IK Product Manager....Again.

[Teksonik]

So for a couple of days I've been fighting with IK Multimedia's Product Mangler trying to install Philharmonik 2.

I keep getting:

IK 070226-3.png

Even though the VPA file is there:

IK 070226-4.png

I've uninstalled/reinstalled multiple times. I've downloaded the installer outside of the Product Mangler with the same results. Even the standalone .exe generates the same issue. I notice the "latest" version is from January 2020 so maybe it's just outdated but on Windows it's pretty rare for software to be broken by updates.

I don't think it's user error since click, next, accept, next, etc, doesn't leave much room for error. Everything is installed in the default location.

Has anyone been able to get the Philharmonic 2 plugin to install and run on Windows 11?

So now even though I'd rather have a root canal and a colonoscopy at the same time without anaesthesia than contact IK's "support" because previous encounters have been nothing more than lessons in abject frustration I'm forced to do so in a rare fit of masochism.

So I'll document the encounter here. Who knows, maybe they'll respond in a timely manner and have a viable solution and if they do I'll shower them with praise but I have little to no faith such a positive outcome will occur. Stay tuned.

For the record I love IK software. The T-Racks plugins are awesome, Sampletank 4 is a great sounding synth etc so the love/hate relationship between their software and the always wonky Product Mangler is a source of constant frustration.

It's like that smoking hot girlfriend that is crazy AF. You put up with her because the bouncy bouncy is so good....

[Caine123]

Ignore my comment

RUN RUN RUN!!!!! you will have a better life without em .

Or ask Peter on the forum, he is so active, always promoting, guess he can help maybe? *aahhahahahaha*
----
wish you good luck to solve this!

[billinder33]

Boink: Minimal Audio
Marry: Fab Filter
Kill: IK Multimedia (and Waves)

[Teksonik]

Well the first step is already frustrating...."You can attach screenshots by replying to your initial ticket". Why can't we just attach screenshots while creating a ticket? That make too much sense?

Usually when you submit a support ticket to a company you get a "we have received your request" response immediately. But nothing from IK yet and yes I checked the Spam folder.

So the "please allow several days for a response" means I can't reply to the ticket to attach screenshots until then? I don't see any way to access the ticket from within my account. Maybe it didn't go through but I'm not going to do the whole process again. I hit submit so after that it's out of my hands.

I don't expect any help from the IK Promotions Department but you'd think that after so many similar reports they'd contact someone in support or QC and say "hey we're getting a lot of complaints".

Maybe they just don't care but hey there's another sale on......

[robelanator]

A few months ago I did a fresh install of Windows 11 and jumped through the IKM hoops, as well. Thankfully, I didn't encounter any runtime errors, just a lot of confusion as to where the sound libraries were being installed. So I can confirm that Miroslav does run on Win11 in Bitwig, at least.

Just doing a quick google search, I see that there is an IKM support page about your specific issue which recommends uninstalling, doing a manual download/install of an older version, and then installing the latest version on top of that:

https://www.ikmultimedia.com/contact-su ... hBUk1PTklL

[Cuauhtli]

Tek, iirc you need to find an old installer version of Philharmonic. The new installer is missing some file or something.

Search on YouTube for philharmonic installation fix or something to that effect for the proper steps.

Basically, you need to install the old version then install the new version. Then you might need to uninstall the old version.

Edit: I see the previous poster covered this.

[Teksonik]

Okay in all fairness I have received a response from IK but it came from "support at klavioservice.com":

"Klaviyo Service is an integrated AI-powered customer service and marketing platform built for ecommerce brands. It combines support ticketing with marketing data".

That would explain why the response was so oblivious to what I wrote in the support ticket. For example it wrote:

"Download and use the new IK Product Manager - Plug in / Sounds / Drivers all are downloaded here. IK Multimedia Product Manager"

In my ticket I made it crystal clear that I already have the Product Manager installed.

"Uninstall the current version of Philharmonik 2 you have installed and restart your system. An uninstall can be done in the Control Panel. Use the Program section's "Uninstall a program" option."

Again I made it clear that I have uninstalled and reinstalled multiple times. No, Philharmonik does not appear in the Installed Apps in Win 11 so it's necessary to use the uninstall .exe found in the installation. So that part of its response was incorrect.

It did say to install 2.0.5 then go to the manager to install 2.0.6 so it's a known problem that IK hasn't fixed.

At any rate these kinds of responses are an insult to paying customers. It's what I call "Poke and Hope" support where they just throw out anything and hope it fixes the issue. It's on the same level as "unplug it and plug it back in" support.

I realize we're in the age of dying customer service because companies think support doesn't generate income and nothing could be farther from the truth. Good service gains you customers and bad service loses you customers and I say that as someone who taught customer service in the Casino industry.

[Teksonik]

Tek, iirc you need to find an old installer version of Philharmonic. The new installer is missing some file or something.

doing a manual download/install of an older version, and then installing the latest version on top of hat:

Ok thanks gentlemen. I'll try installing 2.0.5 then installing 2.0.6 which is something that shouldn't be necessary.

The point is "Support" exists so users don't have to google or search for YouTube videos to find answers.

EDIT: OK that worked. Manually download and install 2.0.5 then install 2.0.6 from the Product Manager. A situation that simply should not exist. Just fix it IK.

Now I have to manually install the sample content because I keep getting the following error when trying to install from the Product Mangler:

IK 070226-5.png