Harry_52Good morning all 🙂 Sorry for this long first post but I am trying to be as thorough as possible.. I have contacted customer support and I must say they have been very responsive but unfortunately unable to resolve my issue so I thought I would see if someone here could help:) I am using a PC with Windows 7 64 bit, AMD Phenom 9750 Quad Core processor, 8GB ram 750 GB HD.. I run 3 different DAW’s : Reaper 64 bit, Mixcraft 64 bit, and Mackie Tracktion 32 bit.. as far as VST folders on my drive I have: VST (most used), VSTARCH (not used anymore or rarely used), and Steinway VST (contains all of my Waves vst’s) My normal path (most used) is directed toward my VST folder.. I am being completely honest in saying that very rarely have I ever had an issue with a .dll file not installing to the correct folder.. when it does not I simply locate it and install it to my VST folder and everything works fine…until now.
I downloaded and installed a purchased version of EZKeys… I chose to install the 64 bit version for obvious reasons… The standalone version appeared on my desktop and performed as it should.. when I went to bring the VST up in (any) of my DAW’s – it simply wasn’t there.. The program decided to install the .dll file to
I had a revelation and decided to uninstall the 64 bit version (along with the updates) and install the 32 bit version… install went perfectly!! .dll file automatically installed to the proper VST folder, shows up and works perfectly in all 3 DAW’s…standalone version works fine…just as a software program should.. Well…it’s not 64 bit but it works so I will just download and install the updates from my account section and move on… WRONG….applying the downloaded updates rendered the software inoperable… yet again…sigh… uninstall/re-install with NO UPDATES…and once again it works fine..so this is where I am at:
Make no mistake – I LOVE this EZKeys program !! Would I buy another Toontrack product? Absolutely ! I do not believe it is a direct product issue…I am just having some install hurdles I am trying to overcome.. I want to purchase a few expansion packs for this program..but I will NOT purchase anything until I resolve this update issue… A friend of mine purchased EZDrummer and the Nashville expansion pack…. He could not install the expansion pack unless he had a”1.1″ update or something – he also had an “update” issue – which was never resolved, therefore he could not install the x-pack.. I will not spend money for an xpack to have it sit on a shelf collecting dust like Nashville Drummer… I am perfectly happy living with the 32 bit version if I could just apply the current updates… but I can’t… The xpacks may still work fine..but I don’t know that….and the answer isn’t gonna be on MY dime.
Spending hard earned money for software, one would like to expect to be able to take full advantage of the purchase.. For me that would equal being able to install the 64 bit version along with all the proper updates and xpacks… Basically, with the 32 bit install, no updates, and no xpacks… I am left with a “crippled” version of the product .. All that said, I do believe I can still find some value in my purchase.. it is indeed an amazing program for keyboard challenged songwriters as myself…it literally save hours and hours of midi programming time…that in itself is worth the price I guess.. but I’m sure you can understand that I would really really really like to use the full 64 bit version.. Customer service has been outstanding in trying to help and I know they are doing their best for me..after all, these ARE computers and at times can be a bit surly..trying to help diagnose and solve a software install issue from miles away is a task I would not myself want to undertake.. So…. I am hoping that with a few suggestions here and some trial and error.. I can get where I want to be and purchase my expansion packs 🙂 I sincerely thank you all in advance for reading this and offering any suggestions 🙂 Now I am going to have a little fun with the EZKeys version I do have:)
Have a great day!!
ScottI installed only the 64-bit version on my Windows 7 64-bit laptop. The default install location for the Standalone version was C:Program FilesToontrackEZkeys, which is a 64-bit path in Windows 7.
The 64-bit .dll has a default install path of ‘C:Program FilesVstPluginsToontrack64bit’ and not ‘C:/ProgramX86/Common Files/Toontrack/Ezkeys/.dll’ which sounds like a custom 32-bit location as the default 32-bit Program Files location should be ‘C:Program Files (x86)’.
Now, manually moving the .dll from the default location is a recipe for disaster as you well discovered. The standalone version will expect to see the .dll in the installed location and any updates will also look in the installed location to update the .dll. If it’s manually moved, there is no way for the standalone to know where you moved it or the updates as well.
The best way to handle things is to either select the location you want using the Custom install option or to use the default install location and then set the path to the .dll in your DAW. For example, in Reaper, I added the ‘C:Program FilesVstPluginsToontrack64bit’ path which is where all my 64-bit Toontrack plugins are installed to. You can set the paths to VSTs from Options->Preferences->Plugins->VST and click the ‘Add’ button and then brows to that location (or any location where you installed the .dll). By doing things this way instead of manually moving the .dll, the DAW knows where to look for the plugin and the standalone and updates will all work.
Now, for your install troubles.
Having the install path for the 64-bit version being any (x86) doesn’t sound right to me. So, the first thing I would do is uninstall EZkeys Player 64-bit from Programs and Features in the Windows 7 Control Panel (and the 32-bit as well if you have it installed). Now, make sure you check your system for any traces of the EZkeys .dll because if you manually moved it, the uninstaller won’t know where to find it to uninstall properly.
Next, run the 1.1.0 EZkeys Player 64-bit update installer you downloaded from your Toontrack account (no need to run the original installer first and then the update). Now, check if the default EZkeys Plugin install location is a 64-bit location (NOT an x86 location). If it is an x86 location, you’ll need to manually create folders so the install path is a 64-bit location. Click the ‘Change’ button for the Plugin Path and back out of the current location until the ‘Look In’ location reads ‘Program Files’ [not ‘Program Files (x86)’]. Then create a New Folder and name it ‘VstPlugins’. Open that newly created folder and create another folder and name it ‘Toontrack’. Open that newly created folder and name it ’64-bit’. Click ‘OK’ when done. If you mess up creating the path from the installer, you can either click ‘Cancel’ and try again or manually create that folder path in Windows itself and just set the path to that location when you run the installer.
Next, check if the ‘Resources’ path is ‘C:Program FilesToontrack’.
When you’re sure of the paths, click the ‘Next’ button and then the ‘Install’ button.
Now, this should install the 64-bit version of the standalone EZkeys player as well as the .dll for your 64-bit hosts to use. As I said above, the 64-bit hosts may need to have the path updated to locate it. I described how to add the path in Reaper but I’m not familiar with Mixcraft. There should be a similar facility for adding paths to VSTs though. Check the manual.
As for the 32-bit Tracktion, the 64-bit EZkeys shouldn’t work at all. You’ll need to install the 32-bit version of EZkeys for use with 32-bit Tracktion. Just make sure that your 64-bit DAWs don’t start using that 32-bit version as this will cause the bit-bridge to be used (at least in Reaper, I don’t know about Mixcraft). So, make sure the EZkeys in your 64-bit DAWs actually read ‘Version 1.1.0 (64-bit)’ at the bottom right corner of GUI.
Changing the install path as described above may sound over-the-top and complicated but it’s to ensure you have a proper install location going forward.
Scott Sibley - Toontrack
Technical Advisor
Harry_52Thank you very much Scott 🙂 That should do it… I will be following all of your steps carefully a little later and will let you know how your solution worked out:) That actually IS something I haven’t tried yet.. Guess it was kind of silly of me to drag a 64 bit .dll into a folder that contains virtually nothing else but 32 bit dll’s…lol.. Hopefully I can order my expansion packs tonight… hooray!! Thanks again Scott:)
Harry
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