SynthEdit & Windows 7 issues

[objectman]

I know people are, like me, having trouble bringing all their old VSTs into their new Windows 7 computer. I use Ableton and I sometimes get a SynthEdit pop-up box ...

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Can't load SE Plugin:The specified module could not be found. . File: C:Program Files (x86)\Vstplugins\Kovalev\psyBOX+v1.1\Converters.sem 

I don't always get it though, so dunno what's going on there. For example all HGFortune VSTs work fine, but the latest one "Tiger" has the same issue (while previous 3 releases of his are 100% fine).

I'm logged in as Admin (there are no other users) so don't know what the deal is.

Anybody got a solution?

(Besides pressing the OK button about 100x to avoid crashing Live - which happens anyway and thereafter simply won't start again until I reboot the computer.)

[davide37]

I know people are, like me, having trouble bringing all their old VSTs into their new Windows 7 computer. I use Ableton and I sometimes get a SynthEdit pop-up box ...

Code: Select all

Can't load SE Plugin:The specified module could not be found. . File: C:Program Files (x86)\Vstplugins\Kovalev\psyBOX+v1.1\Converters.sem 

I don't always get it though, so dunno what's going on there. For example all HGFortune VSTs work fine, but the latest one "Tiger" has the same issue (while previous 3 releases of his are 100% fine).

I'm logged in as Admin (there are no other users) so don't know what the deal is.

Anybody got a solution?

(Besides pressing the OK button about 100x to avoid crashing Live - which happens anyway and thereafter simply won't start again until I reboot the computer.)

This could be due to the limit imposed by Windows 7 on the number of active DLLs (each SynthEdit module basically being a DLL), but I'm surprised that this is happening if you're just using Tiger. I came across this problem before when I tried using a number of HGF VSTs at the same time. It's annoying and there doesn't seem to be a workaround.

[Peter999]

I'm logged in as Admin (there are no other users) so don't know what the deal is.

That there are no other users doesn't mean you are the administrator. The standard login in windows 7 always is a user account. The administrator account is hidden/deactivated by default and has to be activated before in the system settings if you want to make it available as startup option. So I guess you are still in a normal user account which has the user account protection on causing these issues.

You can fix it by setting the default running mode of Live to administrator. To do this right-click on the live program shortcut, choose properties -> compatibility and here check "run as administrator" and then save. This will give Live and its plugins full writing rights (as it was the case in the administrator account). If you still have issues then you may again delete/uninstall the concerned plugins then, refresh the scan, and then install once more.

Alternatively you could have your plugins located in a different place than the program files folder. Or activate and use the administrator account.

EDIT:
Another fix that just came to my mind, maybe even the easiest, would be to change the rights of the vst folder so that writing is allowed: Right-click on the folder, choose properties->security, and here choose the "user" line. Click on the "edit" button to change the rights. In the popup-list check "write" to allow for writing to this folder as user and save.

Technical background:

User account protection re-directs the writing activities of plugins which are located in the protected area (which includes the program files folder) to a mirrored place called "virtual store" (which is a hidden folder in the user area). SE plugins are extracting modules to a folder on first loading if they have not been pre-written by a dedicated installer before (or have been copied manually when provided together with the dll). So in a protected area this writing will be re-directed to virtual store. Normally this re-direct path is also active in reading mode so that the plugin sees its files as if they were in the original place (e.g. works well in Cubase), but in some hosts (e.g. Live) this fails, which means the plugin can't see/find its files which is the error you've described.

[mztk]

try creating a separate directory to contain your VST plugins
outside of 'program files'. eg: on your root drive somewhere,
like:
C:\VST\VST instruments
\VSTfx
this will work round read/write privileges for protected folders
such as 'program files'. then you just add these directories to
your host's VST plugin folders list and restart the host.

[objectman]

I fixed the issue. It has to do with User Account Control
http://www.petri.co.il/disable-uac-in-windows-7.htm

Basically, I right-clicked Live and gave the program (not me) Administrative access. Works like a dream. Now to install U-he's plugs

[biped]

thank you,

i had the same problem with Live, kept giving me errors and after clicking OK 100x, the program crashes.

right-clicking Live and giving it administrative access worked fine for me

thank you again

[objectman]

A big special thank you to Peter. I was so busy trying to get things working I didn't let you know just how useful your post was.

But yeah - Admin ain't admin? How nuts is Windows 7? My bet is Windows 8 will seal Microsoft's coffin. I kinda hope it will as they have been annoying me for years by restarting my computer mid-whatever! I personally hate the idea of clicking on a big square app button on my PC to start Live. Ugh!

/rant & thanks

[Aloysius]

I had an interesting one with Waves GTR 3.5.

It is the only Waves Plugin I have that includes a stand-alone component. It was also the only Waves Plugin I have that wouldn't work properly on Windows 7 with Ableton.

To solve the problem, I had to right-click on the stand-alone GTR3 and 'Run as administrator. Since then, the Plugin(s) and the stand-alone have worked as expected.