Two Installations with different settings

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
Post Reply
lanman2
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2020 1:26 pm

Two Installations with different settings

Post by lanman2 » Fri Mar 10, 2023 5:42 pm

Hi, is there any chance to install Live twice on the same PC with different settings (Windows 10)?
I want to have a very reduced Live version and one with all my plugins.

ark
Posts: 1382
Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 4:25 pm
Location: New Jersey, USA
Contact:

Re: Two Installations with different settings

Post by ark » Fri Mar 10, 2023 5:56 pm

I don't see why not. When you install the second instance, it should tell you that there is already an installation on your machine, and ask whether you want to replace it or install somewhere else.

[jur]
Site Admin
Posts: 5310
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 3:04 pm
Location: Ableton

Re: Two Installations with different settings

Post by [jur] » Fri Mar 10, 2023 6:48 pm

Also on Windows, in Live's Preferences you'll find an option to allow using 2 instances (simultaneously, I think).
No idea if it's relevant when not using them simultaneously, but so you know this option exists in case you come across weird behaviours.
Ableton Forum Moderator

J_R
Posts: 66
Joined: Tue May 05, 2020 11:49 pm

Re: Two Installations with different settings

Post by J_R » Fri Mar 10, 2023 7:45 pm

If you do succeed in installing Live twice would you check in and tell:
1) How the installation worked out.
2) How you accessed each installation separately.
3) Issues you ran into.
4) etc.

Thanks

lanman2
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2020 1:26 pm

Re: Two Installations with different settings

Post by lanman2 » Fri Mar 10, 2023 7:53 pm

@ark: It is no problem to install a second instance of Live. But both installations use the same settings (User Library, Plug-In-Folder etc).
@jur: In which part of the preferences do I find this?

Thanks for your answers!

Rivanni
Posts: 409
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 12:30 pm

Re: Two Installations with different settings

Post by Rivanni » Fri Mar 10, 2023 10:03 pm

Live's preferences are stored in a folder that has the same version number as the Live version you are running. So it's not possible to run the exact same two versions with different settings, as they both would write to and read from and write to the same folder.
So running Live 11.2.6 and 11.2.10 next to each other would be possible (if you disable auto-updates).

However, there's the database that is shared making what you want problematic. It's the database that stores everything you see in Live's browser. It is most of the time coupled to a minor version, so 11.1, 11.2. So Live 11.2.6 and 11.2.10 use the same database. So having for example two separate User Libraries is not possible, since only one can be stored in the database.

You can find the preferences here:
C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Ableton\Live x.x.x\Preferences\
and the database here:
C;\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Ableton\
if you want to have a look.

[jur]
Site Admin
Posts: 5310
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 3:04 pm
Location: Ableton

Re: Two Installations with different settings

Post by [jur] » Sat Mar 11, 2023 2:33 am

Rivanni wrote:
Fri Mar 10, 2023 10:03 pm
So having for example two separate User Libraries is not possible, since only one can be stored in the database.
I've never tried, but I would suppose the opposite. The User Library destination is a custom setting, so I see don't why it wouldn't work to have 2 separate User Library on your HD, and setting each Live version to a dedicated one.
Ableton Forum Moderator

Rivanni
Posts: 409
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 12:30 pm

Re: Two Installations with different settings

Post by Rivanni » Sat Mar 11, 2023 8:52 am

[jur] wrote:
Sat Mar 11, 2023 2:33 am
Rivanni wrote:
Fri Mar 10, 2023 10:03 pm
So having for example two separate User Libraries is not possible, since only one can be stored in the database.
I've never tried, but I would suppose the opposite. The User Library destination is a custom setting, so I see don't why it wouldn't work to have 2 separate User Library on your HD, and setting each Live version to a dedicated one.
Setting different locations is not the problem. The shared database is.
Each time you start Live, it will start indexing and overwrite what's already in the database from the other installation. The same for what's under Places, Packs etc. So technically it might be possible but you must be patient each time Live starts.
Running the two different installations at the same time is not possible since one will lock the database and re-indexing is not possible for the other.
Anyway, nothing stops OP from experimenting.

lanman2
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2020 1:26 pm

Re: Two Installations with different settings

Post by lanman2 » Tue Mar 14, 2023 9:34 pm

@Rivanni: So it could work with Live 11.1.x and 11.2.x? I will try this tomorrow.

lanman2
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2020 1:26 pm

Re: Two Installations with different settings

Post by lanman2 » Wed Mar 15, 2023 1:55 pm

So, I installed Live 11.1.6 yesterday evening, disabled Auto-Update and it seemed to work. I have different folders for VSTs and UserLibrary (means no VSTs and only standard Userlib), and the 11.2.10-installation had still all VSTs and big Userlib.
Today, the installed Live 11.1.6 identifies itself as 11.2 (I didn't notice anything how it could update by itself), but the two installations are still independent from each other. I can have different preferences (e.g. zoom factor, VST folder etc), I only have to run the InstallHelper.exe each time, I open the other installation. I don't use the two simultaneaous, I don't know if this is even possible.

For now, it's working as I wished. Thanks to all!

Post Reply