been going through Native Access and changing paths, but not sure why some products moved and others did not…

Vocalpoint

Seems as if you have a really strange (probably really old) version of Native Access too.

I do not recognize your dialog boxes at all.

Here is what the current paths look like when you click Preferences→File Management in Native Access v3.13.0:

There are no dialogs with phrase "Installation Paths" or any sign of any Close buttons either…

Curious to know what version of NA you are running.

VP

HiFiDave

Yep, latest version. You show the "preferences" which are GLOBAL settings. If you select the Library link on the left pane, pick a product, and w/ the 3dots you can see the location for THAT individual product.

Still not an answer yet to what/how I have it spread out, but I'll post when I do find out.

Vocalpoint

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/170177#Comment_170177

Got it!

Here is my theory. I believe that the "one location" rule hold firm when installing NEW products to your system via NA - it will always use that "Content location" path in my screen cap.

However - that is not stopping you from "locating" content that is elsewhere on your system. IF NA cannot find a library in that your default location - you can use the Locate button to point NA whereever you want and it will then gain access to the new (non-standard) location.

I suppose that you could also change the default Content Location anytime you want - and/or keep changing it just prior to installing products and NA "may" actually be able to track all these different paths.

But to circle back to your original question - I am not sure how NA would be able to correctly manage drives being yanked out one minute and then plugged in the next. Does not seem like a use case that NI would be testing for.

You could always try it and see.

Me - I keep everything in one spot - at the ready at all times. But I also do not use a laptop.

VP

Kymeia

However - that is not stopping you from "locating" content that is elsewhere on your system. IF NA cannot find a library in that your default location - you can use the Locate button to point NA whereever you want and it will then gain access to the new (non-standard) location.

Yeah you can relocate stuff onto several hard drives. Personally I have my Kontakt libraries organised across 2 external hard drives but I did it differently. Basically I have all my Native Access managed libraries on one SSD and all my older/third party Kontakt content (that NA doesn't care where it is) on the other. I keep them all unified and organised using the Quickload browser, plus I also imported my most used ones into the Kontakt main browser using the library import function (adding custom images in NI Resources/image). That way I avoid the relocation issue completely.

Kubrak

One may install Kontakt Libraries and Expansions to several discs. I use it so for years. Also one may organize it to folder structure on one discs. For example I keep third party content in its own folders. And Expansions as well.

The way to do it is to set installation folder before first installation of given content. (Or relocate it later on, which is more work….) Then, change installation folder and inslall next "chunk" of Content. And so on….

NI SW knows where to seek for Content/Expansions if they are on more discsand/or in user defined folder structure. No problem.

BIF

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/170203#Comment_170203

This is the answer. I had my library pointed at K: for a long time, and when that ran out of space (*), I made room on I: or L: and I changed my NA preferences to point there. From that point on, new installs (or re-installs) would go to the new location, while products already installed on K: would continue to work fine.

I'm pretty sure it still works the same way.

DunedinDragon

I generally leave my default installation path pointing to my C: drive, then once it's installed I immediately move it to it's long term storage location on one of my external SSD drives. I keep some basic stuff on my C: drive but the vast majority, particularly large libraries, are spread across other drives so it won't impede system functions using the system drive. Works very well for me.