Kontakt 7 file location

Schlockmeister

I've just updated Kontakt 7 using Native Access. The standalone version is on my C-drive but the .vst3 file is nowhere to be found.

I have my own designated vst plugin folders since I don't like having them all on my C-drive, but the update doesn't even install it there.

So where is "Kontakt 7.vst3"?

I wish NI would allow me to choose my own vst folders so I don't have to keep on shifting them manually to my F-drive …

Vocalpoint

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/40304/kontakt-7-file-location

VST3 is system controlled. You have no say or control over this location.

On Windows you will find your VST3 plugins here:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3

And you should consider installing all VST2 (if you still use any) to the industry standard locations of:

64 Bit

C:\Program Files\VSTplugins

32Bit (highly unlikely any of these are still in play)

C:\Program Files (x86)\VSTplugins

Installing to F does not make much sense.

VP

Vocalpoint

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/40304/kontakt-7-file-location

VST3 is system controlled. You have no say or control over this location.

On Windows you will find your VST3 plugins here:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3

And you should consider installing all VST2 (if you still use any) to the industry standard locations of:

64 Bit

C:\Program Files\VSTplugins

32Bit (highly unlikely any of these are still in play)

C:\Program Files (x86)\VSTplugins

Installing to F does not make much sense.

VP

Schlockmeister

Thanks for pointing me to the C-folder. My mistake was trusting Windows 10 Explorer search results which only gave me .vst3info files (and strangely, some .vst3 files in C:\Users). Apparently Micro$oft doesn't want me to find files in C:\Program Files\Common Files.

If vst3's are system controlled, then how come that when I copy them to my F-folder and have my DAW scan it, the vst3's work perfectly? So, they clearly are not system controlled, it just takes a little tinkering now and then.

And if I'd follow your reasoning, I'd be installing all my apps on C: (and only use my 2 hdd's for data), which would force me to buy a 6Tb or 8Tb SSD (an 8Tb one costs over 500 Euros). Financially unacceptable, plus quite a lot of old (32-bit) plugins don't need an install, they only need the .dll file. Also, some video games are 100+Gb's. I only have Cyberpunk 2077 (plus Phantom Liberty) on my C: which eats up 92Gb.

Anyway, I've now got Ableton Live 11 Suite running and it scanned Kontakt7.vst3 which I copied from the folder you mentioned. No problem at all.

But I also see my vst folder isn't that big (12.4Gb) but just uninstalling and re-installing everything would take me weeks and lots of migraines (and fits of rage); I prefer to give all of this a wide birth.

But again thank you, most appreciated! 😀

mykejb

Personally I installed all the VST2 stuff in the NI default location and added that to the VST paths in Cubase. That way I knew where things were.

For Ableton I had to create a separate folder and put links in that to the NI, Steinberg and the c:\Program Files\VST Plugins folders as Ableton only had one VST2 location.

On Mac VST2 isn't a problem now as with C14 VST2 plugins aren't supported (although they work) and are turned off by default. Unfortunately few manufacturers allow you to turn off installing VST2 plugins so they just sit around getting bored.

PoorFellow

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/199210#Comment_199210

If vst3's are system controlled, then how come that when I copy them to my F-folder and have my DAW scan it, the vst3's work perfectly?

Because you might get trouble later including problems hard to explain.

As already written by VocalPoint then you should never use another folder for VST3 on 64 Bit Windows than C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3 and for 32-bit VST3 plug-ins on 64-bit Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\VST3

Reference : Steinberg on VST plug-in locations on Windows

And if I'd follow your reasoning, I'd be installing all my apps on C: (and only use my 2 hdd's for data),

<SNIP>

You can change things by using 'Symbolic Links" in Windows. I have no idea how well it works but you could try to look into that also , Ref. :

Changing-VST3-Folder-Guide

And a more general guide on the topic : The Complete Guide to Creating Symbolic Links (aka Symlinks) on Windows

Schlockmeister

[quote]Because you might get trouble later including problems hard to explain.[/quote]

I got that covered since I never delete the .vst3 files in the Common Files folder, or any other files.

I just point my DAW to my F-folder and that's what I'll keep on doing. I will NOT spends months uninstalling 100+ plugins from my F-drive and re-installing them to my C-drive. I've raged and punched … things out of frustration over way less.

I'm a bit of a control freak and you saying I "might" have problems sounds to me like "and then again you might not". It worked years ago and it still works now so I'm not worried.

Vocalpoint

"I'm a bit of a control freak and you saying I "might" have problems sounds to me like "and then again you might not". It worked years ago and it still works now so I'm not worried"

Well - if you simply followed established guidelines and installed to C (like 99.99% of the rest of us) you probably would not need to start threads like this in the first place. The irony is palpable.

Anyway - you do you. And ignore the great advice of the folks on this board.

VP

mykejb

There's no reason you can't put things on another drive as it's no different to putting them in another folder on the C drive as you've already found. Moving NI plugins after installation can cause problems when you update them as you often end up with duplicate copies with different versions splashed around your file system. You can change the VST2 installation location in the preferences of Native Access. The only thing you can't change is the VST3 location as that's part of the specification.

Schlockmeister

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/199315#Comment_199315

I could as a test point my DAW to the vst3 folder on C and see if everything still works fine of course.

I'll search for all .vst3 files on C and F and check if they're synced.

Yes it can be a bit of a hassle but I'm not a fan of doing things the way they're supposed to be done, otherwise I'd be making commercial/mainstream music and that would destroy 30+ years of music-making without following any rules, including sometimes my own. My life's pointless without experimentation.

Vocalpoint

Good luck.

VP