New to Windows...Help!

[mattprince]

Hi, After being a mac user for a long time ive decided to ditch Apple and go to PC. Just bought a Surface Book and loving it. My question is..

On mac installing plugins was easy but on windows I've been told its harder. How do i install a plugin. Can i have it so they are all in one folder like they are on a mac? Do i have to guide the install to a particular folder?

Matt

[Mark Williams]

Hi, After being a mac user for a long time ive decided to ditch Apple and go to PC. Just bought a Surface Book and loving it. My question is..

On mac installing plugins was easy but on windows I've been told its harder. How do i install a plugin. Can i have it so they are all in one folder like they are on a mac? Do i have to guide the install to a particular folder?

Matt

It's wise to install in one folder, for instyance I have one folder which contains 32bit folder and a 64 bit folder, inside the 64 bit folder is 1 folder for effects & 1 folder for instruments. Live 10 preferences is custom VST folder, which is pointing at the 64bit folder only. (32bit folder is omly there as some VSTs when installing ask for a 32 bit folder too. But Live isnt looking at that folder.

[mattprince]

Thanks for the reply. SO i could create a folder in "Program Files" called Plugins and then 2 folders "Instruments" and "Effects" and then point the install directory to them, whichever they are?

My plugins mostly are 64 bit i think anyway so no issues with 32 bit?

Matt

[H20nly]

Steinberg created VST and there was a VST folder in C:\Program Files\Steinberg\* if you purchased an application like Cubase or Cubasis where\when the process of storing your VSTs began. the problem with that was that later, if you moved away from those applications, all your VSTs were still in that spot.

it doesn't matter where you place them... as long as you place them all in the same spot and make sure all your settings in the applications that use them point to that spot. otherwise, it WILL become a nightmare to manage. theoretically, you could install them all to different folders... but each DAW app will generally only scan one directory unless you set it to scan from C:\ which means your load time will be pure garbage when you launch your DAW application.

i use a Mac as a DAW now, but when i was using Windows i had an 'Audio' folder and in it was where i kept everything (in sub folders, of course).

another good spot for VSTs may be at the root... C:\
for this - click Start > click the folder icon (hard left) > select Local Disk (C:) > create a folder called "VST" > create two sub folders (32 bit and 64 bit)
i normally would not create a lot of folders in this location, but for something like VSTs, it would be a good spot IMHO. my logic is that they are "like" programs but they do not belong in 'Program Files' or 'Program Files (x86)'

not sure if you know this... so i'll throw it out there in case it helps (since you're new to Windows), the 'Program Files (x86) folder is where "Legacy" apps that are 32 bit are installed. in many cases you will have components of the application in both program files folders. if you select "32 bit" if given the choice between 32 or 64 while installing, Windows will setup the application and its shortcuts to launch from 'Program Files (x86)' folder instead and, of course, it will run as a 32 bit application.

[mattprince]

So if i create a main folder called VST and then 32bit and 64bit folders in that folder and put for example spire in the instrument folder and for example fabfilter in the effects folder , i just point the custom vst folder to the VST and it will pick them up in other folders?

[H20nly]

@ mattprince - i edited my post... my "yep exactly" was aimed at Marks comment.

you CAN do what you said in your post above... but i would not do that... the reasons are in my post above.

if you really want to use a program files folder, i would go with 'Program Files' NOT 'Program Files (x86)'. 32 bit will be gone soon.

[H20nly]

So if i create a main folder called VST and then 32bit and 64bit folders in that folder and put for example spire in the instrument folder and for example fabfilter in the effects folder , i just point the custom vst folder to the VST and it will pick them up in other folders?

yes... i think. you're wording is throwing me off a little.

1. create folder for VST (and 32/64 sub folders)
2. install VST
3. point DAW application preferences to created VST folder

[mattprince]

So create a folder called VST in the c: and then in the VST folder create a 32bit folder and 64bit folder and put all instruments and effect plugins in the 64bit folder ? Would it hurt to separate the plugins as instruments and effects as if not id create the folders as i said above.

Thanks for all the help

[Mark Williams]

If your using Live 10 its 64bit only so will only see 64 bit vsts, hence pointing Live at the 64bit VST folder.
My VST folder as I said is in C: as a Root Folder.

[ark]

So if i create a main folder called VST and then 32bit and 64bit folders in that folder and put for example spire in the instrument folder and for example fabfilter in the effects folder , i just point the custom vst folder to the VST and it will pick them up in other folders?

Probably not a good idea to put 32bit and 64bit VSTs in the same folder, even if in subfolders.

On my machine, I have C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins for 64-bit plugins and C:\Program Files (x86)\VSTPlugins for 32-bit plugins.

Many VST installers put the location of the plugin folder in your registry, and will look in the registry to see where that folder might be. So it is likely that once you have specified a VST folder, subsequent installations will automagically put additional VSTs there.

[mattprince]

Brill , thanks all who helped. Got it all sorted now regarding the plugins. Just got issues with my headphones and audio now lol

[H20nly]

So if i create a main folder called VST and then 32bit and 64bit folders in that folder and put for example spire in the instrument folder and for example fabfilter in the effects folder , i just point the custom vst folder to the VST and it will pick them up in other folders?

Probably not a good idea to put 32bit and 64bit VSTs in the same folder, even if in subfolders.

On my machine, I have C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins for 64-bit plugins and C:\Program Files (x86)\VSTPlugins for 32-bit plugins.

Many VST installers put the location of the plugin folder in your registry, and will look in the registry to see where that folder might be. So it is likely that once you have specified a VST folder, subsequent installations will automagically put additional VSTs there.

good advice.

@mattprince

if you're going to separate VSTs into sub folders, it might be best to do that by VST developer, not separately by each VST. they should [mostly] do the latter themselves.

i wouldn't over think it too much. as long as your DAW can find them and has permission to access the folder they are in, they should run. most of what has been suggested is just to be tidy and not do anything you may cause confusion later or splinter your VST collection in to too many pieces spread out across multiple locations.