The Horrors of transferring Live to new PC

[Russound]

I've recently bought a Windows 7 64 bit laptop and had to transfer my Ableton stuff from my old 32 bit Vista.
First, finding all of the Ableton files and folders scattered throughout my old pc was a nightmare since for some reason it sent all of the different stuff to different locations. Second, after I downloaded a new 64 bit version of Live onto my new laptop, I realized that all of my VSTs were for a 32 bit PC so they were basically useless to me now, plus I can't even find any good plugins for 64 bit version online (I thought 64 bit is better! Why am I getting screwed?!). Third, all of my projects and all of my saved instruments were completely messed up; missing samples, missing links, etc.
So is there anything I could have done differently that would save me all of this pain?

[kb420]

I just got a new I7 64bit desktop delivered this morning. I've spent the entire day installing Live 9 Suite, and I'm still no way near finished. I did, however go through the library, and because I didn't install Live 8, a ton of presets were missing. I downloaded the Live 8 Legacy Library, only to realize that there were still some presets missing.

I also recently purchased Maschine and Komplete 9, and I heard that installing Komplete is just as bad. I guess it gonna be a long ass weekend.

[Tagor]

The pain is not live - its all the 3rd Party stuff - tons of cd`s gigabye full of samples, patches, presets ect..
ALL this stuff should register in Live`s Library - this library could be transerfable like the i-lok stuff.
Would be an easy transfer from one System to the other.
You also need to tweak your OS maybe...

So its a 24h job in my case to reinstall and configure all - download the newest VST-Intallers
from NI, Spectrasonics, updaters, Licensing-Prozecesses... PAIN

Same with new Motherboards.. most time you need to reinstall the OS... damn why
would to reinstall all because of a little hardware change?

[Russound]

You mentioned registering plugins on Ableton, how? ? ?

[Tagor]

it should! it actually can not.

[login]

Lol

[dazzer]

Isn't there something Windows like Mac Migration Assistant?

I have all my samples in my *cough* Samples folder and when transferring stuff to my new machine use MA and everything goes pretty smoothly.

[david.barker]

Is there not a thing such as a data transfer cable?


Usb connection on both ends syc up new PCS and transfer data,though I saw something like this a while back,

Unless I have gone insane,ha,ha

[Hermanus]

the day you'll understand the benefit of installing the full libraries [...live 7 - live 8 - live 9] on an external drive, reinstalling live or moving to a new computer will not take ages.
Just the time to install the program, locate the library on your external HDD and scanning time for live.

Around one hour time if you got full content [suite and maxforlive + your own presets]

you can use the 32bits version of ableton live on a 64bits computer without any problem if you want to use your 32bits vst

the only problem I would see regarding pc to mac or vice versa.
You would have to format your drive to fat32,
+ you can use it both with mac and pc.
- data tranfer will be a bit slower than ntfs

[jestermgee]

This may be a good opportunity to get yourself organised.

Firstly, production of any kind works much better if you try and keep all your content in a single location. It's perfectly fine to have your MP3 collection and other junk in other locations and linked in the library but for all your general sounds and samples they should not really be scattered all over.

Before migrating you should make a list of all the software and plugins you use and make sure you have the installers. CHECK and see if the developers have a 64bit version (most of the ones I have ever used have them so not sure where you think most don't)

If you have used a 32bit version of live without any issues continue that on your new 64bit system. 64 bit software is not "better" in any way apart from its ability to reach into higher amounts of RAM which you only need if you have ever had an "out of memory" error when using live

You can install BOTH Live 32 and 64bits so you are not stuck with "useless" instruments

You can do a "collect all and save" on your projects to gather all the samples from your mess of a HDD before you migrate so the samples are saved with the project.

You can download a program called "Jbridge" which will bridge your 32bit plugs to 64 for use in Live 64 (but a bridge of any kind can add instability so recommended to get the 64bit versions of plugs if at all possible).

I have migrated software dozens and dozens of times and am currently in the process of doing this right now from one PC to a new one but I spent a good hour documenting every piece of software and getting the updates and serials all in order before I even started so I can get it all done in a single day. It is a horror show if you go in unprepared but then so is almost anything in life.