{"id":71,"date":"2018-08-12T15:59:30","date_gmt":"2018-08-12T07:59:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/apps.badjoerichards.com\/apps\/musichack\/?p=71"},"modified":"2019-04-19T13:06:00","modified_gmt":"2019-04-19T05:06:00","slug":"install-cubase-perfectly-future-proof-upgrading-moving-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/apps.badjoerichards.com\/apps\/musichack\/install-cubase-perfectly-future-proof-upgrading-moving-future\/","title":{"rendered":"How to install Cubase perfectly and future proof it for upgrading or moving in the future?"},"content":{"rendered":"

To expand on this article.<\/p>\n

System requirements:<\/p>\n

Windows 10 64-bit<\/p>\n

Note the 64-bit.<\/p>\n

Do you know what I hate most? Re-installing Cubase and all its VSTs and plugins.<\/p>\n

This article had to be done. I’m calling this process “future-proof<\/strong>“ing. You will hear me referencing it throughout the article.<\/p>\n

My last installation and upgrade took me nearly 2-months to complete, and over a year to finally migrate to the new laptop workstation (Laptop A).<\/p>\n

Then the worst happened.<\/p>\n

Working on a brand new project on the new workstation,\u00a0midway throughout, things just kept dropping – I could not edit tracks properly. It was probably a combination of a few things – Windows 10 64-bit, Cubase 8.5 and booting the full OS on a Lacie Thunderbolt 2TB SSD drive (Laptop A was a Macbook Pro Retina 2013 first gen)<\/strong><\/p>\n

With the project timeline already closing,\u00a0I had to think of a plan, and started building my new music station that runs Cubase 9.5 on my 2016 desktop. (Desktop B)<\/p>\n

I had wanted to let my new computer (Desktop B) install while I work on the old workstation (Laptop A) – but I have only 1 dongle – didn’t seem like I could install and test while I work.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now I have installed Windows 10 cleanly, (before installing Cubase 9.5, make sure to set up your HDD C properly as in section\u00a0Harddisk Setup and Design) this would ensure certain folders work properly.<\/p>\n

and also installed Cubase 9.5 to my Desktop B (without dongle) – separating my Cubase 9.5 program files from the main M.2 NVME SSD drive which my OS is running on, and installing them to a SATA EXPRESS 3 connected HGST 4TB HDD.<\/p>\n

The idea is to have my CUBASE 9.5 program, all its plugins, samples etc from today forth, on a separate HGST 4TB HDD (HDD C).<\/strong><\/p>\n

This simple step would future-proof my installation and upgrade of HARDWARE (and software) – which I will explain later.<\/p>\n

Without the dongle, my Cubase 9.5 on my Desktop B wouldn’t start.<\/p>\n

Harddisk Setup and Design<\/h1>\n

We will address this beautiful harddisk as HDD C from here on. Our drive letter would be H:\\.<\/p>\n

Important folders were created when building the new Cubase 9.5 workstation on Desktop B.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. MusicWinProgramFiles<\/li>\n
  2. MusicWinProgramUse<\/li>\n
  3. PluginContents<\/li>\n
  4. MusicProjects<\/li>\n
  5. VST2_32bit_Plugins<\/li>\n
  6. VST2_64bit_Plugins<\/li>\n
  7. VST2_64bit_Plugins\\jBridged<\/li>\n
  8. VST3_32bit_Plugins<\/li>\n
  9. VST3_64bit_Plugins<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    MusicWinProgramFiles\u00a0<\/strong>– would behave like the Program Files folder which we use everytime a new program needs to be installed. So instead of installing things to the Windows Program Files folder (that is currently residing on my M.2 NVME SSD drive where the OS is installed and running on), we install it to the dedicated HDD C. Cubase 9.5 itself was installed here<\/strong>. Future upgrade installations will also be installed here.<\/p>\n

    MusicWinProgramUse\u00a0<\/strong>– would behave like the My Documents folder which you will use to store files and documents that Programs installed to MusicWinProgramFiles will use, i.e. settings, images, etc.<\/p>\n

    MusicProjects<\/strong> – this is the root folder where all your future Cubase projects should be saved. Naming conventions I use is as follow: 20180812_songnamecurrently<\/p>\n

    PluginContents<\/strong>\u00a0– this is where you can place your VST Instruments or plugins’ sample files or data packs. These files\/packs are usually large files that are required for your VST plugins\/instruments to work.<\/p>\n

    VST2_32bit_Plugins<\/strong> – behaves like the usual VSTPlugins folder that we usually install all plugins and VSTs to. This phantom folder moves around on every Cubase installation and Windows installation, and has been confusing me and most users for a decade. So, we create a DEDICATED and FIXED location for current and future installations. Point to note is, this folder is specifically for VST2<\/strong>, and 32bit<\/strong> plugins.<\/p>\n

    VST2_64bit_Plugins<\/strong> – similar to the above, except for 64bit<\/strong>, VST2<\/strong> plugins.<\/p>\n

    VST2_64bit_Plugins\\jBridged<\/strong>\u00a0– see section on jBridge. (to write)<\/p>\n

    VST3_32bit_Plugins<\/strong> – this folder is what I call our MAGIC folder. Basically Cubase and all other plugins that uses VST3 will install files to the LOCKED folders (See:\u00a0Key Common Folders to note) – which will be magically installed here instead. This is done by symlinking. Do this as soon as you can (like right now, see: Magic VST3 folders and symlink), before installing any VSTs or plugins. Check this and the folder below from time to time, and you see your Plugins automatically installed here.<\/p>\n

    VST3_64bit_Plugins<\/strong> – similar to the above, except for 64bit<\/strong>, VST3<\/strong>\u00a0plugins.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Backups and Backup disks<\/h1>\n

    You should have a separate disk to backup everything, including the OS, your music projects, data files etc. This will be known as HDD Backup, drive letter, X:\\.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. DiskBackups (On separate disk)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      DiskBackups<\/strong> – here we will schedule and run automated Macrium Reflect disk backups of your current Windows and all its Program and Settings. This will help you in the event of unbootable Windows or lost files. You can disable Windows System Restore when using this.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Magic VST3 folders and symlink<\/h1>\n

      Because VST3 folders are locked on Windows, that means you cannot install VST3 plugins anywhere else except in the Windows drive i.e.\u00a0C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\VST3 (for 64bit plugins) , we have to devise a way to keep this behavior, but “magically” save and store files on our HDD C’s VST3 folders. (See:\u00a0Harddisk Setup and Design)<\/p>\n

      This process works BEFORE or AFTER<\/strong> you already have any VST3 plugins installed on your computer. Therefore it “future-proof”s our workstation.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Start by installing\u00a0Link Shell Extension<\/a> on your computer. Do install x64 prerequisites. (i.e.\u00a0http:\/\/download.microsoft.com\/download\/8\/B\/4\/8B42259F-5D70-43F4-AC2E-4B208FD8D66A\/vcredist_x64.EXE)<\/li>\n
      2. Copy any contents in\u00a0C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\VST3 (for 64bit plugins) to H:\\VST3_64bit_Plugins<\/li>\n
      3. Right click on the\u00a0H:\\VST3_64bit_Plugins folder, and select “Pick Link Source” (this appears after you install the item in Step 1)<\/li>\n
      4. Head to\u00a0C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\, right click on an empty space in the browser window and select “Drop As > Symbolic Link”<\/li>\n
      5. Delete the VST3<\/strong> folder that you see here. Feeling safe that you already copied all contents to H:\\VST3_64bit_Plugins.<\/li>\n
      6. Rename the folder\u00a0VST3_64bit_Plugins that you see here, to VST3<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
      7. Now we repeat this for VST3 32bit<\/strong> Plugins. Copy any contents in\u00a0C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Common Files\\VST3 to H:\\VST3_32bit_Plugins<\/li>\n
      8. Right click on the\u00a0H:\\VST3_32bit_Plugins folder, and select “Pick Link Source”<\/li>\n
      9. Head to\u00a0C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Common Files\\, right click on an empty space in the browser window and select “Drop As > Symbolic Link”<\/li>\n
      10. Delete the VST3<\/strong> folder that you see here. Feeling safe that you already copied all contents to H:\\VST3_32bit_Plugins.<\/li>\n
      11. Rename the folder\u00a0VST3_32bit_Plugins that you see here, to VST3<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        That’s it!<\/p>\n

        From here on forth, everything should work automagically. All your VST3 plugins that you install henceforth, will magically appear in HDD C.<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Some reference:<\/p>\n

        https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/howto\/16226\/complete-guide-to-symbolic-links-symlinks-on-windows-or-linux\/<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Key Common Folders to note<\/h1>\n

        What about VST3 you may ask? Note that VST3 folders are locked to:<\/p>\n