Ableton Forum

Hi everyone. Does anyone have any best practices for getting Ableton to recognize and use VSTs in Windows 7 (64 bit)?

For example, when I install NI Komplete and Ableton scans the VSTs, Ableton freezes and crashes. The only way to prevent Ableton from crashing after this occurs is to remove the .dll file that gave it problems from the specified directory. I tried to copy over my preferences file from XP and this had limited success. It allows Ableton to load but when I try to load the plug-in, it causes Ableton to close. Most of my other VSTs load and work fine, but my favorite ones (Komplete) refuse to work (outside of standalone mode using Windows Compatibility mode). I did get Guitar Rig and Massive plugins to work though. Other ones that gave me the same problems are Rapture (even the 64 bit one), Dimension Pro, and the Cakewalk z3.

Also, EZ drummer works but everytime I load it, it asks me for an authorization code.

If anyone has some pointers, please let me know. I'm loving Windows 7 (the lastest build) and I would seriously consider abandoning XP if I could get these to work. Honestly, when I boot back to XP, it feels like I entered the ghetto...lol

I don't use the plugins you're having issues with, but I know that live can't work with 64 bit plugins (it's a 32 bit application).
First thing I'd suggest is only install the 32 bit version of any plugin, or install the 64 bit version in a different folder and make sure live only uses the 32 bit versions.

Re the auth code thing for ez drummer, try running live as administrator (right click icon, run as administrator).

Hey. Thanks for the reply. I tried so man things with these. I can't get Reaktor, Kontact, Akoustic Piano, Elektric Piano to work. It says invalid authorization and then skips scanning the plugin so you can't even put in the code. I actually disabled the User Account Control and tried to run as Administrator prior to this.

I also deleted the Ableton Preferences file but no luck.

For Battery and Absynth, there is no Authorization Issue -- Ableton just wont load when it attempts to scan them and then crashes.


These all worked in Xp though.


No problems with other plugins though.

how are you coming along with win7 64?
i'm very interested

its a cpu/mobo upgrade year for my pc so i'd love to jump to a 64 bit os when i reinstall.

Okay I am having your exact experience with Absynth and Battery! Did you ever discover a work around?

The best advice I always give is to install all your VSTs in a folder OUTSIDE of C:\Program Files(x86). It's a protected folder and for some reason certain VSTs don't like being there. You'd think VST programmers would know better by now considering Win7 and Vista have been out for a long time now.

I install all my VSTs in C:\VstPlugins\
Some VSTs give you an option as to where the .dll will be installed and a seperate option for the rest (settings, presets, samples, EXEs etc...). Install even that stuff in C:\VstPlugins\ (or any other folder outside of Program Files (x86) if you can. Dimension Pro is a good example of this.

ALSO: Install problem VSTs as administrator. I've needed to do that a few times.
ALSO: Register (input serial numbers etc.) troublesome VSTs while running Live as administrator. That might help EZ Drummer but I don't have it so I can't test it out.

DON'T use the 64bit version of the plug-in. Live is 32bit so the 64bit versions won't work even though Win7 is 64bit.

So far I've only found one VST that doesn't work in Win7 64bit.