tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43999605130823827062024-03-12T18:17:41.938-07:00Ultimate OutsiderNothing but win.Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-44607135292080341642022-05-11T09:00:00.003-07:002022-05-11T11:29:18.224-07:00Arturia V Collection - All Versions Compared<p> <img height="351" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/BSFaVWjp5D930wWZdO74IT4DbldSCkdBV-gvio4IauGIW1IeiNycs1ONB5DWZfm7JXh0rxHKdVX07VI83GeRHj2HwdpAmA6ucbjVee-MDwbgmS6Z-zRwGJimBw54m0qfJR3AKeb00FyPfPtorg" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;" width="624" /></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c9ce2906-7fff-fd64-5b8b-947fa24a0e7b"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In May of 2005, French music software developer Arturia announced a limited-time bundle they called the </span><a href="https://www.arturia.com/company/press/press-releases/arturiaannouncesthevintagecollectionpack" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vintage Collection pack</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It featured four emulations of classic synthesizers: Moog Modular V, CS-80V, ARP 2600 V, and minimoog V- all for the low, low price of $649USD (€555). This collection was only available for purchase during the month of June that year. Five years later, they released another bundle, the newly-dubbed </span><a href="https://www.arturia.com/company/press/press-releases/arturiaannouncesthevcollection2" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">V Collection 2.0</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; adding two new instruments that emulated three vintage synthesizers (Jupiter-8V emulated the Roland Jupiter-8 and Prophet V emulated both the Prophet 5 and the Prophet VS). Ever since then, Arturia has blessed us with a new V Collection about every two years.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I collected all the information I could gather on the various iterations of Arturia's trademark series to build a </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TfY8QVII7d34lDYsvplSk8OtFln6jQlKUZTVglNbXOk/edit?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">worksheet that compares the contents of every version</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. There's also a tab with quick details on each version of the collection (release date, intro price, total # of products), etc.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 351px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TfY8QVII7d34lDYsvplSk8OtFln6jQlKUZTVglNbXOk/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><img height="351" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/QQgyskZljGm45H_6VHqm1kYgcCQjuzqtom_-Y8m0B-y6U7zBNkd7NxoepIpJFujl-Mv6M_Zml6hDJKpb79rSevc1o1OnBaCgr_0ofgRhXxLWdM1FL2jtWqTeFCwrshGAXHAA4h8BwiMI29uung" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></a></span></span></p><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some random Arturia V Collection trivia</span></h1><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">V Collection 2.0 and 3.0 used the Syncrosoft USB licenser for copy protection (the same thing as the Steinberg USB eLicenser), while V Collection 4 was the first version distributed with and activated by the </span><a href="https://support.arturia.com/hc/en-us/sections/4405740851602-Arturia-Software-Center" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arturia Software Center</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (ASC). (They originally called it the </span><a href="https://www.arturia.com/company/press/press-releases/arturiaannouncesavailabilityofvcollection4referencesoftwarecollection" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arturia Software </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Centre</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arturia's drum sampler plugin, </span><a href="https://www.arturia.com/products/drums/spark2" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spark 2</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, was included in V Collection 4, but it was dropped from subsequent V Collection releases, although it's still an actively supported product.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">V Collection 7 was the first to include a sound bank (a collection of presets called </span><a href="https://www.arturia.com/products/sound-banks/synthopedia/overview" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synthopedia</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) in addition to the variety of virtual instruments. V Collection 8 added the </span><a href="https://www.arturia.com/sound-banks/patchworks" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PatchWorks</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sound bank. Owners of these bundles could install the sound banks from their respective collections in the Arturia Software Center.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">V Collection 9 introduced 14 new sound banks to the collection, but instead of installing these from ASC, the banks are now available on the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Store </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tab of Analog Lab V. (You can click the "</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Owned Banks</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" control to display only the sound banks included with your collections.) </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">NOTE</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: As of this writing I am unsure whether PatchWorks and Synthopedia are still included with V Collection 9; the </span><a href="https://www.arturia.com/products/analog-classics/v-collection/details" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">details page currently up</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says there are "14 exclusive sound banks" but if PatchWorks and Synthopedia were included I think the number would be 16.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not every version of every Arturia emulation is included in a V Collection release. For example Modular V was already at 2.0 by the time of the original Vintage Collection pack, and Jupiter-8 had already seen two releases before its introduction in V Collection 2.0.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some of the instrument names have changed over the years. To keep my chart readable, I opted for the more recent/modern names of these plugins. Some examples of changed names: Jupiter-8 V to Jup-8 V, Moog Modular V to Modular V, minimoog V to MiniMg to Mini V, Wurlitzer V to Wurli V, OB-Xa V to OP-Xa V.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.arturia.com/products/drums/spark-vdm" target="_blank">Spark Vintage Drum Machine</a> was included in the original release of <a href="https://www.arturia.com/company/press/press-releases/arturiaannouncesvcollection3_0" target="_blank">V Collection 3</a>, however that product is not listed as an installable option under <b>V Collection 3</b> in the Arturia Software Center.</span></p></li></ul><div><br /></div></span>Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-17770537835342275302022-05-04T09:30:00.007-07:002022-05-16T22:05:39.851-07:00How to Recover Missing Presets in HALion Sonic and Groove Agent<span id="docs-internal-guid-eeac14a2-7fff-14f3-f14c-419bf5c324ed"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 351px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="351" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_mFZuznB6CxmtmiAJ2xBTqO3I1FwfKdPTzNaKl8SOmZEKpkXZM0DK45pwNJSOXrPYzP8SZyvTjC4KWwauSluQOqR738dgbObS54C8kHirelzRtbVvUTMAPh4IsAM2u99_MFPk9DoO5GInDLMBQ" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I've experienced problems with missing plugin presets on nearly every version of Cubase I've used since 2010, and I know I'm not alone. Over the years I've published several articles on how to recover presets in various Steinberg instrument and effect plugins, and they're among some of my most viewed posts. Due to the recent epidemic of Cubase 12 users unable to locate presets for the HALion Sonic SE and Groove Agent SE plugins bundled with Cubase 12, I am back at it again with a brand new guide.</span></p><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Products covered in this post</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This post covers preset issues with the following product versions:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The versions of </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HALion Sonic SE</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Groove Agent SE</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Padshop</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Retrologue </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">included with any flavor of </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cubase 10, 11, or 12</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (or </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nuendo 10, 11, or 12</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The full versions of </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HALion Sonic 3</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HALion 6</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Groove Agent 5</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p></li></ul><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are having trouble with older versions of these plugins, you might find my earlier articles helpful:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/03/solution-fixing-problems-with-missing.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SOLUTION: Fixing Problems with Missing Sounds and Plugins in HALion 5 and HALion Sonic 2</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (March 2015)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2013/07/solution-restoring-midi-inserts-presets.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SOLUTION: Restoring MIDI Inserts Presets in Steinberg Cubase</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (July 2013)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2012/05/solution-reverence-cannot-locate.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SOLUTION: REVerence Cannot Locate Impulse Response File</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (May 2012)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2012/04/solution-groove-agent-one-failed-to.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SOLUTION: Groove Agent ONE Failed to Locate Samples</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (April 2012)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2012/04/solution-halionone-could-not-be-found.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SOLUTION: HALionOne Could Not Be Found</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (April 2012)</span></p></li></ul><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also, please note that I'm a Windows user, and some of the information here is Windows-specific. Most of the information here should be valid for MacOS too, though.</span></p><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before you start (important!)</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The steps in this article all assume that your Steinberg products are all properly licensed and activated. I have confirmed with other Cubase users that some plugin preset problems are the result of improperly activated products, and the steps in the following sections won't help you in that case. So before you go any further, please check the following:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are using any Steinberg product released <i>after </i>December 2021 (Cubase 12, Nuendo 12, Dorico 4, etc):</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Launch the Steinberg Activation Manager and confirm that your installed Steinberg product is both listed and activated. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It should look like this:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgms7h_HjEVzUizAgHhCkvMwMAcxViDswMUtc2AAd0htRYVTuMkpC866yIieTXaT4rl6HjRn4-OrOV4EDIzmZBi2_y2n--n3eks-ys4HxrJYEJlB03kaMQ9Y65qycgpPqNV5Oyn61tPNgd9scJHvRg7fKwGze3fg4aHKC3ybkrDQ5_x1yQ0XCywhvgbeg/s884/Cubase%20Pro%2012%20Activated.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="884" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgms7h_HjEVzUizAgHhCkvMwMAcxViDswMUtc2AAd0htRYVTuMkpC866yIieTXaT4rl6HjRn4-OrOV4EDIzmZBi2_y2n--n3eks-ys4HxrJYEJlB03kaMQ9Y65qycgpPqNV5Oyn61tPNgd9scJHvRg7fKwGze3fg4aHKC3ybkrDQ5_x1yQ0XCywhvgbeg/w400-h281/Cubase%20Pro%2012%20Activated.png" width="400" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">If you see the product listed, but it's in the "<b>Not Activated</b>" state, just click the <b>Activate </b>button. If you instead see a "<b>Verification Pending</b>" status, that is probably because you purchased an update/upgrade/crossgrade license and you have not yet completed the license upgrade process. Please see <a href="https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/en-us/articles/4412560691986-Steinberg-Licensing-Verification-Pending-" target="_blank">this Steinberg support article</a> to learn how to properly activate your newly purchased product, and then come back here if you still have problems!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are using any Steinberg product released <i>before </i>December 2021</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">At the time I'm writing this (May 2022), most of Steinberg's products still use the eLicenser system, whether it's the USB eLicenser dongle or the "soft eLicenser" that's stored on your computer. Even if you own one of the new Steinberg Licensing products, if you wish to use any products that still use eLicenser, that license has to be available on the PC where you're currently trying to solve your problems. Launch the eLicenser Control Center now and confirm your pre-existing licenses are available. (If they're not, any eLicenser-based product, including plugin preset content, will not be available for you to use.) For example, even though I'm using Cubase 12, I also use the full versions of Groove Agent 5 and HALion 6, which are included in Absolute VST Collection 5- which is eLicenser based. So I still need to use my USB eLicenser:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49DiHQtPjpJfQel3iCuMTvzGZEGeLvEv2S4WiMaoaFEp1Q1SrfOuUpnYR-u64E3GzgULyKlWy4NzCnGednOBvagG3KJfieiIp-pwn4tp4tJay3Ari9MuLhebidtrqGJShF3dU6Bhru4Z-r4FXBf6DJ3SNa32u6L1aBi9lFhp6V9OztpvA1JZX8DYxSQ/s852/elcc%20absolute%205.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="852" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49DiHQtPjpJfQel3iCuMTvzGZEGeLvEv2S4WiMaoaFEp1Q1SrfOuUpnYR-u64E3GzgULyKlWy4NzCnGednOBvagG3KJfieiIp-pwn4tp4tJay3Ari9MuLhebidtrqGJShF3dU6Bhru4Z-r4FXBf6DJ3SNa32u6L1aBi9lFhp6V9OztpvA1JZX8DYxSQ/w400-h280/elcc%20absolute%205.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once you're sure ALL your installed Steinberg products are licensed/activated, you can safely proceed to the next section.<br /></span><p></p><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. Check the Steinberg Library Manager</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most Steinberg instruments have separate installers for the instruments and presets/library content. If HALion Sonic or Groove Agent aren't displaying any preset patches or kits, you should first check whether any of that content is currently installed. Also, even if the content </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">installed, sometimes you still need to run the Library Manager after installation to register the content with other Steinberg applications and plugins. If you 've never heard of this program, don't worry- you probably already have it installed.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Launch the Steinberg Library Manager (the </span><a href="https://o.steinberg.net/en/support/content_and_accessories/steinberg_download_assistant.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steinberg Download Assistant</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> installs and updates this application on your computer automatically). If Windows asks whether to allow the app to make changes to your device, click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 468px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="468" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/J5Pza9iDTzi6K80ibU0Yt38D66H9slH52LBmSgwGxq1kE8imygM12yfS3ha2pPoSIeXmKLHYc-I1s_uq_jjA6spVlyHif1IW6V5BIAh9HJGt5R3ptV_KXpuNlrCo2c1YpIQw1aC4qfsehdg75w" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Check the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HALION </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">GROOVE AGENT</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tabs in the library manager to see what packages are currently installed on your system. If these lists are empty, or if one or more content packages you're expecting to see aren't displayed here (or if you don't see these tabs at all) then proceed to the section about installing/re-installing plugins and content.</span></p></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HALION tab in Steinberg Library Manager (Cubase Elements 12 libraries)</span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 535px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="535" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/kFvNZRGU7pBGTeYKRFsZKCFiuq88W2b4WuLpYDU0PLI94ZbeN6UUrR6M6YZByxC5EYJtmTnes9sugg4e1bCNcGKXUF1rhJBnOwSO8rKCdiNOlZeLtGMTnvYWYWr0mb6BZKEjao9y4wMJmnHIeA" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">GROOVE AGENT tab in Steinberg Library Manager (Cubase Elements 12 libraries)</span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 535px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="535" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Qvfg-5urjE5TkJP6LziGIZWntwN6jMK_AFb_C_T5dPUDGTJpXirwqPqyl6SZXD0WHie94wNtoPmFVRdyu49h4QH-8155IxmxjoNhjsOZhatWNiCVHH06IETe0peIGP5pDqmmlQ7o0ygj4UZ2NA" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some notes about Steinberg content libraries</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most sample and preset content for Steinberg plugins is delivered in the form of VSTSound files, which can be installed in a number of locations on your computer. Depending on the specific plugin, you'll generally find the VSTsound files buried somewhere in one of these locations:</span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span style="color: #434343; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ProgramData Steinberg Content Directory</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ProgramData is usually a hidden directory. You can always access it by opening up a File Explorer window and entering the following at the address bar: </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">%ProgramData%</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Under </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ProgramData</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, you should find a </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steinberg </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">folder, which contains a folder named </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Content</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Inside here there are a number of directories containing VSTSound files.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On my computer, there are Groove Agent files in both these locations:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C:\ProgramData\Steinberg\Content\Groove Agent\VST Sound</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C:\ProgramData\Steinberg\Content\VST Sound</span></p></li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span style="color: #434343; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The AppData Steinberg Content Directory</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Each user profile on a Windows computer contains a hidden AppData folder. Unlike ProgramData, which is the same location on almost every Windows PC, the exact path of your AppData directory depends on your username. You can always access it by opening up a File Explorer window and entering the following at the address bar: </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">%AppData%</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Under </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AppData\Roaming</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, you should find a </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steinberg </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">folder, which contains a folder named </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Content</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Inside here there are a number of directories containing VSTSound files.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On my computer, there are Groove Agent files in both these locations:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C:\Users\joshm\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\Content\Groove Agent\VST Sound</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C:\Users\joshm\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\Content\VST Sound</span></p></li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span style="color: #434343; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Choosing other locations</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Steinberg content installers rarely (if ever) ask where you would like these large files installed. If you ever need to relocate the files, it's recommended you use the Steinberg Library Manager to do this, as this program serves as a sort of preset database to many Steinberg applications and plugins. If you manually move the VSTSound files to another location outside the normal Steinberg Content directories, your plugins won't know where to look for them.</span></p><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. Install or re-install the latest plugins and content for your version of Cubase/Nuendo</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you already had a prior version of Cubase installed before upgrading to the latest version, you might have been tempted to install only the updated version of Cubase and any brand-new components it came with, rather than re-installing the plugins you already had. It doesn't help that the Download Assistant doesn't always show you all the content you have access to (you can't always trust the "My product downloads" section, for example), and each individual Cubase distribution includes dozens of separate installers. But hear me out…</span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Always run all plugin/content installers when you update/upgrade Cubase or Nuendo</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you update/upgrade to a new version of Cubase, you should always run the installers of the included plugins and content that shipped with the new version, even if you already have some version of them installed. Here's why:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Re-installing can fix issues with missing presets.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Newer versions of Cubase can come with newer versions of the plugins.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Newer versions of Cubase can also include updated content libraries, with more presets.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It can fix licensing issues. Even if they come "free" with your purchase of Cubase, all plugins and libraries included with Cubase are licensed for that Cubase version. If you don't run the new installers, for example, you might have the Cubase 11 versions of HALion Sonic SE and Groove Agent SE installed (which might require a USB eLicenser) running on Cubase 12 (which doesn't use eLicenser at all). </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Note</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: At the time of this writing, this tip mostly applies to Cubase since it was the first Steinberg product to switch to the new licensing method, but all Steinberg products will eventually make this change. You will definitely want to re-install all Absolute VST Collection plugins when the next version drops, for example.</span></p></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beware of the "My product downloads" section</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I recently interacted with a fellow who didn't have any HALion or Groove Agent presets, and when he showed me a screenshot of his Steinberg Download Assistant, I knew exactly what the problem was. Since he had previously purchased an update from an earlier version of Cubase to Cubase 11, the Download Assistant placed a trimmed-down "</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cubase Pro 11 Update</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" selection in his "</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My product downloads</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" list instead of the full </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cubase Pro 11</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> package. Unfortunately, this option didn't include any plugin content at all- just the plugin installers!
</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 397px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="397" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/UarhnGLGeNGA2AHwRiNm0B3OQNTkpotYHmIho8sfcA7cK_Qlmj92NtWBl2s515EgrgIi9BukkRKINGAyZ03sJ9bx6LBjBuxfIhUu_8NcTN72Z-FGWHMmVqWsajrym5SmcthUQ-8Vat20IygNMA" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instead of relying on "</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My product downloads</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">," simply locate the version of Cubase (or other Steinberg product) you know you own so you can be sure to see the full list of installers for that product. For example, note the difference between my acquaintance's screenshot above and the full </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cubase Pro 11</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> selection below:
</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 421px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="421" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/s41Tjxy6wWGbuEaWM2Ec_jEMZI2xbjWHlvGsN-OJpXGq2GNETgkhNaJVLq-95kMO7mzWLZJ6Sfx-XkzKJcG74EU1FUbnjZy3pI0ZHqjK0HF4YPGXksiwn15NVjGAdD8fs48HCZk0sInwnPE4iQ" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. Re-run Steinberg Library Manager</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you had to install or re-install any content in the previous step, make sure to run Steinberg Library Manager once more, for two reasons:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So you can check that the content packs installed correctly; check the HALION and GROOVE AGENT for the individual libraries.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To allow the Library Manager to register the newly installed content with your other Steinberg apps and plugins. The Library Manager does this automatically whenever you launch it.</span></p></li></ul><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. Force HALion or Groove Agent to rescan for presets</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now that you've double-checked that the latest content is installed, you will probably need to force your plugins to find the new presets. This applies to all versions of HALion, HALion Sonic, and Groove Agent. (Retrologue and Padshop don't require this step.)</span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Groove Agent and Groove Agent SE</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you don't have the right-side panel open, click the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Show/Hide Load Panel</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> button, select the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kits </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tab, and make sure "</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All Instrument Sets</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" is selected.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 623px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="623" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/fUnPTxeCEMBiyViHjdLd9QwviGCTCI1a9bEtlVL8Y6ULrb4hkJbbCKEMk3aqO4Yd1uqFdK30YjSakVarJns86lwu6p6EIoCXmFKraT875q6QpFnVNmJu2ua-a6HuB8N2rfnBhpHldK0zw0XBaw" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next click the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rescan Disk</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> button on the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kits </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tab. It can take a couple of minutes to perform the full scan. If everything's working you should see your list begin to populate.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 694px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 400px;"><img height="694" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/H_C5aPJTqSANzrLL_lhx2Xe3ZaoFn_CNs_IwnTRsXtAmo6y_tNXQ4KGmr9507m_uZ00etZ52hqeqBBnx5ub-adCMjhBqkZ3ESwhsjvFFNOXcKbYMLkaURK9dXvHNFe7vdGsW-nKSyfJAM-5Trg" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="400" /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HALion Sonic and HALion Sonic SE</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Load </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tab, make sure </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All Instrument Sets</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is selected and then click the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rescan Disk</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> button. It can take a couple of minutes to scan all of the content.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 440px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 612px;"><img height="440" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_FCiKZGJ7pJXGz65d_YwJ8lQpjBri4JINfZlwEog9XgSZm1t7AEOL_UOujE8T5MPbY2Qxph9deUbvLcG6TeHsKqCSKYJ0Vag7bYnqFjywkUwm5CCG1jcVDMHOGX6yVvyPcv-mOatEcNvQUjXmQ" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="612" /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HALion (full version)</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the full version of HALion 6, select the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LOAD/REC</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tab, and then select the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MEDIABAY </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tab, and then make sure </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All Instrument Sets</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is selected. Next, click the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rescan Disk</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> button. It can take a couple of minutes to scan the presets.
</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 465px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="465" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/gXswoc-U_K74moF4Gm46GIYF0LD2vn3L68f_F1skqBurEhs2n4cZsKPhlXebSB00TosKWzkUtthS2fIrHr7piZq435wX3wizla_ptqlJa2qNN6Qpo2asZDX6gN-W4qeVk6XG1mw_zkCZjbCPXQ" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you've reached this point, you should be good to go!</span></p><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Related issues</span></h1><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Groove Agent "No license found" and "preset could not be loaded"</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While writing this article I encountered another problem that I was able to resolve by following these same steps. On a computer where I had initially installed Cubase Elements, I later installed Cubase Artist- but I only installed the Artist application; I didn't install the "Artist" versions of the plugins or content. When I opened a Cubase project that used Groove Agent, I was first greeted by a dialog that said, "The preset could not be loaded. This can happen if the preset was saved by a newer version of this plug-in or by an incompatible plug-in."</span></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 152px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 456px;"><img height="152" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/pyrx1fI_29BT5oGs0J5Kd_jVcjajc2WJqw1FunUyaaExXZWhMiA3x5Qd8QzbSUyH1aHyps8wfCoK1ii1luhKWmYsteerl6E70iLVvXfx_23ChLMCsxVucPsaCRQFcIorZIAuqLJ2IHUo-eb6jg" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="456" /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And when the main plugin window opened, it was unusable, and there was a big "No License found" message plastered across the user interface. I was able to fix these issues by installing the Cubase Artist versions of both Groove Agent SE and its associated content.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 419px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="419" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/54rgHFuQ500fF8BCP9WDFAwqfe4uP1_Qbzpfj4DWc-_De1gRIfBUT4Z3iDpNNPSk1g1gCY6olPWUV-JsKnOqEZ9zlORMa6Nc2m1Hq5lgHsEvj2NtYXqoougEygeIZ0uWk-5rT9EZ_X2ic-SHhw" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><br /><h2 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #434343; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unable to add plugins to a project even though they're properly installed</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This one really caught me by surprise. I was adding an Instrument track to a Cubase project, but when I was prompted to choose the desired plugin I couldn't find HALion 6 or Groove Agent 5 in the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instrument </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">list of the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add Track</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> dialog. I knew the plugins were installed, because I use them all the time!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But then I glanced over at the right-side panel of my project window and realized what was wrong- I was using a custom plugin collection that didn't include either of those plugins! You can create and manage custom plugin collections in the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Studio </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">VST Plug-in Manager</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> dialog. This gives you a way to surface only your most used plugins for a given project- but it has the effect of hiding any installed plugins that aren't in your selected collection! To fix this problem I just selected the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Default </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">plugin collection (which automatically contains all plugins), and I was then able to load those instruments in my project.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can switch plugin collections by selecting the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Media </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tab in the right zone of the project window and choosing the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">VST Instruments</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> option. There, you can select your desired collection from the drop-down list. This picture shows the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Default </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">collection.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 447px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 455px;"><img height="447" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/eY2uGj3LpXuCg_9pG-GP7djlVXSyUS1Q0Mci7xCwyHqGUmIl9wuqNDt_tPh--2_Gzb5y7HxVPR6E2oBaAp0niQ7BY8najzNXJnlQC4Yja08wwZ1KRsvpEvlNqm_jHuQbgakcgscbjDghRG1FdA" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="455" /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cannot load presets marked by a red circle with a line through it</span></span></h2><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Both HALion Sonic and Groove Agent place a red and white icon before the names of presets that are currently installed but not correctly licensed. The number one cause of this problem is accidentally installing a version of the plugin content that was not included in the version of Cubase or Nuendo that you purchased. For example, if you own Cubase Elements 12, but you installed the Cubase Pro 12 version of HALion Sonic SE Content, there would be presets on your system that you are not licensed to use.</span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhm0pZmZQjWk9TtQlt3v6DWBMaGYdmqgNadvQp6T1jGGptLU3DtJt4cJyS6BTXfBhil6c2Xc0oyVqZoqI-xLum81Ul0s-fSN5TZKiwlMqDREhssoVvRdeprPsqb9zno_mgpPpUWmP08BHuzWpdHi5tzKbTLftphNaf5kj2JihEyxRduW28KVlwz6rL2A/s427/cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="427" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhm0pZmZQjWk9TtQlt3v6DWBMaGYdmqgNadvQp6T1jGGptLU3DtJt4cJyS6BTXfBhil6c2Xc0oyVqZoqI-xLum81Ul0s-fSN5TZKiwlMqDREhssoVvRdeprPsqb9zno_mgpPpUWmP08BHuzWpdHi5tzKbTLftphNaf5kj2JihEyxRduW28KVlwz6rL2A/s320/cropped.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Unlicensed presets in HALion Sonic SE.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bqUn4x6VCSz3YyGkHpC7CRU9dKgas5ndYscp3rf4SKDebIEEebi7rioTC_1SLhPZOo2rSLTAXJJgDIfeefvToc5Cne8a86qv9dSS3Tq0IuK-1ub1st1iO8_AIBZYoj7iV4WyIguif6nUMd51nag1lE75tLgUpQhjjyDZtG57Tj9KlOFFVOQbiBxSFA/s600/Groove%20Agent%20No%20License%20Load%20Kit%202.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bqUn4x6VCSz3YyGkHpC7CRU9dKgas5ndYscp3rf4SKDebIEEebi7rioTC_1SLhPZOo2rSLTAXJJgDIfeefvToc5Cne8a86qv9dSS3Tq0IuK-1ub1st1iO8_AIBZYoj7iV4WyIguif6nUMd51nag1lE75tLgUpQhjjyDZtG57Tj9KlOFFVOQbiBxSFA/s320/Groove%20Agent%20No%20License%20Load%20Kit%202.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Unlicensed presets in Groove Agent SE.</i></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The thing is, it may not even be your fault! For example, as of the time I am writing this, the Cubase Artist version of the "HALion Sonic SE 3.5 - Content" installer places the Cubase Pro versions of the HALion presets on your computer, even though your version of Cubase Artist isn't able to load them.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So the first thing to do here is to figure out if the unloadable presets are even supposed to load in your version of Cubase/Nuendo/Dorico. I am not sure what all comes with the different editions of Nuendo or Dorico, but here is a list of which instrument sets work in which versions of Cubase:</span></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">HALion Sonic SE instrument sets</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Different Cubase flavors support different HALion Sonic instrument sets:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Cubase Elements</b>: HS SE Artist, HS SE Basic, TRIP</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Cubase Artist</b>: Flux, HS SE Artist, HS SE Basic, HS SE Hybrid, TRIP, Verve</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Cubase Pro</b>: Flux, HS SE Artist, HS SE Basic, HS SE Hybrid, HS SE Pro, TRIP, Verve</span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Groove Agent SE instrument sets</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Currently, all included Groove Agent sets work in all major flavors of Cubase:</span></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Cubase Elements</b>, <b>Artist</b>, and <b>Pro</b>: Allen Morgan Signature Drums, Laser Beams, Production Grooves, Rock Pop Toolbox, SE Kits, SE Studio Kit, The Kit SE</span></li></ul></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seeing which instrument sets you have installed</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just because you have a given pack installed doesn't mean it will necessarily work in your version of Cubase, Nuendo, or Dorico. To see which packs you currently have installed, in both HALion Sonic and Groove Agent, just click the "<b>All Instrument Sets</b>" button in the preset browser, which brings up a thumbnail view of the installed sets.
</span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPClwoBHAwROEzVKX4Ih2uPFsdruFYxI9MBVihRsMhTd_UQbejaiKxBxSCORmM_tdtP5Y8b5ChB8lRbVTmcP8QqzCj-l0uRGhCIOUJRrSCDA_rYtbYwURD8ah4wyf_sHu-tVT4E9UrQttmF4-bOw3NKH-xF-ZB8JA3tI0EYXRi-m1YHhN-rynB4mfGjw/s900/Halion%20Sonic%20all%20Artist%20Sets.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="900" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPClwoBHAwROEzVKX4Ih2uPFsdruFYxI9MBVihRsMhTd_UQbejaiKxBxSCORmM_tdtP5Y8b5ChB8lRbVTmcP8QqzCj-l0uRGhCIOUJRrSCDA_rYtbYwURD8ah4wyf_sHu-tVT4E9UrQttmF4-bOw3NKH-xF-ZB8JA3tI0EYXRi-m1YHhN-rynB4mfGjw/s320/Halion%20Sonic%20all%20Artist%20Sets.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The above instrument sets are currently installed with Cubase Artist 12, even though the HS SE Pro set doesn't work with Cubase Artist.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the instrument set you're having problems with is <u>supposed to</u> work with your flavor of Cubase, Nuendo, or Dorico:</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If it's a set that should be loadable but currently isn't, the best way to fix this is to:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quit all Steinberg applications, then open the<b> Apps & Features</b> control panel in Windows and uninstall the options for <b>Steinberg HALion Sonic SE 3 Component</b> and <b>Steinberg HALion Sonic SE Content</b>. (The same applies to <b>Steinberg Groove Agent SE 5 Component</b> and <b>Steinberg Groove Agent SE Content</b> if you're having problems with Groove Agent instead.)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Launch Steinberg Download Assistant and be sure to select your version and flavor of Cubase or Nuendo (example: if you own Cubase Artist 12, navigate to <b>Cubase </b>> <b>Cubase Artist 12</b>).</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Install both the <b>Instrument </b>and <b>Content </b>downloads for <b>HALion Sonic SE</b> or <b>Groove Agent SE</b>, depending on which plugin you're having trouble with.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Launch the Steinberg Library Manager to register the newly-installed content.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Close the Library Manager, launch Cubase, and open a project that uses the plugin. You should find all listed presets are now loadable.</span></li></ul><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the instrument set <u>isn't</u> supposed to work with your flavor of Cubase:</span></span></h4></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you've determined that the non-loading presets are in an instrument set that's not supposed to work with your Steinberg product, you can at least remove the problem instrument set so it doesn't clutter your preset browser with sounds you're unable to use.</span></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quit Cubase/Nuendo/Dorico.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Launch the Steinberg Library Manager and look at the appropriate tab for your plugin (<b>HALION</b>, <b>GROOVE AGENT</b>, etc.)</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Locate the instrument set you wish to remove and click its <b>Remove </b>button.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the program asks if you're sure you want to remove the instrument set, click <b>Move to Trash</b>.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsNQPq78NEUmJe68zxUTsuqc1sgZoK8hlshCM4OgAxuWoGMtY3nveBt9Vyd_Y4Vmcz1-G0Ci7nNnNqCmqf8nc04zhEe03eHdvlxqyRH9Jj8L9SfRFfRCgcwQ4XKKBKGBKmujg-CCchiwzbMFXGuEAhlrhbO3b8fFZr9Vy1VG3TyuW1qhJ1pcsdSi07A/s950/cubase%2008%20library%20manager%20remove%20sonic%20se%20pro.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="950" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsNQPq78NEUmJe68zxUTsuqc1sgZoK8hlshCM4OgAxuWoGMtY3nveBt9Vyd_Y4Vmcz1-G0Ci7nNnNqCmqf8nc04zhEe03eHdvlxqyRH9Jj8L9SfRFfRCgcwQ4XKKBKGBKmujg-CCchiwzbMFXGuEAhlrhbO3b8fFZr9Vy1VG3TyuW1qhJ1pcsdSi07A/s320/cubase%2008%20library%20manager%20remove%20sonic%20se%20pro.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Note</b>: When the Library Manager removes a library, it really does move the files to the trash/Recycle Bin. You can empty your Recycle Bin to delete the files permanently.<br />
</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4FwdljjdPnoJ3nT7s7l7RsyneHUHDP424nZAUCBXgKVbsqpZeP7Os-bpWDkl_GuC3NfsAJQI2LWCRhYm-Md0-mT2qCanPJRC3SMpB2gaE8Il4rvwyuQg9mOU81VkpCceve-7QMG6bNDDsYpdFp657CftlK6SGirz4YtAlmb5ZcLG3DrGBqe04IBLWQ/s1181/cubase%2009%20halion%20presets%20moved%20to%20trash.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="1181" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4FwdljjdPnoJ3nT7s7l7RsyneHUHDP424nZAUCBXgKVbsqpZeP7Os-bpWDkl_GuC3NfsAJQI2LWCRhYm-Md0-mT2qCanPJRC3SMpB2gaE8Il4rvwyuQg9mOU81VkpCceve-7QMG6bNDDsYpdFp657CftlK6SGirz4YtAlmb5ZcLG3DrGBqe04IBLWQ/s320/cubase%2009%20halion%20presets%20moved%20to%20trash.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-small;">HS SE Pro VST Sound files in the Windows Recycle Bin.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The next time you launch Cubase/Nuendo/Dorico, you will probably receive several prompts indicating that a VST Sound Library was not found. Click <b>Remove </b>on each of these prompts to remove them from your DAW's database of VST Sound files.
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhl_25lMtFlcfH7ZgNCdjgFcdBONHDYhpMUKZzfqzgPUwjczhJ9RrY_-oyL5fZMMP7MtEg1313S4dISBCDiWbgYTWLXPMt_Qhtnla4yvtWU4dPBuXKprgOKRH26KWGRirH60ANs2lIbvv5hW8ZNktb7Tmav3kY4MgQs_1peYeKtVLX1Qjj8HWWslx1bA/s750/cubase%2011%20vst%20sound%20library%20not%20found.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="750" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhl_25lMtFlcfH7ZgNCdjgFcdBONHDYhpMUKZzfqzgPUwjczhJ9RrY_-oyL5fZMMP7MtEg1313S4dISBCDiWbgYTWLXPMt_Qhtnla4yvtWU4dPBuXKprgOKRH26KWGRirH60ANs2lIbvv5hW8ZNktb7Tmav3kY4MgQs_1peYeKtVLX1Qjj8HWWslx1bA/s320/cubase%2011%20vst%20sound%20library%20not%20found.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-small;"><i>Click Remove to clean up the VST Sound database after removing an instrument set.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />
</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you now open up the plugin where you were having preset issues, you should now find that only presets that actually work in your Steinberg product are listed.
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1LM259dNOS-zX8Alw6jBJZ5acZiIq1crJqR9qp4DYlJAfpKHLLZWNYMWyi61jLYKLFStDjyqOl1h2vn0GK5f8bFzJ0b2wT_EtwNyzN9OxY34HVd5BoEGvWMMNzzNJZGmvhC2o0CEac5mhN0VrLef2l7Fp9fadsoUMeITzA5I3cUM7hFs6QaPcZE14Ww/s758/cubase%2013%20halion%20artist%20kits%20only%20now.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="758" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1LM259dNOS-zX8Alw6jBJZ5acZiIq1crJqR9qp4DYlJAfpKHLLZWNYMWyi61jLYKLFStDjyqOl1h2vn0GK5f8bFzJ0b2wT_EtwNyzN9OxY34HVd5BoEGvWMMNzzNJZGmvhC2o0CEac5mhN0VrLef2l7Fp9fadsoUMeITzA5I3cUM7hFs6QaPcZE14Ww/s320/cubase%2013%20halion%20artist%20kits%20only%20now.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-small;"><i>The correct list of HALion Sonic SE Sets for Cubase Artist.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />
</span></span></li></ul></div></span>Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-37192245898289342472022-04-20T09:21:00.004-07:002022-05-05T21:46:02.680-07:00Updating or Upgrading to Cubase 12: A Step-by-step Walkthrough<p><img height="331" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/h6u3j_7SeLDIPe_m8yxIy8wN9WEf61rejL_rmDhWnNGRbN_1m00FZJYNuHSS2eC-TEaFzMdV_bnKF5Hk8PVmR2uvWlVEeh25mL3zjkHtz_dQFiUkR3LYCQVwQHTXO1QLfUiv4mFQ" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;" width="624" /></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-172c0fed-7fff-52d6-54b2-cc3a93ebb345"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ever since Cubase 12 launched, every Cubase-related message board and Facebook group I visit is full of owners of prior Cubase versions struggling to update their rigs to version 12. This is partly because Steinberg is transitioning from their controversial </span><a href="https://www.steinberg.net/elicenser/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">USB eLicensers</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to their new </span><a href="https://www.steinberg.net/licensing/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steinberg Licensing</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> copy protection scheme, and partly because the update process is complex, involving many steps across a number of apps and web pages. I hope to clear up some of this confusion with my complete walkthrough of the update/upgrade process.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Several Steinberg products sometimes come in different flavors (Pro, Artist, Elements, AI, LE) as well as different versions (1-12). In Steinberg's terminology, an "update" is when you move from an older version number to the latest version (in our example, 7.5 to 12), and an "upgrade" is when you move from a limited flavor of Cubase to a more full-featured one (for example, upgrading from Cubase Elements to Cubase Pro). Prices vary depending on the product you're updating/upgrading from- if you are a long-time customer you might have multiple possible choices, so be sure to review all your options.</span></p><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before you start</span></h1><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have your Steinberg ID credentials handy, because you will be logging in to various Steinberg sites and apps along the way. You can confirm your credentials by logging into the </span><a href="https://signin.steinberg.net/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steinberg Sign In page</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you have ever used the </span><a href="https://shop.steinberg.net/c2/shop?ml=EN&mode=info" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steinberg Shop</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> before, you will want those credentials on-hand as well. Your Steinberg shop account is separate from your Steinberg ID/MySteinberg account. If you use different passwords for the two sites (like I do), make sure you have both. You only use the Steinberg Shop for eCommerce transactions (paying for new purchases, updates, or upgrades), while you use your Steinberg ID for everything else (downloads, activation, forums). If you don't already have a Steinberg Shop account, you can create one during the checkout process.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also, make sure that you have Steinberg eLicenser Control Center installed on the computer where you plan to run Cubase 12, and that the Cubase license you plan to upgrade is available. <b>You will not be able to properly activate your new product without access to the old license.</b> I am going to be updating my Cubase Artist 7.5 license, which is stored on my USB eLicenser dongle that is currently plugged in. If you are upgrading from Cubase Elements, AI, or LE, your license might be on the Soft-eLicenser rather than on a USB dongle. While your old Cubase license needs to be available for this process, you do not have to have the old version currently installed in order to perform the upgrade. Cubase 12 installs into a different directory from prior versions, and does not rely on or conflict with other versions of the product. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 436px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="436" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/12709iUpdBVvN7rCCHSu_rRZfi3B6CoReYtLf2i_rU0hrgzBX1vdQGde5eyh9hvFQNLEDaoo6EYZfMFVFrDdF-XLxDLtxwPvyoFpSLv3WBW6qPzABYTEgTRwzKmaV_PjuF9py1fd" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While this article includes information about how to purchase an update/upgrade from a different Cubase version, most of the steps also apply to Cubase 11 owners who qualify for the free </span><a href="https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/en-us/articles/4408738020498-Free-Grace-Period-Update-to-Cubase-12" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cubase 12 Grace Period update</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. If you believe you qualify (if you activated your Cubase 11 license after November 9, 2021), you can follow </span><a href="https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/en-us/articles/115001891190-How-to-verify-eligibility-for-free-Grace-Period-update-" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">these steps described at Steinberg's site</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and then skip to the "</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Downloading and installing Cubase 12</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" section of this article. </span></p></li></ul><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purchasing the upgrade</span></h1><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Go to </span><a href="https://www.steinberg.net/cubase/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steinberg's Cubase page</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy Cubase 12</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and then click which flavor of Cubase you wish to purchase. For this article I am updating to Cubase Artist 12, so I'll pick </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy Cubase Artist 12</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 408px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="408" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/3IdUTkGQmj0Ry9-FoNLH38U7XmeGoOufK_cHtAU7JnojlaLWTOtFw4I4TPuW9qUhHfEb8jXB_bt54LvXfCbJLmaaxdqgYEBPGWpu399CtKO6-KYdy3BqoqO6dk5iSgEozoAhYYSv" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the next page, select the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Updates & upgrades</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tab, choose the option that applies to you, and then click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add to Cart</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Here I am choosing the option to update from Cubase Artist 7.5. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Note</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: It is very important to choose the correct option here, if you choose to update/upgrade from a version that isn't on your eLicenser, you will not be able to activate Cubase 12! </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 373px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="373" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/0q_JMpZpUEkTJDlEF5UaDBZcjbBz95O1qwYiVuNuN7MyfohngU8prpoMxEP8YlzzOFWWrvl3A8jdWPSsFFDqwYeYH6Hxd9X8qVwTc5UjIOFv0ee5quBb_PdGKG1NOU3BK2squNf5" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After you add the update/upgrade to your cart, you can choose whether to redeem a coupon code (if you have one), continue shopping, or proceed to checkout, which I am doing now.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 365px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="365" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Esxu0r0-K6ZuE6cYu1M4-CfobYOQpdbHuBzrnQUULu6lpSyyMPqqOJVP07OtB3ln7bTW88QhqHWAm0C6hlNBV3JIVTgnwAoU6fBNH5kcQdTRlyvN_d6zm5pyCfL2nCVxjxCbMA4K" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you have credentials for the Steinberg Shop, you can click the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LOG-IN</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> button on the "</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Address Details</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" step of the checkout process. (Remember, this might be a different password from the one you use for license activation.) If you successfully log in to your shop account, the "</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Billing Address</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" info will populate automatically. Otherwise, just fill out your billing info here and click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Go On to Overview and Payment</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at the bottom of the page. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Note</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: I had problems logging in at this step, even though I was using the correct credentials. I disabled my browser's ad blocker (uBlock Origin), and that allowed me to log in successfully. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 508px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="508" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/5hhpftoZrS0IngWMPY00QAwryRiPali0TgggStv9hrPL-g5o3z9ixdiHXdiwC18X5QXdOQO5UEeQ77zIS-o_ZHrz_tPDTb792DhItW5ZixGIzK4uJcu1F-C9dCSTENkLeQmBryJY" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the "</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Payment</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" step of checkout, fill in your payment details and click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Go On To Overview & Payment</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at the bottom of the page. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 335px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="335" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/XVejHlaHS6Gb_V-runqXLPp70jTM_v6gRpjrVFuC0Y0b_6-wIeAPCavYKIkYOP3nKdLh1J7cS8-0ZGrzn_EeWXxrHor9xNiLzhgs-kcsAcTOb7ek2Bxh8SPsz650bkfeOR25Bxdn" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the "</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Verify Order</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" step, click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purchase Now</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 451px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="451" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/J2zD65RJNvN1FdaRUaxooCeg4Rtna7NYoxZo4ILjkTsUsUEapLDSI6rilFgfli2M3XtQwPreUz_r8F2gtxZ1qMQFu12vNiGKQ1QTgDmijB3OCPao5ApQ03fx_CQuXogNPLYZ3_3i" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If your purchase goes through successfully, you should now be at the "</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Done!</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" stage. Click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Download Now</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to view your activation code and download link. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 445px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="445" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/njIUVWYedjR61AJh-ukiol-DvnIUZcWhXBciMFQzOQ8GR7ijRaWL13AsQbkgsai1Ta-gdFX733epc_E0y4TsCMimJOCb3k5pQxMQHikcsSFjeP8gyb6cZ-bcvERQN-u_3si_jjxC" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Downloads</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> page presents you with activation codes for Steinberg products you own that are compatible with the Steinberg Download Assistant. Steinberg will also send you an email with the activation code for the product you just purchased. Click the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Download </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">link to proceed to the next step. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 261px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="261" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/9tU8v12T_V8D_iNDUfP-u6Yok6QQ9C-OPGrxAK2BQbgBBSXaBcZLR09LP05KtUPZREHVQBf9iQBuwhd1gP6DQi8QsGa2Zc0HEGWWJXdjFvQewtU_gRfWyfdrXo9yun6Y9RmR0aeC" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>How to view your download codes</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the future, if you ever wish to get back to this list of activation codes, you can do the following:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Log in to the </span><a href="https://shop.steinberg.net/c2/shop?ml=EN&mode=info" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steinberg Shop here</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Show Orders</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then click the most recent "</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Download</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" link next to where it says "</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Delivery status</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">".</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then select "</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all entries</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" in the list at the top of the screen and click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Apply</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This displays all applicable download codes.</span></p></li></ul><br /><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Downloading and installing the Steinberg Download Assistant:</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you already have the </span><a href="https://o.steinberg.net/en/support/content_and_accessories/steinberg_download_assistant.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steinberg Download Assistant</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> installed and authorized, you can skip this section.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steinberg uses the Download Assistant app to deliver all new versions of their software. At the </span><a href="https://www.steinberg.net/go/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Get Your Steinberg Product" page</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> click the button that applies to your operating system to download the appropriate installer. While all of my steps and screenshots are based on Windows 10, the general process is more or less the same for other Windows versions and Mac OS.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 368px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="368" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/gPqIUFU-5siejVCaAOy8pIPGx0U6xqbll0OwSKER_KhE58CS9-hp6YCH2DwFvyeN8r56AqJ00O9y9ZHmF4qe_RFIqdbj_MLDuxB137rA3MFMNLRPk36UKaONYonEBpGV90SOUYHy" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Locate the downloaded file, launch the installer, and click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to proceed with installation. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 376px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="376" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/jg9RRBr1FSZIGLtW_jAx-5Md_vP928rUbTjUsayeY6JjcssyeVlUWkFoux-9z96OL59B63BQzzvNRKeAxP5rflgmOR2FxFbaOraUmVH6AN63-lwLGIioYqpIGTegXws0UQty69TN" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once initial installation is complete, you'll have the opportunity to launch the Steinberg Download Assistant for the first time. If the Download Assistant doesn't launch automatically, you should find an icon for it on your desktop. The first time you run the app, click the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sign in</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> button to begin the first-run activation process. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 232px; overflow: hidden; width: 572px;"><img height="232" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/YVY7Ozj53JhkAiaX5gVCULtcpUXxGMFHLt-mZjhRH0U1Fxcy0qInREcqt3ilwKcbB-sASCjDmiuhJOeXZQbnqd2UN2LfWr_gScCzN3zuNztdzqC-fFyWHBP-5X5OhnB4Ip9ESTiw" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="572" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you click the Download Assistant's </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sign in</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> button it launches your default web browser where you might be prompted to sign in to Steinberg.net with your Steinberg ID credentials (which may be different from your Steinberg Shop credentials). Once you are properly signed in to the site, you might be prompted to allow the browser to open the Download Assistant. Click the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Open Steinberg Download Assistant.exe</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> button to proceed. You MUST successfully perform this step one time in order to activate the application. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 255px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="255" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/nbKpAN0zdABsYda1PH6AAj4JAAbV7qlJQNzK-Dc3bvqrFGpe2QaZD_VdMXjQQ4Y6bMGQH81lj676cR5NjLOjVxANJIfVukWAgy3UmNyEOhQx5uQrHusx8B9TBywNDVr1wBxUc9xZ" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once authorized, the Download Assistant checks to see whether you have the latest versions of several other apps installed. (The other apps are eLicenser Control Center, Steinberg Library Manager, and Steinberg Activation Manager, which is the eventual replacement for eLicenser.) The Download Assistant will install or update them automatically. Depending on what's currently installed on your system, you may or may not see some of the following screens. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 421px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="421" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/TRydb-zk27PEaXJ85B65lIxY6Yk3hvVaRZscVePGGq54rbxAYhDS7UX5NbyypZqjxcNi3ANo4UQXCbcILnV1GgSleMiQtI3tY1dD_uNqvYaYSRlQY0GMcYgWxMsPSiV6kFwV92zz" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the Download Assistant needs to install or update the eLicenser Control Center you might see a prompt like this for the USB eLicenser (dongle) driver. Click Install if prompted. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 244px; overflow: hidden; width: 599px;"><img height="244" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/CVLzQdiTxB6HwwMLGcMKdXhdlqapXqGA7OQMz-oyvSN4UmjVg5FiYJh6l2W_-P6AYpQYep-bXh1RmfpLeti4WzBwZE7uUNF9ModrWXjryqX3wz23aCegIYQdX0hHisSg8Jt8AzPb" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="599" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once the initial activation/update steps are complete, you should now be logged in to the Download Assistant. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 421px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="421" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3XbziKfBimvKg-b5tY2KCspcZjwIMUVMlmOOvTmjSvpAdxz9qGo37IbQkNhQglFXGFRsxDskcRBSbIyODt7-RQCRnXsCSYvHDyP12AhMBnTPHFVE65cTGz0C_Mj0LZtUTEdnjD9W" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li></ul><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Downloading and installing Cubase 12</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In order to download and activate Cubase 12 you need your Download Access Code (also called your Activation Code). This is a 25-character code, usually displayed as 5 groups of 5 letters and numbers, separated by dashes. This is different from eLicenser activation codes, which are 32 characters long (8 groups of 4). In order to proceed you will also need to have the Steinberg Download Assistant properly installed and activated. See the previous section if you're not sure.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also, if you are performing an Update/Upgrade, your old license must be immediately available on the current computer as described in the "</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before you start</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" section above.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After completing your update/upgrade purchase you should receive an </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Order Confirmation</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> email that contains your code. <b>Note</b>: If you don't receive your email right away, first make sure to check your Junk/Spam folder. If you still can't find it, you should be able to view your codes at the Steinberg Shop. See the "<b>How to view your download codes</b>" section earlier in this article.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 423px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="423" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Zvd_q-blV41cwkiK4NiBHNTaPeFWTHAOszWOPbFaOsFabGN30BVHfIwtz3AvJTORlbMr9M-KQciKfV-d4aGNFu6T4quFtoFB0RM84WA57ZS69_W9c04C3aHlHglBL2Iy9Kl7Mcv0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Launch the Steinberg Download Assistant. Don't be worried if you don't see your newly-purchased product listed under "</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My product downloads</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" yet. Grab the 25-digit access/activation code Steinberg provided you, click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Enter your Download Access Code</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, type or paste in the code, and click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OK</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 395px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="395" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/JYN2hAXm8VsPHNyNzVhKQPKI3uqAH1MpKvmM2fKvggbiwU809CK7tXQ2ZnBaPjXvoch9j5f3Xe-0qbe9oh_zdLuns9Lh3eBAEUSsW0_t28p0t755Q5INaUGDB9WMxeUzzUs1KV4M" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the code you entered is valid, after a few moments, the Download Assistant will present you with a 32-character license activation code and ask if you wish to upgrade. If your old eLicenser license is available on the PC as mentioned earlier in this article, click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Upgrade</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 332px; overflow: hidden; width: 502px;"><img height="332" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/esAqagwmiWexnrKMbw8vogd6emk9Z2ukXnlaxuU4bH8dgBIoEgJDL8I9t6ciyoqcDeq6AEgXRjmJD1iKzKDFnmglake4bU0-zfHlPZYUZ5CRQ3z_wy4cDp2QOhaRZ1QaDkyFIjGt" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="502" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Download Assistant launches the eLicenser Control Center and populates it with your new activation code. (In my case, I was surprised to find that it said "</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cubase Artist 11</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" considering I was upgrading from Artist 7.5, but it appears to work, regardless.) Click Continue to proceed. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 298px; overflow: hidden; width: 614px;"><img height="298" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Jna8b-P8IdJNI6FO31Nt_W0L20HjpXzcrWg-EqWAniYIqfmLRyyo0_fyZC47JY_m1MLjgQj6hU0jlnRJ8UYdY7nE_3LVkcBrP11WCRcV3lMq_LPVgvrGnS5WQiiYH-DpFXEYJikN" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="614" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next, make sure the correct license-to-be-upgraded is selected. In my case the app automatically selected the correct license. Click the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Upgrade License</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> button to continue. (</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Note</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: I didn't crop this screenshot- the dialog buttons are actually cut in half on my screen for some reason!) </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 429px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="429" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/tNH_Z0RrNFJwl_8XF0NStcM8e9yo2qXA3ohKdjnujLiJ0vyc7Aut1yk2J9Iw-Y3EVehayjHAkQH9uFIIN5tCGWNIeUPnJpgKhe2UTT-uG4IY2Rhq0HJwwxNcPRbSKOzUTzyFNiPP" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After several seconds you should be notified that the license upgrade is successful. Click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finish License Activation</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to return back to the Download Assistant. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 273px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="273" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/W8veUWqam04TmouYFZv_4--hYq2AqyMoN8duTJf05xK6qeVAtTqARLO1p-clY1N2TCrrKSRzQlQ_gmtBj1IcOnxn2JLzMZE_mDtljbo1aC7Ul3EsW4ZRU__jWHLhFHsrCE4CPSP4" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Back in the Download Assistant you should now find your newly-activated product listed under </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My product downloads</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OK</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 349px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="349" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/XJuXMvmzjwRtoE4MWCGy2HvlZ7ol7JGPqkzUmTGl6nB4Qo1RblqT_zwwLkWWM-uXlDPgQ8KNZM9-gt7qZENxzu3jjAdUon1zh-h_oONjuyTfi6KEueDmB88bIfyHxUhTwPb1n40z" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Click the button for the Steinberg product you just purchased under </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My product downloads</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to display all of the downloadable components for your product on the right side of the window. You can choose a different "target folder" (download directory) by clicking the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">…</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> button or the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Settings </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">gear icon. Note that this is only the location where the Download Assistant downloads files. This is not the directory where your products will be installed. Depending on the product/component, you may not get to choose where the application/content is initially installed, but you will be able to move most content files elsewhere using the Steinberg Library Manager application that is already installed along with the Download Assistant. On this screen, click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Install All</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to download/install everything in the list, or click </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Install </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on the individual items you need. At a minimum, I recommend you install at least:</span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Cubase application</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The instruments: HALion Sonic SE, Groove Agent SE, Retrologue, and Padshop</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Content items for the above instruments (you won't have any presets without them).</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 421px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="421" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/4UEQJz1VzCzlO21dXfNZqPspdFX64d7o2f9ufX0nZ3RN2wBrZlRzOm4NwExuRztNHHEHNeCJBux_xt7rNh1yAsPkJhKVH0zD3OuCNdxEX7KMzEzH2Y-vMx9pxHTMn8UaPCdbfmKi" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li></ul></ul><br /><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Download Assistant is capable of downloading multiple items at the same time. As soon as it downloads the Cubase installer to your computer it will launch the installer wizard. Step through the wizard with the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">button to proceed.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 391px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="391" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Rvi35xuZCjFbYr-2NvnTJOyZ9xpMgSxW2sYdQIuI2Ocnthd6rk6EcTy0CXbVD5tVoTV05UHV6KT1Ra7owPIk__4jWIOlaDtWoXEEhnEOG2YfL2ZkEKwqlTvRmuHkJzwvG_4R_q7q" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After accepting the Steinberg license agreement you will have the chance to select a different program installation path for Cubase. This only affects where the main program goes. Plugins and content will mostly be installed in their default locations. After you click Next on this screen, click Install to perform the installation. ug21</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you see any errors that a given component was unable to install, you can usually get it to work by just clicking </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Install </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on each of the reported components individually. Just wait for all other installers to complete, then return to the Download Assistant and individually re-try the installs that failed the first time. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 257px; overflow: hidden; width: 432px;"><img height="257" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_bbqeI5V4po7AeLumPQFzaOmXyCnZbFfWYhnc6Umx_N6NuWy9u7-ufd7Rb2t3Eb950eBVjMreytaQ_mwWtT1kOFkPXJDK1cGOLGdg_8jcY5v9DgM4-EZ_ayeSRw2ZIx3XzxAOaBq" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="432" /></span></span></p></li></ul><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Activating and launching Cubase 12 for the first time:</span></h1><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After you quit the Steinberg Download Assistant, you should find a Cubase 12 icon on your desktop. When you first launch Cubase, the Steinberg License Manager will run in the background and attempt to silently activate your newly-installed copy of Cubase.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If everything works as intended, Cubase will launch normally and you won't have to worry about signing in to any more apps or activating any more software. If you see any warnings complaining that your copy of Cubase is not activated, quit Cubase and then run the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steinberg Activation Manager</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (it was installed along with the Download Assistant). Assuming you have an internet connection and you are logged in to the Activation Manager, the program will show you which versions of Cubase you are licensed to run. In my screenshot you can see that I own licenses for three different flavors of Cubase 12, but only Cubase Artist is activated. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: The only way to deactivate a new Steinberg product is to click the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Deactivate </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">button in the Activation Manager on the computer where the program is currently installed. If your computer breaks or you reformat the hard drive without deactivating your product first YOU WILL LOSE YOUR ACTIVATION. This is an unfortunate drawback of the new Steinberg Licensing scheme. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 439px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="439" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/sJbiTbP_rAE5L6fRGxIYOT7ZOMLmay_bv1-inxbRvQU0tlLEyi6GmvkSTrVDTXsBRjmttdgcg6CDlfG-0k5yUe6qKQKrPpJefGvkzyJa8hbRXjCNfEwppfA66d4zEI9rNB_BfPaX" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On your first run of Cubase you will likely be prompted to select an audio driver. If you already have an audio interface installed and connected, you should select it before clicking </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OK</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. On Windows, if no audio interfaces are present, you will have the option to use the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Generic Low Latency ASIO Driver</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 410px; overflow: hidden; width: 601px;"><img height="410" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/NE_Gnythz19l7fSVc361L_HGkscy8Um2FOTnvej8n5YAH5843_3a1wVSrZiZ70pLXQGt5AvfGRAXY7pK5DEKL00ZIXDmmEwexQmFsSIJdJVuisKsSonIpyM3YGCIvw9MqeXSgudn" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="601" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once the program is fully loaded, you will normally see the "Steinberg Hub" window, where there are links to Steinberg news and sites, and a number of production templates for creating new Cubase projects. You can disable the Hub feature in the program's preferences. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 332px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="332" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/TBBo2CEOVnri6TVx5ky12Tvw8OvSDCyyBbYsoLrjl6-cWndl3xrwRqxH_nh3Q9rLvAz2y9Bit8pzRMmYMjrNQ6VZNKauAdXuNGSsu5Lla9QBmc1kyb6nnTuEgW4IXPF4_KQBxyWJ" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If Cubase detects that you don't have any audio output ports mapped, it will display the Missing Ports dialog. If there are no output ports mapped, you won't be able to hear sound in Cubase, so this is important! </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 400px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nLdXDdTRqmSAPlc5JXK4cnDW-woLgguTo039eiAc1bDk3ekzOJ_mklst6BUm-RrqLKcVIhdfGDym1OdkfJOMy_KqdcZvWsnmhj0Sz22GHMRj1-USUcTNTt4iBE0AdLc2jvoXChmd" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If there are any ports available, you should be able to click the red "</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unmapped</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" links and choose the correct outputs. In this screenshot I am selecting the speakers of my ASUS VG249 monitor. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 400px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="400" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/k2kshWNFGF02BQG012czqmCN-GNLiBL-aPrYKmwaUs3PRQJyjrQCdW5ZqOWhCc2uSXtyclAKNIVwx4zGZHBcu2a8ADGloeEupCojr796CekV_GQegEfGzzl-TI6NxNLuHp4DuIDR" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By this point Cubase should be fully activated and ready to roll. Happy producing! </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 463px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="463" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Ku6VopGOa8dEWOOXSZ2zU1SaLpyxMxkJbVgVKoMMXxvyySa8vTXMWZaLp8TcF_TKMRb7CHiTF1OWDEDUVVmYc_OuzssKwmiX457mNInJRZEYJKfraEkM1LtX-LV89tY4MVrGSsQ4" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p></li></ul><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When to use the USB eLicenser</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to Steinberg, all future versions of their products will use Steinberg Licensing/Activation Manager instead of the USB or software eLicensers, but it could potentially take years for the company to transition all of their products. While the Cubase 12 application itself no longer uses eLicenser, at the time I am writing this, all commercial Steinberg plugins (like the full versions of Groove Agent and HALion Sonic) still require the eLicenser. Additionally, if you ever wish to run an older version of Cubase (which sometimes you might have to do if there are compatibility issues loading old projects on new software versions), you'll want to hang on to that USB eLicenser.</span></p><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keep an eye on this </span><a href="https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/en-us/articles/4413291566994-List-of-programs-relying-on-Steinberg-Licensing" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">list of programs that use Steinberg Licensing</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to know when it's safe for you to drop the dongle.</span></span>Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-26622225611258448232020-03-29T13:39:00.000-07:002020-05-24T13:46:51.371-07:00SOLUTION: "This user cannot play this software" when launching Animal Crossing: New Horizons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bg35qZdw9JU/XoD6zZs82JI/AAAAAAABIFA/RSScOhZdWTgaTOyjEo7u-Zelmvn2T9iOACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/animal%2Bcrossing%2Bbanner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bg35qZdw9JU/XoD6zZs82JI/AAAAAAABIFA/RSScOhZdWTgaTOyjEo7u-Zelmvn2T9iOACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/animal%2Bcrossing%2Bbanner.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
My family was excited about the Couch Co-op Multiplayer feature of <a href="https://amzn.to/2UJRpnF" target="_blank">Animal Crossing: New Horizons</a>, but once the game finally downloaded we faced a couple days of frustration and disappointment due to the console announcing "This user cannot play this software" any time one of my kids attempted to play the game.<br />
<br />
After a lot of web searching and poking through forum threads we're finally able to play this game as a family, and I wanted to describe how I fixed it in case other people out there experience the same problem.<br />
<br />
We own two Switch consoles. The first one we got is the <a href="https://amzn.to/2QXGYf8" target="_blank">Nintendo Switch with Gray Joy-Cons</a>, which belongs to the kids, and the second one is the <a href="https://amzn.to/2WTyEkm" target="_blank">Nintendo Switch with Neon Blue and Neon Red Joy-Cons</a>, which belongs to me.<br />
<br />
I purchased Animal Crossing: New Horizons on my Switch. After a very painful download process (it took three re-tries and some Internet settings tweaks before the game finally downloaded), I was able to play the game just fine. I reached the point where my character became the "resident representative," which is an apparent requirement before other users are able <a href="https://www.ign.com/wikis/animal-crossing-new-horizons/Island_Sharing_Guide" target="_blank">to visit your one-and-only island</a>. However, after I quit my game and handed the console to my daughter, when she launched the game and selected her user profile, the switch said "This user cannot play this software," and that she would need to purchase a copy at the Nintendo e-Shop. My son had the same results when attempting to play using his profile.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The Cause: My Switch was not my "Primary Console"</h3>
Here are some quick details about our setup, so you can compare against your own situation to see if the solution that worked for me will work for you:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>My copy of New Horizons was a digital purchase (not a cartridge).</li>
<li>My user profile on that console (the one with red and blue Joy-Cons) is a linked account, with full e-Shop privileges. My kids' profiles on that console are not linked; they're just local accounts.</li>
<li>Although this was "my" Switch, it was not the first Switch I had created a linked profile on. When we first bought the other Switch for the kids, I created a profile on that device and linked it to my Nintendo account so I could purchase games for them to play on it. This is important: Since I had already created a linked profile on my kids' Switch, as far as Nintendo was concerned, their Switch was my "<a href="https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/22448/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNTg1NTEwNjU5L2dlbi8xNTg1NTEwNjU5L3NpZC9mVXVZR0lxNFBSVk55Y09xVE9FR1R0cHM2UEhQc3R2U3pDdTBYY0ltcGNkeTkxbFpkNDlJRE4zM2g0b21Vem1jNHRuOWk4NHFCajdMM29Wb3RXN3prVWR0ZHVhTW9wMjU3WThjdHByTEFuNDlJU0w1YU55MXc0VGclMjElMjE%3D" target="_blank">Primary Console</a>."</li>
</ul>
So here's what was happening: Even though I was the user who purchased New Horizons, since my Switch was not registered as my primary console, I was the only user allowed to play e-Shop-purchased games on that device. If I had downloaded New Horizons onto my kids' Switch instead, we would all have been able to play the game.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The Solution: Registering my Switch as the Primary Console</h3>
In order to make it so we could all play the game on my console I had to de-register my kids' Switch from my Nintendo account, and then register my own Switch as the primary. Here's how I did that:<br />
<ol>
<li>On a web browser I logged into my <a href="https://accounts.nintendo.com/" target="_blank">Nintendo Account</a>.</li>
<li>Once logged into the main <b>Nintendo Account</b> page, I clicked the <b>Shop Menu</b> link.</li>
<li>On the <b>Shop Menu</b> page, I scrolled down and then clicked <b>Deregister Primary Console</b>.</li>
<li>Next, I got onto my Switch, and under my own user profile, I opened the Nintendo eShop app. Nothing obvious happened; I didn't get any message saying, "This device is now your primary console" or anything. But apparently this was enough, because <a href="https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/22448/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNTg1NTEwNjU5L2dlbi8xNTg1NTEwNjU5L3NpZC9mVXVZR0lxNFBSVk55Y09xVE9FR1R0cHM2UEhQc3R2U3pDdTBYY0ltcGNkeTkxbFpkNDlJRE4zM2g0b21Vem1jNHRuOWk4NHFCajdMM29Wb3RXN3prVWR0ZHVhTW9wMjU3WThjdHByTEFuNDlJU0w1YU55MXc0VGclMjElMjE%3D" target="_blank">according to Nintendo</a>, after de-registering from one Switch console, simply launching the eShop on another Switch where you have a linked profile will automatically register that device as the new primary.</li>
</ol>
As I write this my son's Animal Crossing character is running around and pulling up weeds on my island. I do hope this helps others running into the same issue. It would be nice if the Switch's error messages were more clear about what the real problem was.<br />
<br />
<b>Update</b>: I forgot to add when initially writing this that if your Switch frequently says, "Checking if software can be played" when you launch a title, that's an indication that <a href="https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/47555/~/%E2%80%9Cchecking-if-the-software-can-be-played%E2%80%A6%E2%80%9D-message-when-starting-software" target="_blank">you are not using your registered primary console</a>. I used to see this all the time when launching my digital downloads, but did not realize it was a hint that something was wrong. Now that my personal Switch is my primary device, my downloaded titles launch instantly.Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-69677651810986629312018-04-02T07:28:00.000-07:002018-04-02T07:28:15.585-07:00Comparing USB Audio Interface Latency on Windows 10I may never fully understand my love for audio interfaces. At the end of the day they're just devices that do a better job of recording and playing back music than the built-in audio of most computers, but I almost spend more time experimenting with and writing about them than I do using them to make music. I have done interface performance tests several times before, but that was all on Windows 7 (and mostly on a now-10-year-old DAW PC), so I was recently curious how well some of today's USB audio interfaces perform on a newer computer with the latest version of Windows.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EQwrZuqTfF8/WsF3_X8MMLI/AAAAAAAADXg/buAToE5QEQwkv9C0hhwCrguj_ZIcYxvSACLcBGAs/s1600/Comparing%2BInterface%2BLatency%2BHeader.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EQwrZuqTfF8/WsF3_X8MMLI/AAAAAAAADXg/buAToE5QEQwkv9C0hhwCrguj_ZIcYxvSACLcBGAs/s640/Comparing%2BInterface%2BLatency%2BHeader.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
About Audio Interface Latency</span></h2>
Audio interfaces are audio streaming devices, and on modern operating systems all streaming is "buffered" or "packeted." Rather than truly sending a constant binary stream of audio data, your computer bundles up tiny chunks of audio into separate data buffers that are reassembled at the destination end of the stream. This buffering introduces some amount of latency; that is, the fact that the audio data is buffered means that there is a small amount of built-in delay between when the audio data is first transmitted by one device (an audio interface) and received by another (your computer).<br />
<br />
There is some amount of latency in both an interface's input and output audio path, and round-trip latency (RTL) is the combination of both of those times. RTL is the metric I tested for: What is the total amount of time an interface takes to send and receive audio given certain settings?<br />
<br />
A latency measurement is only meaningful if you know two other values: Sample Rate and Buffer Size. The sample rate is the number of samples per second the audio stream is encoded at, and the buffer size is the number of individual samples included in each streaming buffer.<br />
<br />
When you record at high sample rates, your computer processes more audio data, which usually requires larger sample buffers in order to handle audio as reliably as at lower sample rates. The buffer provides protection against glitches (pops and drop-outs in the audio stream), and the harder your computer is working, generally the bigger the buffer you need for glitch-free audio.<br />
<br />
The trade-off (and the reason we're studying this at all) is that too big of a buffer at a given sample rate can result in such a great delay that it can become difficult or impossible for a musician to keep in time with the rest of the music while attempting to sing or record. When shopping for audio interfaces, it's good to know which devices offer you the lowest reliable round-trip latencies at given sample rates and buffer sizes.<br />
<br />
Not all interfaces perform alike. There are many factors that contribute to interface performance, but the most important appears to be driver quality. A driver written for a specific device with efficiency and optimization in mind can significantly outperform a less optimized driver on similar hardware.<br />
<br />
For my tests, I used a free tool called <a href="http://www.oblique-audio.com/free/rtlutility" target="_blank">RTL Utility</a>, by Oblique Audio. With this tool, you patch your audio interface's outputs to its own inputs, forming an audio loop, and measure the time it takes for a full output->input round trip at a given sample rate/buffer size.<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
The Devices Under Test</span></h2>
I have bought and sold many interfaces over the years. These are the ones that I still own and used for these tests. <br />
<h3>
Behringer U-Control UCA222</h3>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J-Mjc5YALVA/WrQyQ1kKcgI/AAAAAAAADWg/gfMHp9xnWVgiCRxG-1NIp9_DjE_wiQjCACLcBGAs/s1600/BEHRINGER%2BU-CONTROL%2BUCA222%2BBEHRINGER%2BMusical%2BInstruments.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="500" height="224" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J-Mjc5YALVA/WrQyQ1kKcgI/AAAAAAAADWg/gfMHp9xnWVgiCRxG-1NIp9_DjE_wiQjCACLcBGAs/s320/BEHRINGER%2BU-CONTROL%2BUCA222%2BBEHRINGER%2BMusical%2BInstruments.png" width="320" /></a></div>
The <a href="http://amzn.to/2FDfaJ8" target="_blank">U-Control UCA222</a> is a very low-cost interface with unbalanced RCA-style analog connectors that's designed more for consumer audio applications than for music production. I bought one so my wife could create digital recordings of her old cassette tapes.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Like most Behringer interfaces, the UCA222 does not require any special drivers or software; all modern versions of Windows recognize it as an audio recording/playback device. This also means, however, that there is no native ASIO driver for the interface, so I conducted my tests in "Windows Audio" mode for this device only.</li>
<li>The default Windows audio drivers also didn't export all of the traditional "powers of two" sample buffer sizes, so for some tests I had to pick the closest available buffer size for comparison.</li>
<li>Despite its low cost, this little interface includes a couple nice features like a physical direct monitor switch and an optical S/PDIF port for digital output.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Focusrite Clarett 2Pre USB</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3BK9H7aUTQM/WrQyXMsLSuI/AAAAAAAADWk/gBFrYtAbLtAGaX0NLF1fL3cT9sPY5f_KgCLcBGAs/s1600/Focusrite%2BClarett%2B2Pre%2BUSB%2B10-In%2B4-Out%2BAudio%2BInterface%2BMusical%2BInstruments.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="667" height="214" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3BK9H7aUTQM/WrQyXMsLSuI/AAAAAAAADWk/gBFrYtAbLtAGaX0NLF1fL3cT9sPY5f_KgCLcBGAs/s320/Focusrite%2BClarett%2B2Pre%2BUSB%2B10-In%2B4-Out%2BAudio%2BInterface%2BMusical%2BInstruments.png" width="320" /></a></div>
The <a href="http://amzn.to/2FLVgvG" target="_blank">Clarett 2Pre USB</a> is a desktop interface with high-quality preamps and sophisticated routing/mixing technology. Mine serves as an external DAC for a computer I mostly use for multimedia purposes.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>While the <a href="http://amzn.to/2po4Z0j" target="_blank">original Clarett 2Pre</a> was a Thunderbolt-only device. The Clarett 2Pre USB is USB 2.0-only, although its connector is the small USB-C type, normally associated with newer standards. It includes the required USB cables, which is good, considering I did not already own any USB-C cables.</li>
<li>From what I've read, this device's USB implementation is the same as what's used in Focusrite's "2nd Generation" Scarlett line of interfaces.</li>
<li>While most ASIO Windows drivers offer sample buffer sizes in powers of 2 (64 samples, 128 samples, 256 samples, etc), the Focusrite drivers strangely offer dozens and dozens of selectable sample buffers. Luckily, the common power-of-2 values are among the offered values.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
MOTU Track16</h3>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RMylv-7Sc6E/WrQyvwQUmiI/AAAAAAAADWs/NlGQ9E8NfIE9EFAxuZxrQwo2y-PgxENJgCLcBGAs/s1600/MOTU%2BTrack16%2BMusical%2BInstruments.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="667" height="239" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RMylv-7Sc6E/WrQyvwQUmiI/AAAAAAAADWs/NlGQ9E8NfIE9EFAxuZxrQwo2y-PgxENJgCLcBGAs/s320/MOTU%2BTrack16%2BMusical%2BInstruments.png" width="320" /></a></div>
The <a href="http://amzn.to/2FV3oGe" target="_blank">Track16</a> is a small desktop interface that pushes most of its I/O connections out to a giant proprietary octopus of a breakout cable. On hot summer days, I choose to use this device with headphones rather than powering up my full production rig, which generates a ton of heat.<br />
<ul>
<li>With ADAT, MIDI, and complex mixing/routing software, this device is a strong competitor with the Clarett 2Pre in terms of flexibility and feature set. </li>
</ul>
<h3>
Novation Audio Hub 2x4</h3>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o_OvUvfIQZA/Wrk4JLLLe1I/AAAAAAAADW8/ZxM5GIJkCUAqw429a7iKwDyj92xzgLVNACLcBGAs/s1600/Novation%2BAudiohub%2B2x4%2BCombined%2BAudio%2BInterface%2Band%2BUSB%2B2%2B0%2BHub%2BMusical%2BInstruments.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="667" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o_OvUvfIQZA/Wrk4JLLLe1I/AAAAAAAADW8/ZxM5GIJkCUAqw429a7iKwDyj92xzgLVNACLcBGAs/s320/Novation%2BAudiohub%2B2x4%2BCombined%2BAudio%2BInterface%2Band%2BUSB%2B2%2B0%2BHub%2BMusical%2BInstruments.png" width="320" /></a></div>
The <a href="http://amzn.to/2ppz1BH" target="_blank">Audio Hub 2x4</a> is a 3-port powered USB hub with Focusrite Scarlett audio interface technology inside. I frequently use this device for recording/sampling audio sound sources, and I use its USB ports to host eLicenser/iLok dongles.<br />
<ul>
<li>The audio interface portion of this device is based on Focusrite's "1st Generation" USB interface technology, which gives us a chance to compare the improvements Focusrite has made with the 2nd generation drivers.</li>
<li>While the Audio Hub sports a pair of balanced main outputs, it only has unbalanced RCA-style inputs, so I had to use different audio cables when testing it from the ones I used with the other interfaces.</li>
<li>This device is also a little unusual in that it only offers a low/high-gain toggle switch on the inputs rather than adjustable gain pots. </li>
</ul>
<h3>
RME Fireface UFX (1st generation)</h3>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjLBmiqtvgM/Wrk4Nh7TziI/AAAAAAAADXA/YWqInZUfT94RAyLZoQIMsYYer92dIpDQACLcBGAs/s1600/RME%2BFireface%2BUFX%2BUSB%2B2%2B0%2Bor%2BFirewire%2BHigh%2BPerformance%2Baudio%2Binterface%2B30%2Bin%252C%2B30%2Bout%2BMusical%255B...%255D.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="687" height="74" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjLBmiqtvgM/Wrk4Nh7TziI/AAAAAAAADXA/YWqInZUfT94RAyLZoQIMsYYer92dIpDQACLcBGAs/s320/RME%2BFireface%2BUFX%2BUSB%2B2%2B0%2Bor%2BFirewire%2BHigh%2BPerformance%2Baudio%2Binterface%2B30%2Bin%252C%2B30%2Bout%2BMusical%255B...%255D.png" width="320" /></a></div>
The <a href="http://amzn.to/2FS2t9p" target="_blank">Fireface UFX</a> is a prosumer legend, offering tons of analog and digital I/O with top-tier performance, reliability, and flexibility in a single rack space form factor. This is my primary interface for writing and recording.<br />
<ul>
<li>I own the first generation UFX, which has both USB 2 and Firewire support. I typically use it as a Firewire device, just to avoid possible USB contention in my studio.</li>
<li>In recent years, RME has released an updated model, called the <a href="http://amzn.to/2HP3AaF" target="_blank">Fireface UFX+</a>, which includes USB 3 and Thunderbolt support, and the <a href="http://amzn.to/2FU4GRK" target="_blank">Fireface UFX II</a>, which is USB 2 only.</li>
<li>RME's drivers are a little bit odd in that they don't appear to advertise more than one sample buffer size at a time like most others do. In order to perform the latency tests at different buffer sizes I had to use the RME control panel to choose the new buffer size then "reload" the driver in the test tool before performing each round of tests.</li>
<li>Since this is the only interface I currently own that supports two different data buses, I tested it both as a Firewire and as a USB device. </li>
</ul>
<h3>
Roland Duo-Capture EX</h3>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WVVZbM8GYfk/Wrk4R2DVFeI/AAAAAAAADXE/3EIBnmvxYDMz9VYQrJdgew4-U9d5OlRNwCLcBGAs/s1600/Roland%2BUA-22%2BUSB%2BAudio%2BMIDI%2BInterface%2BMusical%2BInstruments.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="687" height="146" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WVVZbM8GYfk/Wrk4R2DVFeI/AAAAAAAADXE/3EIBnmvxYDMz9VYQrJdgew4-U9d5OlRNwCLcBGAs/s320/Roland%2BUA-22%2BUSB%2BAudio%2BMIDI%2BInterface%2BMusical%2BInstruments.png" width="320" /></a></div>
The <a href="http://amzn.to/2FS54jF" target="_blank">Duo-Capture EX</a> is one of my favorite entry-level interfaces, just because it packs a lot of features into a small, reliable and affordable package. I don't actively use my Duo-Capture these days, but I keep it around for testing and ad-hoc stuff.<br />
<ul>
<li>The Roland drivers are kind of weird in that they do not use powers-of-two buffer sizes, and their configuration control panel also has a number of non-standard options and metrics. I had to choose the nearest approximate buffer size for the comparative tests. Also, for all control panel settings other than buffer size, I just left them at their factory defaults.</li>
<li>On Windows 10, the Duo-Capture driver installs automatically (no separate discs or downloads from Roland required), however I experienced a lot of driver instability on my first round of latency tests with this interface after the drivers installed (some tests straight-up failed while others took significantly longer or shorter to complete than expected). I rebooted my computer and re-tested the interface and didn't experience any instability at all, so that appeared to be a temporary issue.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
Roland Tri-Capture</h3>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DzkuwZHCS34/Wrk4Vh3kBxI/AAAAAAAADXI/Sm1ikSodjMsm5LfR33Xfn6f_3KiwBzRhACLcBGAs/s1600/Roland%2BTRI-CAPTURE%2BUSB%2BAudio%2BInterface%2BMusical%2BInstruments.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="516" height="248" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DzkuwZHCS34/Wrk4Vh3kBxI/AAAAAAAADXI/Sm1ikSodjMsm5LfR33Xfn6f_3KiwBzRhACLcBGAs/s320/Roland%2BTRI-CAPTURE%2BUSB%2BAudio%2BInterface%2BMusical%2BInstruments.png" width="320" /></a></div>
The <a href="http://amzn.to/2GIpr48" target="_blank">Tri-Capture</a> is an odd little device with an interesting combination of features at a low price. I have used this for recording/sampling from consumer audio devices.<br />
<ul>
<li>Like with the Duo-Capture EX, the Tri-Capture's driver has some unusual options and non-standard sample buffer sizes. I note the differences in the test results.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Test Setup and Method</span></h2>
For this round of tests I used <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/06/building-new-computer-for-music.html" target="_blank">my current DAW PC</a> on the most recent build of 64-bit Windows 10. The current specs of this system:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>CPU</b>: Intel Core i7-5930K @ 3.5GHz</li>
<li><b>Motherboard</b>: ASUS X99-A/USB 3.1 ATX</li>
<li><b>RAM</b>: 32GB of DDR4 2133 MT/s</li>
</ul>
In order to keep the playing field level, I used the same USB and audio cables for all tests, where possible. (Some devices had special I/O connectors that required different cables.) I ran multiple tests at each sample buffer size for each device and selected the best/lowest test results from each device/buffer size combination.<br />
<br />
In cases where the test results seemed surprising or unexpected, I re-ran all tests on the device in question to ensure results were consistent and reproducible.<br />
<br />
The purpose of these tests was only to determine the measurable RTL of each device at each sample buffer size; not to establish the most reliable low-latency sample rate/buffer size combo under heavy DSP loads. (See the <a href="http://www.dawbench.com/" target="_blank">official DAW Bench tests</a> for that sort of thing.)<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
Test Results </span></h2>
I ran latency tests at four of the most common buffer sizes, all at a sample rate of 44.1kHz. Some quick notes before we get to the raw data:<br />
<ul>
<li>Not all interface drivers support powers-of-two sample buffer scaling. In those cases I've added a * by the name of the device in the tables and graphs. Here are the exceptions:</li>
<ul>
<li>For the Duo-Capture EX I had to use 144, 288, and 576 samples in the 128, 256, and 512 samples tests, respectively. This put that interface at a slight disadvantage for each test.</li>
<li>For the Tri-Capture I had to use 288 and 576 samples in the 256 and 512 samples
tests, respectively. This also put that interface at a slight disadvantage
for each test.</li>
<li>For the U-Control UCA222, I had to pick 132 samples for the 128 samples test. (The other common sample rates were available.) </li>
</ul>
<li>The drivers of some of the devices did not offer as many buffer size options as others. This is why the 64-samples and 128-samples tests don't include scores for all eight interfaces. The interfaces that didn't support all testable sample rates were the Duo Capture EX, the Tri-Capture, and the UCA222.</li>
<li>Each test lists two scores for the RME Fireface UFX: One as a USB device, and one as a Firewire device.</li>
<li>The U-Control UCA222 was the only interface that didn't have ASIO drivers, so I tested it as a Windows Audio device.</li>
<li>All test results are reported as round-trip time in milliseconds. Lower scores/shorter bars are better. </li>
</ul>
<h3>
64 Samples @ 44.1kHz</h3>
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<h3>
128 Samples @ 44.1kHz</h3>
<br />
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<h3>
256 Samples @ 44.1kHz</h3>
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<br />
<h3>
512 Samples @ 44.1kHz</h3>
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<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Observations/Summary</span></h2>
<ul>
<li>True to its reputation, the Fireface UFX performed the best in all tests, with its USB mode slightly scoring better than its FW mode every time. (The USB and FW scores were always within 1ms of each other.)</li>
<li>Even though its larger-than-average sample buffer sizes put it at a slight disadvantage in every test, the Roland Duo-Capture EX fared rather well, capturing the third-best score in every round of tests where it competed.</li>
<li>Despite having very similar-seeming driver and control panel to the Duo-Capture EX, the Tri-Capture lagged behind the other Roland interface in both tests where it competed.</li>
<li>Considering that the Audio Hub 2x4 is really a Focusrite Scarlett interface in a Novation-branded box, its scores clearly demonstrate the poor performance of that generation of Scarlett interfaces on Windows. It scored significantly worse than most other interfaces on all tests but the last- and that one was a surprise...</li>
<li>...which was the odd performance results of the Clarett 2Pre USB. In the 64-samples and 128-samples tests the Clarett performs reasonably well, at least when compared to the Audio Hub. (In the 64-sample test the Clarett's round-trip latency is almost one third of the Audio Hub's score.) However as the sample buffer sizes increased, so did the Clarett's <i>relative</i> latency, gradually closing- AND THEN PASSING- the gap with the Audio Hub, making the Clarett the worst-performing interface in the 512-samples tests.</li>
<li>When I was reviewing the test results before I began writing this article, I was so surprised by the Clarett's scores that I re-connected it to my test system and ran all of the tests on the Clarett again- only to find that they were the same. In both rounds of tests on this device, its round-trip latency grew progressively worse (relative to other interfaces) as the sample buffer size increased. This may point to some inefficient code in the current driver that is exacerbated as sample buffers grow.</li>
</ul>
<br />Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-60057868354384145932017-10-15T15:59:00.001-07:002017-10-15T16:14:28.150-07:00Porting DAW Bench Projects to Ableton LiveVin Curigliano's <a href="http://www.dawbench.com/benchmarks.htm" target="_blank">DAW Bench</a> is the standard toolset for measuring digital audio workstation hardware and software performance. While the current DAW Bench suite includes projects for several different DAWs, Ableton Live isn't one of them- which was a problem for me, since I was planning to investigate the performance differences between Live and Cubase for an upcoming post. Rather than ditch DAW Bench and go to the effort of developing my own test suite from the ground up, I chose to port the DAW Bench Cubase sessions to Ableton Live. What follows is a detailed analysis of the original DAW Bench projects, and my account of the surprises and challenges I encountered when porting those projects to Live.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GZM7o6qOzPU/WePrnn5jafI/AAAAAAAADRY/RL6XPEkfiX4kblZ1unKUF4KYCi6vAHulwCLcBGAs/s1600/Porting%2BDaw%2BBench%2BProjects%2Bto%2BAbleton%2BLive.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GZM7o6qOzPU/WePrnn5jafI/AAAAAAAADRY/RL6XPEkfiX4kblZ1unKUF4KYCi6vAHulwCLcBGAs/s640/Porting%2BDaw%2BBench%2BProjects%2Bto%2BAbleton%2BLive.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
When I first began this effort I thought I was the first person to do such a thing, but I eventually discovered user on a music forum who <a href="https://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-computers/1158083-intel-vs-amd-dawbench-pro-q-pro-mb-kramer-reaper-ableton.html" target="_blank">did his own attempt at a Live port</a> a few months back. His goal was different from mine, and his projects weren't direct ports (he only replicated DAW Bench's "DSP" tests, and he chose a different set of plugins for his projects from the ones used in the official tests), so I continued with my own effort.<br />
<br />
It is October 2017 as I'm writing this, so my observations here are based on the 2017 edition of the DAW Bench DSP and VI projects.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
Analyzing the DSP Projects</span></h2>
Each DAW Bench DSP project contains hundreds of instances of a given CPU-intensive effects plugin, simulating a very complex mix. The "score" of a DSP test is the number of plugin instances you can enable without encountering any glitches in the audible audio.<br />
<ul>
<li>There are four audible tracks of pre-recorded audio, comprising the loop that plays while you enable FX plugins, listening for pops and drops. There are no effects plugins on these tracks.</li>
<li>There is another "monitor" track which is just a recording of a sine wave. I don't know its purpose, but its track volume is turned all the way down.</li>
<li>Next there are 40 more tracks of sine wave recordings, each with eight instances of the plugin under test filling the track's insert slots. Each instance is disabled when you first load the project. Track volume for each of these tracks is also turned down all the way.</li>
<li>All tracks are routed to the main stereo outs, but only the first four audio tracks are audible due to their volume settings.</li>
<li>There are three different DSP projects, one for each of these free-to-use effects plug-ins: <a href="http://www.shatteredglassaudio.com/product.php?id=104" target="_blank">SGA1566 (Shattered Glass Audio)</a>, <a href="https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/MJUCjr/MJUCjr.php" target="_blank">MJUC jr. (Klanghelm)</a>, and a special version of <a href="http://wiki.cockos.com/wiki/index.php/ReaXcomp" target="_blank">ReaXcomp (Cockos)</a> which is actually included with the DSP project download.</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dPnV44Wqc10/WeO-_FJR5AI/AAAAAAAADQ8/RUMkDykNRo8BoP8kDcNUIXMTJaedz26owCLcBGAs/s1600/Cubase%2Bdsp1566.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dPnV44Wqc10/WeO-_FJR5AI/AAAAAAAADQ8/RUMkDykNRo8BoP8kDcNUIXMTJaedz26owCLcBGAs/s400/Cubase%2Bdsp1566.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The DSP-1566 project on Cubase 9.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
Analyzing the VI Projects</span></h2>
While the DSP projects are all about effects plugins, the VI tests only use instances of a virtual instrument plugin: Native Instruments Kontakt 5. The "score" of a VI test is the number of individual Kontakt "voices" you can have playing simultaneously before encountering audio glitches.<br />
<ul>
<li>The project contains one "Multi1Orchband" instance of the Kontakt plugin that contains a 16-part multi (one part per MIDI channel) of different Kontakt instruments that comprise most of the audible content in the project.</li>
<li>Next there are ten "Multi2Poly" instances of Kontakt, each with 16 instances of the same instrument: A layered pad patch named "Light Breaks Through." Due to the patch's two sample layers, a single MIDI note played with this patch uses two Kontakt voices/oscillators. As with the sine tracks in the DSP projects, each instrument part in the Multi2Poly multis is turned down all the way. More on this later.</li>
<li>The project also contains 16 MIDI tracks, each routed to a different MIDI channel in the Multi1Orchband Kontakt instance.</li>
<li>Finally there are ten folders containing 16 MIDI tracks each, each one routed to its respective MIDI channel in one of the ten Multi2Poly instances. The MIDI tracks are simple clips that play a 16-bar sustained 10-note chord. So at play time, a single Multi2Poly instance can have up to 320 voices going at a time (16 parts of a 2-voice patch playing 10 notes each).</li>
<li>There are two flavors of VI projects, "CV" and "NCV." In the CV project. many of the instruments in the "Multi1Orchband" multi have convolution reverb enabled as an insert effect, while that effect is bypassed in the NCV project. Both projects use convolution reverb as a send effect on a few channels. Importantly, the Multi2Poly multi is identical between the CV and NCV versions of the project (no reverb effect actively enabled as an insert or a send), so the results between CV and NCV tests are generally not very significant.</li>
<li>The VI projects in DAW Bench were initially developed using Kontakt 4, whose factory library had a different layout from the library in Kontakt 5. While the current generation of the DAW Bench projects uses the Kontakt 5 plugin, the multis still use samples from the Kontakt 4 library. I am a licensed owner of Kontakt 4 but I do not currently have that version of the plugin installed anywhere, so I keep a folder containing all the necessary samples on my hard drive for when I need to do tests.</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eLbwdrmAVT0/WeO_SZMPt3I/AAAAAAAADRA/KQbD5GLmSpgmBdhkjE4vPR3hvnRX_5JJQCLcBGAs/s1600/Cubase%2BVI%2BCV.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eLbwdrmAVT0/WeO_SZMPt3I/AAAAAAAADRA/KQbD5GLmSpgmBdhkjE4vPR3hvnRX_5JJQCLcBGAs/s400/Cubase%2BVI%2BCV.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The VI CV project on Cubase 9.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
Porting the DSP Projects</span></h2>
<ul>
<li><b>Session view vs Arrangement view</b>: Cubase is a traditional "piano roll" DAW while Live offers both a piano-roll style Arrangement view and the clip/loop-based Session view. I chose to build my projects in Session view because of the looping nature of the tests (it's just a few measures of repeating audio, after all), and because this view offers better access to the plugin slots for every track (after some UI resizing, at least).</li>
<li><b>Audio tracks</b>: The DAWBench DSP 2017 folder includes an "Audio" folder that contains the pre-recorded audio content (including sampled sine waves) used by these projects, which I easily imported into Live as stems. I grouped the tracks in the same order as the folders used in the Cubase projects.</li>
<li><b>Plugin presets</b>: All instances of the effects plugins in these projects use identical
settings, which is important, because some plugin presets can be more
CPU-intensive than others. Since plugin settings are embedded in the DAW project, I didn't have preset files I could import into Live, so I noted all of the plugin values used in the Cubase projects and created presets matching those settings for each of the plugins in Live.</li>
<li><b>Plugin inserts</b>: Just like with the Cubase projects, I inserted 8 instances of the desired effects plugin on each of the sine tracks. I enabled display of the insert slots in Session view and resized it so all 8 slots were visible at all times.</li>
<li><b>Levels and routing</b>: All tracks are routed to Live's Master outs, but all of the "Sine" tracks are set at <b>-inf</b> volume.</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LEY6IjA3qBQ/WeO_ecSzJqI/AAAAAAAADRE/aq5khXj6mNcdj8yer8MIumsgM5nvcNMSgCLcBGAs/s1600/Live%2Bdsp1566.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LEY6IjA3qBQ/WeO_ecSzJqI/AAAAAAAADRE/aq5khXj6mNcdj8yer8MIumsgM5nvcNMSgCLcBGAs/s400/Live%2Bdsp1566.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The DSP-1566 project on Live 9.</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
Porting the VI Projects</span></h2>
<ul>
<li><b>MIDI tracks</b>: For the MIDI parts that play into the "Multi1Orchband" instance of Kontakt, I dragged all of the MIDI clips out of Cubase and imported them into Live as MIDI clips. There were 16 MIDI clips for the Orchband multi, and another 16-bar MIDI clip for the polyphonic Sine tracks. This clip simply played a 10-note chord for a full 16 measures. <b>Note</b>: Due to an issue I discovered while performing benchmark testing, I discovered that the original 16-bar Poly tracks could not be used for reliable testing. (I will go into more detail on this in my next post.) Because of this I also created a 1-bar version of the Poly track that plays a sustained chord for the first seven 8ths of the measure. Session view allows me to add both the 1-bar clip and the 16-bar clip to every poly track and switch between them at will. Because of this I also edited separate copies of the original Cubase VI projects to use the same 1-bar loop.</li>
<li><b>Audio tracks</b>: The VI projects include one audible pre-recorded audio track (a 2-bar drum loop to accompany the Orchband parts), and 16 sine wave tracks whose volume is turned to -inf/silent. I presume these additional tracks are to help simulate a real music project that is handling both virtual instruments and audio tracks.</li>
<li><b>EQ</b>: In Cubase, each of the Sine audio tracks had channel EQ enabled, although it wasn't applying any boosts or cuts. This is not a default track setting, however, so I figured it was intentional. Since Live doesn't have built-in track effects, I instantiated an EQ Eight effect on each of the Sine tracks in Live, and only enabled the first four filter activators, setting them to the same frequencies as those in the Cubase projects, to simulate an equivalent processing load.</li>
<li><b>Levels and routing</b>: All audio outputs are routed to the Master outs. The Cubase VI projects use the MIDI volume fader in the inspector to set the volume of each part in the Orchband multi. Live uses envelopes for this sort of thing, so I used the pink noise mixing method to set the MIDI levels of each of the audible MIDI parts. As mentioned before, all Sine audio tracks were set to -inf, and most importantly, all parts in the Multi2Poly instances of Kontakt were also turned down to -inf- which proved to be a problem during testing.</li>
<li><b>Kontakt multis</b>:</li>
<ul>
<li>I didn't want to have to go through the laborious process of browsing for the correct samples for each of the VI projects when loading them into Live, so in Cubase, I opened both the CV and NCV versions of the DAW Bench projects and saved the Kontakt multis as "monoliths," which include samples. I saved only one copy of the Multi2Poly multi (since it is identical in both flavors of the DAW Bench VI projects), and separate CV/NCV versions of the Multi1Orchband multi. To ensure that my choice of monolith vs. traditional NKI did not adversely affect my tests, I did do a project built that used the traditional sample loading method. I found that RAM consumption was identical whether you used a monolith or not (Kontakt appears to load all samples for all parts when it is able to do so).</li>
<li>Upon my first playback of my imported MIDI clips and multis, I discovered something very strange. One of the parts in the audible potion of the project was clearly out of tune, and not playing in the same way that it sounded when playing under Cubase. It took a while to debug, but I determined that the problem was ocurring in part 13 of the Orchband multi. It was a patch named "Mini Lead 2." This Kontakt patch is explicitly designed to be monophonic (to only play one note at a time). Strangely, the original Cubase DAW Bench projects play chords into this track and they are audible as chords. I don't know why this works under Cubase (because it's not supposed to). But basically, the patch's monophonic design was affecting how it interpreted the chords being sent to it under Live, resulting in strange and unexpected behavior. In order to make the project sound the same in Live as it does in Cubase, I had to bypass the Unisono behavior on Mini Lead 2.<br /><br />Here's a demonstration of the Unisono issue with the Mini Lead 2 part. It's a 16-bar track divided into four 4-bar sections: 1) The track as it's supposed to sound, 2) The Mini Lead 2 part correctly playing, soloed, 3) The track when the Mini Lead 2 part is not working correctly, and 4) The out-of-tune Mini Lead 2 part, soloed.<br /><br /><iframe frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/347061574&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U0HdTWedK0k/WeO_s-GdI1I/AAAAAAAADRI/GZJJ5beZFRcNh8hHVuLgv9o9nsfgOdEjwCLcBGAs/s1600/Live%2BVI%2BCV.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U0HdTWedK0k/WeO_s-GdI1I/AAAAAAAADRI/GZJJ5beZFRcNh8hHVuLgv9o9nsfgOdEjwCLcBGAs/s400/Live%2BVI%2BCV.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The VI CV project on Live 9.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">The results</span></h2>
See my upcoming post about the DAW Bench results when I compared Live 9 to Cubase 9. I may also publish these project files at some point so others can do their own tests in Live.<br />
<br />
<ul><ul>
</ul>
</ul>
Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-45750018100394170202017-10-01T14:35:00.001-07:002017-10-01T14:35:18.354-07:00SOLUTION: Disabling Tap-to-Click on Alienware 13 Touchpad - Windows 10 UpdateBack in early 2015 I bought my first <a href="http://amzn.to/2xLVhsd" target="_blank">Alienware 13</a> gaming laptop and struggled to figure out <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/03/solution-disabling-tap-to-click-on.html" target="_blank">how to disable the tap-to-click feature of that computer's touchpad under Windows 8</a>. Well that was a different Alienware 13 (it was the "R1" model) and a different Windows. I now own an Alienware 13 R2, and this weekend I installed a fresh copy of Windows 10 on it- only to discover that I was no longer able to disable tapping on this computer under Windows 10. So I was back to square one...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zSTaR5J_Xxk/WdFI6OlhqhI/AAAAAAAADPI/zel0MjGsQnkM8QsL2najXO9rztkQ5kR-QCLcBGAs/s1600/Alienware%2B13%2BR2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zSTaR5J_Xxk/WdFI6OlhqhI/AAAAAAAADPI/zel0MjGsQnkM8QsL2najXO9rztkQ5kR-QCLcBGAs/s320/Alienware%2B13%2BR2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The first time I logged into Windows 10 on my laptop, I opened the <b>Start </b>menu and searched for <b>Touchpad settings</b>, expecting to see the same set of options available under Windows 8.1. Sadly, I was met with this confusing and anemic list of changeable settings:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cMKbETFbm-M/WdFbThGIYnI/AAAAAAAADPY/4NTSlrFMoE0zxGvVir8M49rkLQmZlz7SACLcBGAs/s1600/Touchpad%2Bsettings.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="955" height="117" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cMKbETFbm-M/WdFbThGIYnI/AAAAAAAADPY/4NTSlrFMoE0zxGvVir8M49rkLQmZlz7SACLcBGAs/s320/Touchpad%2Bsettings.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Literally the only option I was able to configure was <b>Touchpad sensitivity</b>. Even though there was text saying, "<b>Taps: Use taps to click, right-click, and select</b>" there was no way to disable them. Clicking <b>Additional settings</b> just brought up the generic Windows <b>Mouse Properties</b> dialog, with no options at all for the touchpad.<br />
<br />
I went to the <a href="http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/4/product-support/product/alienware-13-r2/drivers/advanced" target="_blank">Dell support page for the Alienware 13 R2</a> and located the Synaptics Touchpad Driver under Mouse, Keyboard & Input Devices. After installing this driver and rebooting, I checked the Windows 10 touchpad settings again and still only saw the single option to adjust Touchpad sensitivity. Nothing for taps. However, this time when I clicked <b>Additional settings</b>, something new appeared:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-44JJ0yR9NZY/WdFc13BTeoI/AAAAAAAADPk/4nTFqGoY_AwgPQlAF05Z-jyWsVqJTg0wACLcBGAs/s1600/Alienware%2BMouse%2BProperties.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="472" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-44JJ0yR9NZY/WdFc13BTeoI/AAAAAAAADPk/4nTFqGoY_AwgPQlAF05Z-jyWsVqJTg0wACLcBGAs/s320/Alienware%2BMouse%2BProperties.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
While none of the tabs in this dialog had any useful settings, clicking the "<b>Click to change Touchpad settings</b>" link on the <b>Touchpad </b>tab brought me here:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-57yJlt6hXto/WdFda6gvieI/AAAAAAAADPs/BCPpcc2cv38HNC58BwH7fl__XkVE3pvNACLcBGAs/s1600/Alienware%2BPointing%2BDevices.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="743" height="247" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-57yJlt6hXto/WdFda6gvieI/AAAAAAAADPs/BCPpcc2cv38HNC58BwH7fl__XkVE3pvNACLcBGAs/s400/Alienware%2BPointing%2BDevices.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Now, on this <b>Pointing Devices</b> screen if you have the touchpad icon selected at the top and <b>Sensitivity </b>selected on the left, you should see a "<b>Tapping ></b>" link on the right side of the dialog. When you click that link, you then see this page:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4exO3ScgHTs/WdFeGnZ4DtI/AAAAAAAADP0/GPjTS1-Op6MAmmeOmkRXR5x-jeflIgBigCLcBGAs/s1600/Alienware%2BTapping%2BSettings.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="744" height="245" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4exO3ScgHTs/WdFeGnZ4DtI/AAAAAAAADP0/GPjTS1-Op6MAmmeOmkRXR5x-jeflIgBigCLcBGAs/s400/Alienware%2BTapping%2BSettings.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Finally, you can uncheck the box next to <b>Tap to click</b> and then click <b>Save</b>. I did this and restarted Windows just to make sure the setting "stuck." And it did!<br />
<br />
If these steps didn't work for you, or if you're having trouble finding the correct settings on Windows 8.1, please check out <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/03/solution-disabling-tap-to-click-on.html" target="_blank">my original post about disabling tapping on Alienware laptops</a>. <br />
<br />Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-2049026083664859432017-09-30T19:35:00.002-07:002017-10-01T14:43:06.318-07:00How to Install Windows 10 on the Dell Venue 8 Pro TabletI stopped using my <a href="http://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/cty/pdp/spd/dell-venue-8-pro-5855-tablet" target="_blank">Dell Venue 8 Pro</a> a couple years ago because Windows 8.1 just didn't deliver as reliable and satisfying a tablet experience as iOS did on my iPads. I recently decided to install Windows 10 on my Venue 8 to see if the new operating system would make the Venue a better tablet- but I was surprised by how complicated this process turned out to be. It took a lot of research and experimentation to upgrade my tablet, so I decided to compile all my notes and observations in one place to save other Venue 8 owners the trouble.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tYsjBYbSJiI/WdBUcafX5XI/AAAAAAAADOo/kTUWB_wlUdszHeRtrYZuJaqZ7qd-Ns8BgCLcBGAs/s1600/Install%2BWindows%2B10%2Bon%2BDell%2BVenue%2BBanner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tYsjBYbSJiI/WdBUcafX5XI/AAAAAAAADOo/kTUWB_wlUdszHeRtrYZuJaqZ7qd-Ns8BgCLcBGAs/s640/Install%2BWindows%2B10%2Bon%2BDell%2BVenue%2BBanner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2>
Pros and Cons of the Venue 8 Pro</h2>
I originally got my tablet, the Venue 5830 Pro model, at a huge discount when buying a laptop from Dell a few years ago. I used the thing almost daily for at least a full year before relegating it to a bookshelf when I won an iPad mini at a company picnic.<br />
<h3>
What I liked about the Venue 8 Pro:</h3>
<ul>
<li>It's got a bright, good-looking screen.</li>
<li>It's got a sturdy, solid build.</li>
<li>I like the simple, elegant vinyl folio case I bought with it.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
What I didn't like about it:</h3>
<ul>
<li>The "Windows Store" version of Internet Explorer 11 that came with Windows 8.1 was really slow and unbearable to use. At the time, it was also the only browser available on the Windows Store, so I had to use the tablet in Desktop mode in order to run more responsive browsers like Chrome and Firefox.</li>
<li>At the time there were also no <a href="https://redditenhancementsuite.com/" target="_blank">Reddit Enhancement Suite</a> versions available for Windows Store-compatible browsers, and I find Reddit basically unusable without it, so that was another thing keeping me in Desktop mode on my tablet. (There is now a version available for Microsoft Edge.)</li>
<li>Windows 8.1 desktop mode sucks on a tablet (no mouse, tiny text, links hard to click, etc).</li>
<li>Every few weeks the tablet would refuse to wake from sleep mode and I'd have to go through an elaborate set of steps to force the thing to do a hard shutdown and power-on.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Before You Start</h2>
My Venue 8 only has 32GB of storage (and of that, only around 25GB is actually available to Windows with the default partitioning scheme), which means that there isn't enough room to do an OS <i>upgrade</i>; only a fresh install on a newly-formatted partition. In order to be sure you don't lose anything before doing a fresh OS install, make sure to do the following:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Back up your data</b>. If you keep any unique files on your tablet, be sure to store copies of them. If your Windows 8.1 user account on the tablet is linked to a Microsoft account, the simplest way to back up those files would be to place them all into OneDrive folders, so they'll be waiting for you once you log into Windows 10 with your Microsoft account.</li>
<li><b>Back up your product keys</b>. Even though the Windows 10 free upgrade offer officially ended in 2016, Microsoft quietly still lets licensed Windows 7 and Windows 8 owners upgrade for free with product keys for eligible editions. I used the free program <a href="https://www.belarc.com/products_belarc_advisor" target="_blank">Belarc Advisor</a> to examine my tablet and saved the resulting profile as an HTML profile to my OneDrive account. The <b>Software Licenses</b> section of the profile included the product key for my OEM version of Windows 8.1, which is what I used to activate my copy of Windows 10. <b>Note</b>: While I think my tablet came with a license for Microsoft Office 2013 (version 15.0), I didn't see a product key for it listed in the Belarc report, and I don't know if this is because I never used/activated Office on the tablet or if Belarc Adviser doesn't pick it up. I do not use Office on the tablet anyway, though, so I didn't really care.</li>
<li><b>Charge your tablet</b>. This is really important- you won't be able to power your Venue 8 while installing Windows 10, because you'll need to use your USB port for other things during that time. You do not want to run out of battery while installing an operating system, so make sure you're fully charged before proceeding.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Required Hardware</h2>
Once Windows 10 is fully installed and updated, you don't need any peripherals to use the tablet, but for several reasons, you will need several devices in order to install the operating system and some drivers.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>A powered USB hub with at least three ports</b> for connecting a mouse, keyboard, and thumb drive to your tablet. It must be a powered hub since the tablet's USB port doesn't provide enough juice for multiple devices. I can vouch for <a href="http://amzn.to/2wQGVVD" target="_blank">this D-Link 7-port hub</a> but any solid powered hub should do.</li>
<li><b>A USB Type A female to USB Micro male adapter</b> for connecting your USB hub to the tablet. I used a <a href="http://amzn.to/2yAAurM" target="_blank">StarTech 5-inch Micro USB to USB A On-the-Go Host Cable Adapter</a>.</li>
<li><b>A USB keyboard</b>, since there will be no soft keyboard support during the Windows 10 install process.</li>
<li><b>A USB mouse</b>, since there will be no touch screen support until after Windows 10 is installed and updated.</li>
<li><b>A USB thumb drive</b> big enough to serve as a Windows 10 boot drive, and also for copying some necessary driver files to the tablet before it has access to the internet. The drive must be at least 5GB in size, and any data currently on the drive will be wiped out because the process of making it a bootable Windows installer involves formatting it. I get these <a href="http://amzn.to/2ht5u5l" target="_blank">5-packs of Topsell 16GB USB 2.0 Flash Drives</a>, and use them for this sort of thing all the time.</li>
<li><b>A separate internet-connected computer</b> for downloading drivers and Windows installer files. </li>
</ul>
<h2>
Updating the BIOS</h2>
In order to fully support Windows 10, you should make sure you're running the most recent BIOS version for your Dell Venue model. In my case, I still had the BIOS version that my tablet shipped with (A04), but the most recent version available for my model (the 5830) was A14. I downloaded the <b>Dell Venue 8 Pro 5830 System BIOS</b> file from <a href="http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/product-support/product/dell-venue-8-pro/drivers/advanced" target="_blank">this Dell support page</a>.<br />
<br />
Installation is painless; just have your tablet plugged in, launch the downloaded file (in my case that was <b>5830A14.exe</b>), and allow the tablet to reboot if/when prompted.<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<h2>
Preparing the Bootable Windows 10 Installer</h2>
There are a couple of easy ways to prepare your USB thumb drive for installing Windows 10. Regardless of which method you choose, keep these things in mind:<br />
<ol>
<li><b>The Venue 8 Pro can only run 32-bit (x86) versions of Windows</b>, so you need to be careful which version you download from Microsoft.</li>
<li><b>The Venue 8 Pro can only detect UEFI-capable boot devices</b>. (Both of the following methods should account for this if you follow the instructions closely.)</li>
</ol>
<h3>
Using the Windows 10 Download Tool </h3>
If you don't already have an ISO image for a Windows 10 setup disc, use Microsoft's Windows 10 Download tool to get the necessary files and prepare your USB drive. Go to the <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10" target="_blank">Download Windows 10</a> page and click the "<b>Using the tool to create installation media</b>" link to see detailed instructions. The quick steps are here:<br />
<ol>
<li>Plug in the USB thumb drive you plan to use as your Windows 10 installer. </li>
<li>Click the <b>Download tool now</b> button to download the file <b>MediaCreationTool.exe</b>.</li>
<li>Locate the downloaded program and launch it.</li>
<li>On the first screen, select <b>Create installation media</b> and click <b>Next</b>.</li>
<li>On the second screen, <i>uncheck</i> the <b>Use the recommended options for this PC</b> box and make sure to pick <b>32-bit (x86)</b> for <b>Architecture</b>, and then click <b>Next</b>.</li>
<li>On the next screen, select <b>USB flash drive</b> and click <b>Next</b>.</li>
<li>On the next screen, select your desired target thumb drive from the list of devices and then click <b>Next</b>. The tool will download the necessary files and prepare your thumb drive.</li>
<li>The Windows 10 Download Tool creates those infamous <b>$WINDOWS.~BT</b> and <b>$Windows.~WS</b> folders on the computer where you run it, and after your boot media is created there will still be hundreds of megabytes of content left in them. You can use the <b>Delete Windows 10 Download Folders</b> function of my free program, <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel</a>, to delete those folders when you're all done. </li>
</ol>
<h3>
Using Rufus</h3>
As a Microsoft Developer Network subscriber I have access to ISO images of Windows setup discs, so I downloaded the <b>x86/32-bit</b> version of the latest "<b>Windows 10 (Multiple Editions)</b>" DVD image. Here's how to create a bootable USB drive from a downloaded Windows 10 ISO image:<br />
<ol>
<li>On the computer where you downloaded the ISO file, plug in the USB thumb drive that you intend to use as your Windows 10 boot drive. </li>
<li>Download and run the latest version of <a href="https://rufus.akeo.ie/" target="_blank">the free tool Rufus</a>.</li>
<li>On the row that says "<b>Create a bootable disc using</b>," click the button that has a picture of a disc on it and browse to/select your downloaded ISO file.</li>
<li>Select your target USB thumb drive from the <b>Device </b>list.</li>
<li>For <b>Partition scheme and target system type</b>, select <b>GPT partition scheme for UEFI</b>.</li>
<li>For <b>File system</b>, select <b>FAT32</b>.</li>
<li>Make sure <b>Quick format</b>, <b>Create a bootable disk using</b>, and <b>Create extended label and icon files</b> are all checked, and "<b>ISO image</b>" is selected as the source format.</li>
<li>Click <b>Start </b>to prepare your thumb drive. This process can take several minutes.</li>
</ol>
<h2>
Booting the Venue Pro from the USB Thumb Drive (hardware and software setup)</h2>
Since the Venue 8 Pro comes with a UEFI Secure Boot configuration there is no "Press F12 for boot options" prompt when you power up the device. Instead you have two different ways to boot from a properly-formatted USB flash drive:<br />
<br />
<h3>
Booting to flash drive from Windows 8.1</h3>
<ol>
<li>While logged in to Windows 8.1, connect your mouse, keyboard, and flash drive to your USB hub, and then connect the powered hub to your fully-charged Dell Venue Pro.</li>
<li>Move your mouse to the upper-right corner of the screen to display the Windows 8 charms menu.</li>
<li>Click the <b>Settings </b>gear at the bottom of the charms menu.</li>
<li>Click <b>Change PC Settings</b>.</li>
<li>Click <b>Update and Recovery</b>.</li>
<li>Click <b>Recovery</b>, and then click <b>Restart now</b> under <b>Advanced Startup</b>. The tablet will boot into advanced startup mode.</li>
<li>On the <b>Choose an option</b> screen, click <b>Use a device</b>. </li>
<li>Your USB Flash drive will probably be labeled: "<b>UEFI:Removable Device</b>." If you see such an option, select it to boot from that device. If you do not see an option that looks like it might be your thumb drive, it might not be formatted properly.</li>
</ol>
<h3>
Booting to flash drive from power-on</h3>
If your tablet's already powered off, there's no need to launch Windows 8 just to reboot it into advanced mode. These instructions are correct as of the latest available BIOS for my Venue Pro model (the 5830). I have seen a lot of alleged instructions posted around the internet for doing this and none of them worked for me. This is the only boot-to-USB-from-power-on procedure that I've managed to get working.<br />
<ol>
<li>With the tablet powered off, connect your mouse, keyboard, and flash
drive to your USB hub, and then connect the powered hub to your
fully-charged Dell Venue Pro.</li>
<li><i>This part is tricky</i>. You need to hold down the power button just long enough for the device to begin powering on, but let go <i>before </i>the Dell logo appears on-screen. On my tablet 3-and-a-half seconds seems to be the perfect amount of time. You might see lights on your connected keyboard/mouse flash right when you need to let go.</li>
<li>While the screen is still black (and before the white Dell logo appears), release the power button and then hold down the tablet's <b>Volume Up</b> button until the Dell logo appears on-screen.<br /><br /><b>Note</b><br />If you see the spinning circle of dots that indicates Windows is loading, you missed your window. You might as well just follow the Windows method mentioned above if that happens.<br /> </li>
<li>Once you see the white Dell logo for a couple of seconds, release the <b>Volume Up</b> button. The UEFI boot menu should appear:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HVpvOpJvdmg/WcxSVKoCA4I/AAAAAAAADNA/T-O-jhvbtPMXi_OigjJ5A9DiormFLoJEwCLcBGAs/s1600/Venue%2BPro%2BBoot%2BMenu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HVpvOpJvdmg/WcxSVKoCA4I/AAAAAAAADNA/T-O-jhvbtPMXi_OigjJ5A9DiormFLoJEwCLcBGAs/s320/Venue%2BPro%2BBoot%2BMenu.png" width="320" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>If your USB drive is properly formatted with a 32-bit version of the Windows 10 installer as described in the above sections about Rufus and the Windows 10 Download Tool, you should see an option for your thumb drive on this screen (mine is selected in the picture above). If you only see <b>Windows Boot Manager</b>, it means your tablet doesn't recognize your thumb drive. Use the <b>Volume Up</b> button to navigate to your thumb drive's entry on this screen and press <b>Volume Down</b> to boot from the selected device.</li>
<li>After a short while, the Windows 10 Setup wizard should begin.
</li>
</ol>
<h2>
Installing Windows 10</h2>
After using one of the above methods for booting to your USB flash drive, you should now see the Windows 10 setup wizard:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AiWf5k2NQ7I/WcxTWMkbQZI/AAAAAAAADNI/St3J7duS8-ofNXCALIcuVNJQi2Wbd5jcACLcBGAs/s1600/Windows%2B10%2BSetup%2BWizard.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AiWf5k2NQ7I/WcxTWMkbQZI/AAAAAAAADNI/St3J7duS8-ofNXCALIcuVNJQi2Wbd5jcACLcBGAs/s320/Windows%2B10%2BSetup%2BWizard.png" width="320" /> </a> </div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Some quick notes to guide you during setup:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>These steps assume you have already upgraded your tablet to the latest available BIOS. </li>
<li>During Windows installation, the tablet's accelerometer isn't available, so you can only work in portrait/vertical mode.</li>
<li>The touch screen doesn't work during Windows setup, so you'll be glad to have your USB mouse and keyboard here.</li>
<li>When you get to the "<b>Which type of installation do you want?</b>" screen, pick the <b>Custom: Install Windows only</b> option.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v0aKPYgt1Yo/Wcxi-9g4ObI/AAAAAAAADNY/vn_t8HWyYoclcB5udoVvCPbuZ-y7OBGMgCLcBGAs/s1600/Windows%2B10%2Bwhich%2Btype%2Bof%2Binstallation.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v0aKPYgt1Yo/Wcxi-9g4ObI/AAAAAAAADNY/vn_t8HWyYoclcB5udoVvCPbuZ-y7OBGMgCLcBGAs/s320/Windows%2B10%2Bwhich%2Btype%2Bof%2Binstallation.png" width="320" /></a></div>
</li>
<li><b>Choosing how to partition your tablet</b>: On the <b>Where do you want to install Windows</b> screen you will probably find a bunch of partitions listed. Most of these are Dell-created partitions for backup/restore purposes and to store Dell's diagnostic tools. <i>These additional partitions take up 6 gigabytes of the tablet's storage</i> (and my model only has 32GB total). If you would like to keep the existing partition scheme, then you'll want to choose the largest "Primary" partition available (the one selected in my screenshot). The next bullet item in this section has some details on using that partition. If you don't think you'll need those other partitions and would like to reclaim that extra space, I have read that some folks have had success simply using the <b>Delete </b>button here to remove <i>all </i>of the pre-existing partitions and then letting Windows 10 partition the storage with its default settings. I have not tried this personally, so I don't know what you lose by going this route. (If anyone out there tries it, please let me know how it works out!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zU-hVMbkP3o/WcxmSAtMSOI/AAAAAAAADNk/fEJ3dfvBc6cf3ujFwtV37A7v6uQus7-DwCLcBGAs/s1600/Windows%2B10%2BPartitions.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zU-hVMbkP3o/WcxmSAtMSOI/AAAAAAAADNk/fEJ3dfvBc6cf3ujFwtV37A7v6uQus7-DwCLcBGAs/s320/Windows%2B10%2BPartitions.png" width="320" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>If, like me, you choose to keep Dell's existing partition scheme, you might notice something like the below screenshot, where the <b>Format </b>and <b>New </b>commands are grayed out and there's a warning saying "<b>Windows can't be installed on drive 0 partition 5</b>." This is because the Dell Windows 10 configuration uses BitLocker drive encryption to protect your files. In order to use this space to install Windows 10, you need to select the partition, and then click <b>Delete</b>. After you delete the partition, it will appear as unpartitioned space, which you can then select as your install partition.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--DpBllWTqHs/WcxmWoF93MI/AAAAAAAADNo/BpnNdctmcsEJJFpY8PPr_VRqkqs8t_OvgCLcBGAs/s1600/Windows%2B10%2BBitlocker%2BWarning.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--DpBllWTqHs/WcxmWoF93MI/AAAAAAAADNo/BpnNdctmcsEJJFpY8PPr_VRqkqs8t_OvgCLcBGAs/s320/Windows%2B10%2BBitlocker%2BWarning.png" width="320" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Since the Windows 10 installer doesn't include drivers for the Venue Pro's WiFi, you won't be able to connect to your network or create an online-connected user account during Windows Setup. After setup is complete and you install your WiFi drivers, you'll be able to connect your local user account to your Microsoft account for full Windows 10 functionality.</li>
<li>When/if prompted for a product key, use the key that you archived with Belarc Adviser (or other methods) in the "<b>Before you start</b>" section of this guide. If you choose the "<b>I don't have a product key</b>" option, the setup wizard will let you proceed, but it will ask you which edition of Windows you wish to install. You must be careful to choose an edition that is a valid upgrade path from your old Windows 8 install. The "<b>Using the tool to create installation media</b>" section of the <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10" target="_blank">Download Windows 10</a> page lists which Windows 7/8 versions map to specific Windows 10 editions.</li>
<li>Follow the rest of the prompts to allow Windows 10 setup to complete.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Installing drivers and finalizing setup</h2>
Once the initial Windows 10 setup procedure is complete, there are a few important things you'll have to do get things working normally, because right now you'll probably notice that:<br />
<ul>
<li>There is no audio.</li>
<li>There is no WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity.</li>
<li>The accelerometers aren't working, so you have to work in portrait mode.</li>
<li>The touchscreen doesn't work.</li>
<li>You can only create/use "local" user accounts.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Install required drivers</h3>
First off, on an internet-connected computer, go to the Dell <a href="http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/product-support/product/dell-venue-8-pro/drivers/advanced" target="_blank">drivers page for the Venue 8 Pro</a> and download the following drivers to a USB flash drive. (I created a "downloads" folder on my Windows 10 setup drive for this.)<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Network </b>> <b>Dell Wireless 1538 WiFi/Bluetooth Driver</b></li>
<li><b>Chipset </b>> <b>Intel Atom Z3000 Series Driver</b></li>
</ul>
Connect your flash drive to your powered USB hub and install both drivers. Restart Windows when and if prompted.<br />
<br />
After both drivers are installed, you should find that you can now do the following:<br />
<ul>
<li>Pair Bluetooth devices.</li>
<li>Connect to WiFi networks.</li>
<li>Rotate the device to switch between portrait and landscape modes.</li>
<li>Use the touch screen.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Update the audio driver</h3>
The Z3000 Series chipset drivers actually include the correct driver for your on-board audio, but Windows seems to pick a different sound driver during Windows setup that doesn't work. Here's how to get the audio working (assuming you've already installed the chipset driver). You will want to have a mouse connected for this step.<br />
<ol>
<li>In Windows 10, open up the Device Manager control panel and expand the <b>Sound, video and game controllers</b> node.</li>
<li>Right-click <b>Intel SST Audio Device (WDM)</b> and then click <b>Update driver</b>.</li>
<li>Use the "<b>Search automatically for updated driver software</b>" option and Windows should locate your newly-installed driver.</li>
<li>Repeat these steps for the <b>Realtek I2S Audio Codec</b> device. In my case, Windows reported that I already had the correct driver.</li>
<li>Restart Windows. Once you log in you should be able to play and hear audio.</li>
</ol>
<h3>
Connect to your Microsoft account</h3>
Since you probably had to create a local account during Windows setup, now that you have network connectivity, you should connect to your Microsoft account so that you can use OneDrive and the Windows Store.<br />
<br />
After logging into Windows 10, bring up the account settings page by pressing the Windows key, clicking your user portrait, and then clicking <b>Change account settings</b>. (You can also open up the search box and type "<b>Manage your account</b>.")<br />
<br />
On your account settings page there should be a link that says "<b>Connect to a Microsoft account</b>" or "<b>Sign in with Microsoft</b>." Click this link and enter your Microsoft credentials. From this point on you can log in with your Microsoft credentials.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Where did my desktop and taskbar icons go?</h3>
Once my tablet was connected to the internet it began downloading Windows updates, and I let it restart a few times to let all the updates install. At one point, though, when I logged into the tablet, something was very different!<br />
<br />
Instead of being greeted with my desktop upon logging in:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z6TXIxJRDOc/Wcx6JMgaxPI/AAAAAAAADN4/33BQNx7D1_45yuxXRdG0C0Up_8r9zlMNwCLcBGAs/s1600/Windows%2B10%2BNormal%2BDesktop.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z6TXIxJRDOc/Wcx6JMgaxPI/AAAAAAAADN4/33BQNx7D1_45yuxXRdG0C0Up_8r9zlMNwCLcBGAs/s320/Windows%2B10%2BNormal%2BDesktop.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I instead logged into what was essentially a full-screen Start menu:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ll-IJInp518/Wcx6S9Jw9MI/AAAAAAAADN8/OaqguNYJd50tlfKLPid0QIqj7HpnRoufwCLcBGAs/s1600/Windows%2B10%2BTablet%2BMode.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ll-IJInp518/Wcx6S9Jw9MI/AAAAAAAADN8/OaqguNYJd50tlfKLPid0QIqj7HpnRoufwCLcBGAs/s320/Windows%2B10%2BTablet%2BMode.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
There was no <b>Desktop </b>tile, and when I launched any apps their icons wouldn't appear in the taskbar, so I could only switch between them using hotkeys. What the heck happened?<br />
<br />
Well it seems that after one of the Windows updates I had downloaded, Windows 10 realized my device was actually a tablet and "helpfully" forced it into "tablet mode" for me. This is a mode that's meant to make desktop windows feel more like a mobile/tablet operating system. It's fine for what it is, but there were still some things I wanted to do in desktop mode before I felt ready using the Venue Pro as a tablet again. Here's how to switch between modes:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>If you're in tablet mode, click the <b>Settings </b>gear on the left side of the screen. If you're in desktop mode, press the Windows key to bring up the <b>Start </b>menu, and search for "Tablet mode settings."</li>
<li>On the <b>Tablet mode</b> screen, change the "<b>When I sign in</b>" setting to force desktop or tablet mode, or to let Windows decide which is best for your device.</li>
<li>If you use <b>Tablet mode</b>, you can also decide whether or not to show taskbar buttons by changing the "<b>Hide app icons on the taskbar in tablet mode</b>" option.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<ol>
</ol>
<ul>
</ul>
Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-51495609405574018552017-09-05T07:26:00.000-07:002017-09-05T08:21:15.206-07:00Comparing DAW Performance of Recent Cubase Versions on WindowsI recently had to increase the buffer size setting on my audio interface to eliminate audio glitches in a music project on <a href="http://amzn.to/2wwUqLr" target="_blank">Cubase Pro 9</a>. Since I almost never have to adjust my interface settings while producing a track, I wondered if perhaps Cubase 9 wasn't performing as well as previous Cubase versions I'd worked with. I searched around for some performance information, but I couldn't find any detailed, up-to-date comparisons of recent Cubase versions- so I decided to do my own.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W5QjSPjvP54/Wa3Qc-m2OgI/AAAAAAAADLY/SXOBu2WXbnIuzzsDOe3tnMAjwMQRPozhQCLcBGAs/s1600/Comparing%2BDaw%2BPerformance%2Bof%2BCubase.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W5QjSPjvP54/Wa3Qc-m2OgI/AAAAAAAADLY/SXOBu2WXbnIuzzsDOe3tnMAjwMQRPozhQCLcBGAs/s640/Comparing%2BDaw%2BPerformance%2Bof%2BCubase.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3>
Cubase versions under test</h3>
I decided to test the most recent available 64-bit versions of the last four major Cubase releases:<br />
<ul>
<li>Cubase 6.5 - Originally released February 2012, the latest version is 6.5.5 from June 24, 2013.</li>
<li>Cubase 7.5 - Originally released December 2013, the latest version is 7.5.40 from Jan 19, 2015.</li>
<li>Cubase Pro 8.5 - Originally released December 2015, the latest version is 8.5.30 from Feb 22, 2017.</li>
<li>Cubase Pro 9.0 - Originally released December 2016, the latest version is 9.0.30 from July 20, 2017.</li>
</ul>
In addition to comparing basic performance of individual Cubase
releases, I also wanted to examine the effects of <a href="https://www.steinberg.net/nc/en/support/knowledgebase_new/show_details/kb_show/details-on-asio-guard-in-cubase-and-nuendo.html" target="_blank">ASIO-Guard</a>, a feature
Steinberg introduced with Cubase 7. By using smart management of CPU
time and audio buffers, ASIO-Guard claims to increase the amount of
plugins you can run without encountering audio glitches. Steinberg
claims to have made improvements to ASIO-Guard over time, so I wanted to
see how the feature had changed.<br />
<br />
<h3>
DAW Bench and Test Preparation</h3>
I installed each version side-by-side on my PC, patched them with the latest updates, and then downloaded the 2017 versions of the <a href="http://www.dawbench.com/benchmarks.htm" target="_blank">DAW Bench</a> test projects. In case you're not familiar with DAW Bench, it's a collection of DAW projects assembled by audio professional Vin Curigliano to assess a digital audio workstation's ability to reliably produce audio while operating under heavy DSP workloads. When a computer's DSP resources are exhausted, audio suffers, with pops, drop-outs, and strange digital artifacts. Many factors contribute to a DAW system's ability to perform well: CPU, chipsets, drivers, operating system, DAW software, and audio interfaces all play a role.<br />
<br />
The current iteration of DAW Bench includes five different Cubase test projects, broken into two categories.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The DSP projects contain some basic audio tracks with literally hundreds of instances of a specific effect loaded up on various tracks. These push your computer's computational digital signal processing capabilities to its limits. The "score" for a DSP test is the number of plugin instances that can be activated without glitching the audio.</li>
<li>The VI projects use instances of Native Instruments Kontakt to test your computer's virtual instrument oscillation/voice generation abilities by playing from hundreds to thousands of simultaneous notes of polyphony. The "score" for a VI test is the number of musical notes that can play simultaneously without glitching the audio.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Each of the DSP projects uses a different freely-available effects plugin:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>DSP-1566</b> uses <a href="http://www.shatteredglassaudio.com/product.php?id=104" target="_blank">Shattered Glass Audio's SGA1566</a>, which is a CPU-intensive emulation of a vintage tube amplifier.</li>
<li><b>DSP-MJUC</b> uses <a href="https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/MJUCjr/MJUCjr.php" target="_blank">Klanghelm's MJUC jr.</a>, a "variable-mu" compressor plugin.</li>
<li><b>DSP-REAX</b> uses a specially-compiled version of <a href="http://wiki.cockos.com/wiki/index.php/ReaXcomp" target="_blank">Cockos ReaXcomp</a>, a multi-band compressor. (<b>Note</b>: The correct version is included in the DAW Bench download, don't use the one from the Reaper site.)</li>
</ul>
There are also two flavors of the VI tests: The "<b>VI-CV</b>" tests use Kontakt's internal convolution reverb effect (using more DSP power), while the "<b>VI-NCV</b>" tests have no reverb enabled.<br />
<br />
I performed the tests on my primary DAW PC. The full specs of the system are <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/06/building-new-computer-for-music.html" target="_blank">published elsewhere</a>, but here's the pertinent information:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Processor</b>: Intel i7 5930K @ 3.50GHz (6 physical cores)</li>
<li><b>RAM</b>: 32GB</li>
<li><b>Video</b>: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960</li>
<li><b>Operating System</b>: Windows 7 Professional SP-1, 64-bit</li>
<li><b>Audio Interface</b>: <a href="http://amzn.to/2x5CBGp" target="_blank">RME FireFace UFX</a>, in FireWire mode</li>
<li><b>Interface Settings</b>: 44.1kHz, 256 samples.</li>
<li><b>Windows Optimization</b>: The only Windows performance tweak I made was to select the High Performance power scheme in the Power Options control panel and to disable some unneeded startup processes and services. I have not adjusted any of the more arcane Windows settings such as the <a href="https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms684247(v=vs.85).aspx" target="_blank">MMCSS options</a>.</li>
<li><b>Cubase Optimization</b>: In all of my tests I use the default Cubase performance settings, with the obvious exception of disabling/enabling <b>ASIO-Guard</b> for a specific round of tests. So this means I'm leaving <b>Audio Priority</b> to <b>Normal</b>, <b>Activate Multi Processing</b> is <b>checked</b>, <b>Activate Steinberg Audio Power Scheme</b> is <b>unchecked </b>(I'm using the built-in Windows High Performance scheme), and on versions of Cubase that offer various "<b>ASIO-Guard Level</b>" settings, I'm using the <b>normal </b>level.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
DSP Test Results</h3>
The results of the DSP tests are below. For versions of Cubase with the ASIO-Guard features, separate scores are shown with the feature disabled ("no AG") or enabled ("AG"). Cubase 6.5 is the only tested version which lacks that feature.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hYns5bcx1Rc/WauJc9uVvOI/AAAAAAAADKA/_TWQ45yxVh4BewCQz0wKXyA4Z7cp5849QCLcBGAs/s1600/DSP%2BResults.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="351" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hYns5bcx1Rc/WauJc9uVvOI/AAAAAAAADKA/_TWQ45yxVh4BewCQz0wKXyA4Z7cp5849QCLcBGAs/s1600/DSP%2BResults.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>DSP Test Raw Data (44.1kHz, 256 samples)</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-98a7hNoIbPE/WauK8R3Yj2I/AAAAAAAADKM/Y176YySnRmkas5Z8xifyR6UdV6TkwixiACLcBGAs/s1600/dsp_tests_chart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="600" height="394" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-98a7hNoIbPE/WauK8R3Yj2I/AAAAAAAADKM/Y176YySnRmkas5Z8xifyR6UdV6TkwixiACLcBGAs/s640/dsp_tests_chart.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>DSP Test Chart</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The results weren't very dramatic, however they did show modest gains for the ASIO-Guard feature- particularly for versions 7.5 and 9.0. Cubase 8.5 with ASIO-Guard enabled scored the best for 2 out of 3 tests while Cubase 9.0 with ASIO-Guard disabled scored lowest in all three tests.<br />
<br />
<h3>
VI Test Results</h3>
The virtual instrument tests were a little more interesting. In the tests below, "VI-CV" are with Kontakt's convolution reverb effect enabled, while reverb is disabled in the "VI-NCV" tests.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jx9sb9QGH9w/WauMy8oiVMI/AAAAAAAADKY/rJ8HFbSv3Zg2mnvY5Q6I_bWjPcNB43nwwCLcBGAs/s1600/VI%2BResults.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="230" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jx9sb9QGH9w/WauMy8oiVMI/AAAAAAAADKY/rJ8HFbSv3Zg2mnvY5Q6I_bWjPcNB43nwwCLcBGAs/s1600/VI%2BResults.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>VI Test Raw Data (44.1kHz, 256 samples)</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-77kwVRjqK3w/WauM_YC6kPI/AAAAAAAADKc/Iq9-XKEcscQ7Uk_dAiLNqAeuJj7bgiOJgCLcBGAs/s1600/vi_tests_chart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="600" height="394" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-77kwVRjqK3w/WauM_YC6kPI/AAAAAAAADKc/Iq9-XKEcscQ7Uk_dAiLNqAeuJj7bgiOJgCLcBGAs/s640/vi_tests_chart.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>VI Test chart</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
A few things stand out in these tests:<br />
<ul>
<li>First, ASIO-Guard made dramatic improvements in both Cubase 8.5 and Cubase 9.0, while their ASIO-Guard gains weren't quite as impressive in the DSP tests. The feature shows a clear and demonstrable benefit, at least for some plugin duties.</li>
<li>The improvement ASIO-Guard made on Cubase 7.5 was much less impressive, and I am guessing it's because the Cubase 7.x implementation of ASIO-Guard did not fully support multi-timbral plugins such as Kontakt.</li>
<li>It was also interesting that while Cubase 9.0-with-ASIO-Guard gained the second-highest score in the test, without ASIO-Guard, Cubase 9.0 scored the lowest on these tests. Cubase 8.5 scored significantly higher, in both the ASIO-Guard enabled and disabled tests.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Final scores</h3>
I wanted to be able to rank individual Cubase versions in terms of performance, but I didn't want the VI tests to skew the numbers (since the VI scores reach up to the thousands while the DSP scores are all down in the low hundreds). In order to give each test equal weight, I divided the VI test scores by 10, and then I summed all 5 test scores for each DAW and ASIO-Guard setting.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBSq-01MX7E/WauRjbeI84I/AAAAAAAADKo/4qvvXLVxfBMBMtFEQCshkTvgkav_2ue7QCLcBGAs/s1600/Final%2BScores.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="216" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBSq-01MX7E/WauRjbeI84I/AAAAAAAADKo/4qvvXLVxfBMBMtFEQCshkTvgkav_2ue7QCLcBGAs/s1600/Final%2BScores.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Final Scores (raw)</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bvGNOId8KWI/WauRt4fjHFI/AAAAAAAADKs/qXBfXuYpOEILWPdfIpae-yJXv4Q2fRwLACLcBGAs/s1600/final_scores_chart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="600" height="394" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bvGNOId8KWI/WauRt4fjHFI/AAAAAAAADKs/qXBfXuYpOEILWPdfIpae-yJXv4Q2fRwLACLcBGAs/s640/final_scores_chart.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Final Scores (chart)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
With these adjusted performance scores, it appears that Cubase 8.5 with ASIO-Guard is the best-performing version of Cubase in recent years, although Cubase 9.0 still performs very well in second place so long as ASIO-Guard is enabled. However with ASIO-Guard disabled, Cubase 9.0 is the worst-performing version of Cubase of the versions tested.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Conclusions</h3>
<ul>
<li><b>Cubase 9 performs slightly worse than Cubase 8.5, given the same content and settings on the same system</b>. Without ASIO-Guard, Cubase 9 performed about 4 percent worse than 8.5. With ASIO-Guard there was only around a 2 percent difference.<br /><b></b></li>
<li><b>Core Cubase performance (without ASIO-Guard) has not changed significantly over time</b>. With Cubase 7.5 and 8.5 performing around 1 percent better than Cubase 6.5 and Cubase 9.0 performing nearly 3% worse, Cubase has delivered more or less consistent performance across major releases.</li>
<li><b>ASIO-Guard can make a big difference, but it depends on the specific plugins and workload</b>. Both Cubase 8.x and 9.x saw huge gains in the VI tests with ASIO-Guard enabled, but the gains were less impressive in the DSP tests.</li>
<li><b>Cubase makes very good use of multi-core processors and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyper-threading" target="_blank">hyper-threading</a> (*)</b>. Not all Windows DAWs handle modern CPUs the same, but Cubase has, for some time, been quite good at making use of both physical and logical CPU resources to deliver reliable audio under heavy DSP loads. Here's a screenshot of Windows Task Manager while Cubase is performing one of the DSP tests covered earlier. Every logical core of my i7 5930K is working at the maximum allowed by the Windows MMCSS settings (which reserve 20% of CPU power for background tasks). I plan to explore this stuff a little more in future posts.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WzW5HQWiqHk/WaxrTgfcq5I/AAAAAAAADLI/SuEKIRU5tWAqboMwxDRahT-VQyIUBvp4gCLcBGAs/s1600/Cubase%2BTask%2BManager.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="1253" height="472" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WzW5HQWiqHk/WaxrTgfcq5I/AAAAAAAADLI/SuEKIRU5tWAqboMwxDRahT-VQyIUBvp4gCLcBGAs/s640/Cubase%2BTask%2BManager.png" width="640" /></a></div>
</li>
</ul>
(*) As of the time of this writing there is a <a href="https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/en-us/articles/115000535804-Windows-10-audio-dropouts-on-multi-core-CPU-setups" target="_blank">known issue with Cubase on Windows 10</a> where Windows imposes a thread limit that can result in audio instability on CPUs with more than 14 logical cores (or more than 7 physical cores). For now, Steinberg recommends using Windows 8.1 or earlier for top Cubase performance on CPUs that exceed 14 logical cores, or using workarounds on Windows 10 which are documented at the above link to at least avoid the audio glitches resulting from this limitation.Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-35497579365051095322017-06-12T20:36:00.000-07:002017-06-12T20:36:02.298-07:00How To Build Your Own NES Classic Edition That Plays Almost 500 Times As Many GamesIn 2016 Nintendo released the <a href="http://www.nintendo.com/nes-classic/" target="_blank">NES Classic Edition</a>, an adorable miniature replica of the Nintendo Entertainment System that connects to modern television sets and plays 30 iconic NES games. With an asking price of a mere $60 USD, the thing became a must-have among classic gaming enthusiasts- but Nintendo grossly underestimated demand. Any units that made it to store shelves sold out instantly (<a href="http://i.imgur.com/QZG66Mt.jpg" target="_blank">usually to scalpers</a> who resold the consoles online at three times the cost), making Nintendo's most popular console in years their hardest to obtain at anything approaching a reasonable price. Nintendo then applied gasoline to the fire by <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/04/13/nintendo-discontinues-the-nes-classic-edition" target="_blank">discontinuing the NES Classic Edition</a> altogether in early 2017.<br />
<br />
Somewhat heartbroken by the reality that I would never get my hands on one of Nintendo's mini consoles (since I refuse to give scalpers my money), I started looking for alternatives- and I quickly discovered that for not much more money than the original retail price of the NES Classic Edition I could <i>build my own</i> mini NES that played not 30 but <i>791</i> NES games- and could also play over <i>14000 additional games</i> from 37 platforms other than the original Nintendo Entertainment System. So I built one, and now I'm gonna show you how to build your own.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mLOew9BzMgM/WT9c148fMNI/AAAAAAAADHI/BpQNZOjnpvQMJA5KhW8u0P4G_hwA8GyywCLcB/s1600/Build%2BYour%2BOwn%2BNES.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mLOew9BzMgM/WT9c148fMNI/AAAAAAAADHI/BpQNZOjnpvQMJA5KhW8u0P4G_hwA8GyywCLcB/s640/Build%2BYour%2BOwn%2BNES.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?</span></h2>
Our ability to make super-cheap purpose-built classic gaming devices is thanks to the <a href="https://www.raspberrypi.org/" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi Foundation</a>, a non-profit organization who developed a computing platform with the goal of making it inexpensive and easy to learn how to make digital products. The Raspberry Pi is a single-board computer that runs a (usually Linux-based) custom operating system, often with a specific purpose. In our case, we'll be using a gaming environment called <a href="https://retropie.org.uk/" target="_blank">RetroPie</a> that runs on top of a special Linux build created for the Raspberry Pi.<br />
<br />
If you're not a "computer person" or a Linux expert- don't worry. The following instructions will walk you through every step of the process. But for those of you who are interested, the system we are building is based upon the following technologies:<br />
<ul>
<li>The <a href="https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-3-model-b/" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi 3</a> is the computer itself. It's a single board that includes a processor, RAM, audio/video support, and WiFi/Ethernet networking.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FJzIQGtwhH0/WT9c_sE9anI/AAAAAAAADHM/D4jYQXsdVPUQGYLZfCKw8gxmvAC9PXyBQCLcB/s1600/Raspberry-Pi-3-top-down-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="688" height="277" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FJzIQGtwhH0/WT9c_sE9anI/AAAAAAAADHM/D4jYQXsdVPUQGYLZfCKw8gxmvAC9PXyBQCLcB/s400/Raspberry-Pi-3-top-down-web.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Raspberry Pi 3.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
<li><a href="https://www.raspbian.org/" target="_blank">Raspbian</a> is a Linux-based operating system that supports the Raspberry Pi hardware.</li>
<li><a href="https://retropie.org.uk/" target="_blank">RetroPie</a> is a collection of hardware emulators that runs on top of the Raspbian operating system.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.emulationstation.org/" target="_blank">EmulationStation</a> is an emulator "front-end" that RetroPie uses to provide an attractive, unified interface for browsing and launching games that you can navigate entirely with your game controllers.</li>
<li>We will be using a pre-built RetroPie image simply called "Nacho's Image" that includes all of the above software in addition to the "ROMs" for literally thousands of classic video games.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">BEFORE YOU START</span></h2>
In order to follow these instructions, you will need the following items:<br />
<ul>
<li>A television set with an available HDMI port.</li>
<li>An <a href="http://amzn.to/2srHgzy" target="_blank">HDMI cable</a> for connecting the Pi to your TV (the Raspberry Pi has a standard full-sized HDMI connector).</li>
<li>A computer running Windows, Linux, or Mac OS that can read microSD cards or SD cards (most microSD cards ship with a full-sized adapter). If your computer doesn't have any card reading ports, a <a href="http://amzn.to/2srg7gm" target="_blank">USB 3 card reader</a> or <a href="http://amzn.to/2rPFrLI" target="_blank">USB 2 card reader</a> will do the trick.</li>
<li>A very small Phillips-head screwdriver.</li>
<li>At least 70GB free space on your computer for downloading images and tools.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">THE SHOPPING LIST</span></h2>
Depending on which controllers you pick and whether or not you decide to include a wireless keyboard, the cost of building your own fully-functioning supercharged mini NES runs anywhere from $110 to $194 USD- which is less than most people are paying for the 30-game NES Classic Edition on eBay right now. Here are all the individual components you need:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://amzn.to/2rfXQTj" target="_blank">CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 with 2.5A Micro USB Power Supply</a>. ($43 USD). This kit includes the Raspberry Pi 3 board, two heat sinks, and a power supply. (The power supply included in this kit is for USA-style AC/DC household electrical outlets. If you are outside the United States, you might need a kit with a different power supply.)</li>
<li><a href="http://amzn.to/2sbS98f" target="_blank">Buffalo iBuffalo Classic USB Gamepad</a> ($19 USD per controller). These are nice, weighty USB gamepads that work for most of the games included in the RetroPie image. I have two of these, but for a less expensive option there is also the <a href="http://amzn.to/2sc9y0A" target="_blank">Classic SNES USB Controller 2-pack</a>, which is a $17 USD for two controllers. These aren't as heavy feeling as the iBuffalo controllers, but they do work. In order to control games that work better with analog sticks, the system supports <a href="http://amzn.to/2scm9kp" target="_blank">Xbox controllers</a> and many others, as well.</li>
<li><a href="http://amzn.to/2siaTUs" target="_blank">SanDisk Ultra 64GB microSDXC UHS-I Card with Adapter</a> ($23 USD). The Raspberry Pi doesn't have any built-in storage. Instead it reads its operating system and files from connected microSD cards or USB drives. Having a fast microSD card is important because it affects the speed of your Raspberry Pi. A 64GB card is required for the specific RetroPie image I discuss later in this post, but you can get larger or smaller cards if you intend to use different images.</li>
<li><a href="http://amzn.to/2rfKo1J" target="_blank">Old Skool NES case for Raspberry Pi 3</a> ($20 USD). There are a number of cases you can get for your Raspberry Pi (including <a href="http://amzn.to/2sVQC3Z" target="_blank">the "official" Pi case</a>), but this one is the closest in appearance to the original NES.</li>
<li><a href="http://amzn.to/2siBNvk" target="_blank">LoveRPi MicroUSB Push On Off Power Switch Cable for Raspberry Pi</a> ($7 USD). The Raspberry Pi doesn't have a power button of its own. This cable sits between your power adapter and the Raspberry Pi, giving you a simple on/off toggle switch, which is much nicer than having to plug the Pi in every time you feel like using it.</li>
<li><b>OPTIONAL</b>: <a href="http://amzn.to/2tafTqO" target="_blank">Logitech K830 Illuminated Living-Room Wireless Touchpad Keyboard for Internet-Connected TVs</a> ($63 USD). While not required for following these setup instructions or for playing most of the console and arcade games in the RetroPie image, some of the computer-based emulators do require keyboard and/or mouse input: ScummVM, Infocom, MS-DOS, for example. You also need at least a keyboard if you want to do any in-depth configuration of the underlying Raspbian operating system. This keyboard is great because it's wireless, has great rechargeable battery life, and has backlit keys. Logitech also makes a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014EUQOGK/" target="_blank">much less expensive keyboard (the K400)</a> that is similar but uses AA batteries instead of built-in recharging, and lacks the backlit keys. Honestly any USB keyboard/mouse will do, but I really like the Logitech combo solutions, mainly because they're wireless and only take up one USB port.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">ABOUT THE RETROPIE IMAGE I USE</span></h2>
I'm using a RetroPie image called "Nacho's Image" that comes pre-configured with nearly 15,000 games for 38 different consoles and platforms. The image requires a microSD card that's at least 64GB in size. Here's a quick rundown of the image's contents:<br />
<ul>
<li>Amstrad CPC: 486 titles.</li>
<li>Atari 2600: 647 titles.</li>
<li>Atari 5200: 71 titles.</li>
<li>Atari 7800: 63 titles.</li>
<li>Atari Lynx: 77 titles.</li>
<li>Bandai WonderSwan: 112 titles.</li>
<li>Bandai WonderSwan Color: 95 titles.</li>
<li>Classic Arcade Games: 2158 titles.</li>
<li>ColecoVision: 140 titles.</li>
<li>Commodore 64: 2231 titles.</li>
<li>Commodore Amiga: 2 titles.</li>
<li>DAPHNE (Laserdisc Arcade Emulator): 16 titles.</li>
<li>Infocom (text adventure emulator): 79 titles.</li>
<li>Mattel Intellivision: 212 titles.</li>
<li>MS-DOS: 1168 titles.</li>
<li>MSX Computers: 649 titles.</li>
<li>NEC PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16): 303 titles.</li>
<li>Nintendo 64: 303 titles.</li>
<li>Nintendo DS: 100 titles.</li>
<li>Nintendo Entertainment System (NES): 791 titles.</li>
<li>Nintendo Game & Watch: 54 titles.</li>
<li>Nintendo Game Boy: 490 titles.</li>
<li>Nintendo Game Boy Advance: 1129 titles.</li>
<li>Nintendo Game Boy Color: 528 titles.</li>
<li>Nintendo Virtual Boy: 26 titles.</li>
<li>Philips Videopac (Magnavox Odyssey): 52 titles.</li>
<li>Scumm VM (adventure game emulator): 94 titles.</li>
<li>Sega 32X: 33 titles.</li>
<li>Sega Dreamcast: 3 titles.</li>
<li>Sega Game Gear: 249 titles.</li>
<li>Sega Master System: 267 titles.</li>
<li>Sega Mega Drive: 819 titles.</li>
<li>Sega SG-1000: 68 titles.</li>
<li>Sinclair ZX Spectrum (Timex): 382 titles.</li>
<li>SNK Neo Geo: 155 titles.</li>
<li>SNK Neo Geo Pocket: 49 titles.</li>
<li>Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES): 786 titles.</li>
<li>Vectrex (GCE/Milton Bradley): 21 titles.</li>
</ul>
<b>Is this stuff legal?</b><br />
There is no single clear answer on whether it's strictly legal to share and/or use the classic game ROMs included in this image or available elsewhere on the internet. In the United States some of these game ROMs are covered by <a href="https://w2.eff.org/IP/eff_fair_use_faq.php" target="_blank">Fair Use doctrine</a> in the sense that if you own the actual physical cartridge or arcade cabinet you're allowed to keep and use back-ups of those ROMs as you please. But at the end of the day, many of the companies that made these games don't exist anymore, and there is no way to legally purchase the majority of these games in the USA or anywhere else. Most of these titles are essentially <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abandonware" target="_blank">abandonware</a>. You can easily remove individual games you're not sure about from the image as needed.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">DOWNLOADING AND PREPARING THE RETROPIE IMAGE </span></h2>
<br />
In order to download the Raspberry Pi image, you need a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitTorrent" target="_blank">BitTorrent</a> client that supports <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5875899/what-are-magnet-links-and-how-do-i-use-them-to-download-torrents" target="_blank">magnet links</a>, and you then need a way to write the downloaded image to your microSD card. There are dozens of free torrent clients and image burning tools for all major operating systems. I will recommend some specific tools I've used on Windows and Ubuntu Linux.<br />
<br />
<b>Recommended Programs</b><br />
All of the utilities I use for these steps are free, and two of them are available for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. My instructions assume you're using these tools.<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://deluge-torrent.org/" target="_blank">Deluge</a> is a cross-platform BitTorrent client.</li>
<li><a href="https://etcher.io/" target="_blank">Etcher</a> is a cross-platform tool that burns image files to SD cards.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.7-zip.org/" target="_blank">7-zip</a> is the tool I use to extract 7z, XZ, BZIP2, GZIP, TAR and ZIP files on Windows. There is a Linux version called <b>p7zip-full</b>. (<b>Note</b>: 7-zip isn't required for the specific RetroPie image I'm using for these instructions, but some other images available on the internet need to be extracted before you can burn them to an SD card.)</li>
</ul>
<b>Instructions (for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS)</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Install the latest version of <a href="http://dev.deluge-torrent.org/wiki/Download" target="_blank">Deluge</a> and <a href="https://etcher.io/" target="_blank">Etcher</a> if you haven't already. (If you are running Ubuntu Linux, follow the "Debian and Ubuntu based Package Repository" instructions <a href="https://github.com/resin-io/etcher/" target="_blank">on this page</a> to install Etcher. You can install Deluge from the command line like this: "<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get install deluge</span>")</li>
<li>Select the following magnet link with your mouse and copy it to your clipboard by pressing <b>CTRL+C</b>:<br /><br />magnet:?xt=urn:btih:<div>
<wbr></wbr>01CC41757907698CEF75FD8BCCFB14<wbr></wbr>07CE1CC4D1&dn=<span class="il">Nacho</span>%27s%<wbr></wbr>20Image.img<br />
<br />
<b>Note</b>: The above link may appear on multiple lines in your browser, but you must copy the whole thing (so select both lines of text if it appears that way on your screen).</div>
</li>
<li>Launch Deluge. (Windows users: If you are prompted with a <b>Windows Security Alert</b> message
about the Windows Firewall, make sure to that both the <b>Private networks</b> and <b>Public networks</b> boxes are <i>checked</i>, and then click <b>Allow access</b>.)</li>
<li>Click the blue <b>+</b> icon and then click the <b>URL </b>button in the <b>Add Torrents</b> screen. If the magnet link is already in your clipboard it should pre-populate in the "<b>URL</b>" box. If there is no link listed next to <b>URL</b>, just press <b>CTRL+V</b> to paste the link there, and then click <b>OK</b>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WatzC58Dqiw/WT3Rc8UAdNI/AAAAAAAADE0/ynq55RhXLHIXb0f4SqdQoVnvfLIS7H6mgCLcB/s1600/Deluge%2BPic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="656" height="315" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WatzC58Dqiw/WT3Rc8UAdNI/AAAAAAAADE0/ynq55RhXLHIXb0f4SqdQoVnvfLIS7H6mgCLcB/s400/Deluge%2BPic.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Click <b>Add </b>to close the <b>Add Torrents</b> dialog. The program should now indicate that you're downloading a file called "Nacho's Image.img".<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_vCEtsqWy-M/WT3TD9EocCI/AAAAAAAADFE/BawShgnEuOM9qHAPXMNdXiZ1yo6_vE0QQCLcB/s1600/Deluge%2BDownloading%2B2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="880" height="237" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_vCEtsqWy-M/WT3TD9EocCI/AAAAAAAADFE/BawShgnEuOM9qHAPXMNdXiZ1yo6_vE0QQCLcB/s400/Deluge%2BDownloading%2B2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</li>
<li>Wait for the download to complete. <b>Note</b>: This could take several hours! Try to avoid quitting Deluge until the image is completely downloaded, but Deluge will resume the download the next time you run it if you ever have to stop the download while it's in progress. You will know that the download is complete when its status changes from "<b>Downloading</b>" to "<b>Seeding</b>."</li>
<li>Insert the microSD card into your computer's card reader. Ignore any prompts to format the drive if they appear. </li>
<li>Launch Etcher and click <b>Select image</b>, and then browse to the directory where Deluge downloaded the image (it defaults to the "Downloads" directory in your user profile, unless you changed this location in Deluge's <b>Edit </b>> <b>Preferences </b>screen). Select the file "<b>Nacho's Image.img</b>" and then click <b>Open</b>.</li>
<li>Click the <b>Select drive</b> button in Etcher. If the program detects more than one potential external drive it will give you a choice. Be sure to choose the card reader containing your 64GB microSD card, and then click <b>Continue</b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7nC3cBSCYmM/WT3Yj5pEmeI/AAAAAAAADFQ/29TEFmYoVaAC-sm7KP79987ufd3-TzZ0QCLcB/s1600/Etcher%2BDrive%2Bselected.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="816" height="203" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7nC3cBSCYmM/WT3Yj5pEmeI/AAAAAAAADFQ/29TEFmYoVaAC-sm7KP79987ufd3-TzZ0QCLcB/s400/Etcher%2BDrive%2Bselected.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Once the image and target drive are selected, click <b>Flash!</b> Depending on the speed of your card reader, your computer, and even the card itself, burning the image can take anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yx3I5XBkRfo/WT3Zf_BDyUI/AAAAAAAADFU/blAQjj_DgWE1Pf2unB1w0J_VDhh_7VQdQCLcB/s1600/Etcher%2Bready%2Bto%2Bflash.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="816" height="203" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yx3I5XBkRfo/WT3Zf_BDyUI/AAAAAAAADFU/blAQjj_DgWE1Pf2unB1w0J_VDhh_7VQdQCLcB/s400/Etcher%2Bready%2Bto%2Bflash.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Safely eject the drive from your card reader. This image is formatted with the Microsoft FAT32 file system, which is readable by all major operating systems, in case you ever need to add or remove games.<br /><div>
<wbr></wbr><wbr></wbr><span class="il"></span><wbr></wbr></div>
</li>
</ol>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">ASSEMBLING THE HARDWARE</span></h2>
Hardware setup is the fastest part of this whole project. To reduce the chance of damaging your Pi via electrostatic discharge, try to work on a clean, flat surface in an area with a hard floor instead of carpet.<br />
<ol>
<li>Unpack your Raspberry Pi board and the heat sinks. Remove the plastic film covering the adhesive under each heat sink and attach the heat sinks squarely on their respective chips. (The big chip is the CPU and the smaller one is for networking.)</li>
<li>Place the Raspberry Pi board between the upper and lower halves of the case, making sure to align the screw holes that fasten the halves together with the holes on the Pi board, and also making sure the ports are facing the correct directions.<br /><br />- Ethernet and USB ports face the front "cartridge slot" of the Old Skool NES case.<br />- The left side of the case is where power, HDMI, and audio go.<br />- The rear of the case is the location of the microSD slot.<br /> </li>
<li>Carefully fasten the two halves of the case together with the included screws, using a very small Phillips-head screwdriver. Do not over-screw.</li>
<li>Connect the Pi's HDMI connector to an available HDMI port on your TV or HDMI switcher.</li>
<li>Firmly insert the formatted microSD card in the slot at the rear of the device. The card will only go one way (note that the Pi's card reader is technically at the underside of the board, so the pins of the card will be facing up when you insert the card).</li>
<li>Turn on your TV set and select the appropriate HDMI input.</li>
<li><b>Note</b>: Don't plug any game controllers into your Pi yet! We'll do that in the next section. </li>
<li>Plug your power adapter into an available power outlet and connect it to the female connector of your On/Off Power Switch Cable. Then connect the male end of the cable to your Pi's Micro-USB power connector. If the power switch is already in the ON position you will see a bright red LED illuminated on the back of the unit. If the LED is not lit, press the power button to turn the device on. If everything is working properly you should be greeted by the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5wr-Hpew84" target="_blank">Nacho image's introduction video</a>. (The video's pretty cool, but you will probably grow tired of seeing it every time you boot your Pi. I'll explain how to disable this in a later section.)</li>
</ol>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">CONFIGURING YOUR CONTROLLERS</span></h2>
Now that you've got your image burned and your device assembled you're almost ready to play some games.<br />
<ol>
<li>After the intro video plays, the RetroPie image drops you into the EmulationStation top menu. The first thing you'll want to do here is connect one of your USB game controllers.</li>
<li>If EmulationStation doesn't recognize your controller, it will prompt you to configure it. You should see a screen like this. Press any button on the controller that you wish to configure.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JIBp-V9Q8DQ/WT4Bpa9K67I/AAAAAAAADFs/dijocfDtGNQlJvxArZfTM8jqRQibUGONgCLcB/s1600/Snapshot_20170611_184014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JIBp-V9Q8DQ/WT4Bpa9K67I/AAAAAAAADFs/dijocfDtGNQlJvxArZfTM8jqRQibUGONgCLcB/s400/Snapshot_20170611_184014.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /><br /><b>Note</b><br />If you don't get this screen when you plug in the controller, your controller might already be at least partially recognized. You can press <b>Start </b>on your controller to bring up EmulationStation's main menu, then use the controller's D-pad (plus pad) to navigate down to <b>Configure Input</b>, and then press <b>A</b> to display this screen.<br /> </li>
<li>Once you have selected a controller to configure, the "<b>Configuring</b>" screen appears. This screen prompts you to press buttons or move controls in the requested directions so that the emulators know how to map the in-game controls to your individual controllers. Press the corresponding physical controls on your controller as requested, and repeat the process until you reach the end of the list.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ajl6Y2M5cqU/WT4C899mwuI/AAAAAAAADF4/DEGp6urIJCkbxqZGayU1nXmlvegJp6Q2wCLcB/s1600/Snapshot_20170611_184102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ajl6Y2M5cqU/WT4C899mwuI/AAAAAAAADF4/DEGp6urIJCkbxqZGayU1nXmlvegJp6Q2wCLcB/s400/Snapshot_20170611_184102.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /><br /><b>Important</b><br />Sometimes you might be prompted to use a button or control that isn't physically present on your current controller. In this case, just press and hold down ANY button on your controller until the screen skips to the next control. You won't be able to exit the configuration wizard until you get to the end of the list.<br /> </li>
<li>Once you've reached the end of the list and <b>OK </b>is selected, press <b>A</b> on your controller to save the settings for the current controller.</li>
<li>Repeat the above steps for any of the controllers you plan to use. You can re-configure your controllers at any time by pressing <b>Start </b>on your controller and choosing <b>Configure Input</b> from the main menu.</li>
</ol>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">NAVIGATING EMULATIONSTATION AND PLAYING GAMES</span></h2>
EmulationStation is designed to be fully controllable with your game controller. You only need a keyboard (and sometimes a mouse) for specific emulators, or for doing Raspbian or RetroPie configuration.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<ol>
<li> Once the Pi is fully booted up, you land on the main EmulationStation screen:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LNwbSHfWC5c/WT4D08DrpoI/AAAAAAAADGA/ihyBhQOHu9IrbPX9duaXQNunfw_vzY0qACLcB/s1600/Snapshot_20170611_193436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LNwbSHfWC5c/WT4D08DrpoI/AAAAAAAADGA/ihyBhQOHu9IrbPX9duaXQNunfw_vzY0qACLcB/s400/Snapshot_20170611_193436.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Move left or right with your D-Pad to choose which platform/console emulator you would like to use.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1FeBXcDT2iI/WT4F3W0rBoI/AAAAAAAADGI/uRAHNQneExg3hAQ6-y5C4SU1CotXHz5_QCLcB/s1600/Snapshot_20170611_200633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1FeBXcDT2iI/WT4F3W0rBoI/AAAAAAAADGI/uRAHNQneExg3hAQ6-y5C4SU1CotXHz5_QCLcB/s400/Snapshot_20170611_200633.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Press <b>A</b> to see the list of games available for the selected system. Move down or up with your D-Pad to select a game. If you hold the <b>Up </b>or <b>Down </b>control for a while, the list will scroll very quickly, allowing you to navigate through very long lists.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P7FY-PJ4B28/WT4GAj-UbgI/AAAAAAAADGM/9Q2S6n3Zs5w2hc2pIhojfPEJj-N12X8cACEw/s1600/Snapshot_20170611_200723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P7FY-PJ4B28/WT4GAj-UbgI/AAAAAAAADGM/9Q2S6n3Zs5w2hc2pIhojfPEJj-N12X8cACEw/s400/Snapshot_20170611_200723.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Once you have selected a game to play, press <b>A</b>.</li>
<li>To exit any game and return to the EmulationStation menu, press <b>START+SELECT</b> on your controller at the same time.</li>
<li>From the game list of any given platform, you can move left or right with the D-pad to cycle through the game lists of other platforms, or press <b>B </b>to return to the main EmulationStation screen.</li>
<li>To gracefully shut your Raspberry Pi down you can press <b>Start </b>on your controller to bring up the main menu and then use the D-pad to select <b>Quit</b>, and press <b>A</b>. Then on the <b>Quit </b>screen, select <b>Shutdown System</b> and press <b>A</b>.<br /><br /><b>Note</b>: I personally rarely do this. Normally I just toggle the on/off switch on my power switch cable. Knowing this graceful shutdown process is useful in cases where you want to configure Raspbian or RetroPie, though. (You would use the <b>Quit EmulationStation</b> option instead of <b>Shutdown System</b> in these cases. Doing so drops you to a terminal prompt, which requires a keyboard to navigate.)</li>
</ol>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">ADDITIONAL NOTES AND TROUBLESHOOTING</span></h2>
<b>Note</b>: Some of these steps require that you have a USB keyboard connected to your Pi! <br />
<br />
<b>Jittery video and audio at first-time use </b><br />
The first time you connect your Raspberry Pi to your television and start up a new image, it can take a few minutes for the device to completely configure its video and audio settings. So you might notice some flickering video or choppy audio for the first few minutes that you use the system. This should clear up automatically after a short while. If it doesn't clear up, you might need to change some settings in the RetroPie configuration screen.<br />
<br />
<b>No audio when connected to an HDMI television set</b><br />
First off, you should always make sure your TV is powered on and has the right HDMI port selected before powering on your Raspberry Pi. (If you turn on the TV or select the input port after the Pi has booted, the Pi might not detect your TV's audio connection.) Try doing this first (rebooting Pi after the TV is already on and selected) before continuing with the next steps.<br />
<br />
The default settings of this image support most HDMI TVs, however some televisions use a different way of "presenting" their audio inputs to connected devices in a way the default RetroPie settings don't recognize. I have had to make the following change in order to get RetroPie to work on one of the TVs in my house.<br />
<ol>
<li>With the Raspberry Pi powered on, exit EmulationStation by pressing <b>F4</b> on your keyboard or bringing up the Main Menu and choosing <b>Quit </b>> <b>Quit EmulationStation</b>.</li>
<li>At the command prompt, enter the following command:<br /><br /><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">sudo nano /boot/config.txt</span><br /> </li>
<li>Navigate down to the line that says "#hdmi_drive=2". Remove the # so the line looks as follows:<br /><br /><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">hdmi_drive=2</span><br /> </li>
<li>Press <b>CTRL+X</b>, and then press <b>y</b> to save the change.</li>
<li>Type the following command to reboot the device:<br /><br /><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">reboot</span></li>
</ol>
<b>Game doesn't work as expected</b><br />
While most of the games in this image work great, there are a few that simply don't work, and others that might have special requirements. Here are some things to check and/or keep in mind if a game isn't working as expected:<br />
<ul>
<li>Some games might require a different controller- for example if your controller has no analog sticks but the game was designed for analog controls, you won't have an ideal experience. Try switching out controllers if you suspect this is the case. I haven't figured out what's required to properly control Nintendo DS games, for example. Most of those games assume you have a stylus for touch control, but I don't know how that translates to the emulator included on RetroPie. If you know the answer, please leave a comment!</li>
<li>Some games/emulators require a keyboard or mouse. For example, all of these emulators assume you have a keyboard connected: MS-DOS, ScummVM, Infocom, VideoPac.</li>
<li>Sometimes the default button mappings might not be what you expect for a specific game. Try using X/Y instead of A/B, for example. Many of the games and emulators have configurable mappings, although the details of this are out of scope for this post. But you might look into custom mappings if you don't like the default control settings.</li>
<li>If you have multiple controllers connected to your Pi, all of them can navigate the main menus but usually only one of them is "Player 1" and another is "Player 2", etc. Make sure you're holding the correct controller if the controller doesn't seem to respond during gameplay. </li>
<li>Some games just don't work right on the Raspberry Pi, or with any current emulator. Try doing a web search for the specific game to see if other Pi users have gotten it to work. The RetroPie image you downloaded is customizable. If you find any games that you confirm just don't work, you can remove them and their associated metadata from your microSD card to free up space for other games.</li>
</ul>
<b>Stop playing the "Nacho's Image" video every time the Pi starts up</b><br />
If you'd like to skip the video that plays by default every time this image boots up, you can change this in the RetroPie settings. Note that these settings require a USB keyboard attached to your Pi.<br />
<ol>
<li>With the Raspberry Pi powered on, exit EmulationStation by pressing <b>F4</b> on your keyboard or bringing up the Main Menu and choosing <b>Quit </b>> <b>Quit EmulationStation</b>.</li>
<li>Enter the following command (note that unlike Windows, Raspbian is case-sensitive): <br /><br /><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">cd /home/pi/RetroPie-Setup<br />sudo ./retropie_setup.sh</span><br /> </li>
<li>The RetroPie-Setup Script screen appears. You can use the arrow, <b>TAB</b>, and <b>ENTER </b>keys to navigate menus in this program, and you can also use hotkeys (any letter highlighted in red) where available to select options. On the first screen, select the <b>Configuration / tools</b> option.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BsDTVgR-95E/WT4UHABh9bI/AAAAAAAADGc/P0nj5vwDr-8OxJcZiy1vU7C9_3D4ZQVDgCLcB/s1600/Snapshot_20170611_190321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BsDTVgR-95E/WT4UHABh9bI/AAAAAAAADGc/P0nj5vwDr-8OxJcZiy1vU7C9_3D4ZQVDgCLcB/s400/Snapshot_20170611_190321.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>On the <b>Choose an option</b> screen, use your arrow keys to scroll down to the <b>splashscreen - Configure Splashscreen</b> option and press <b>ENTER</b>.</li>
<li>Select <b>Choose splashscreen</b>.</li>
<li>Select <b>RetroPie splashscreens</b>.</li>
<li>Choose one of the available splashscreens listed here. I use the one called <b>retropie-2015.png</b>. It looks like this:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--cUBR_qNDxo/WT4U2pPIOpI/AAAAAAAADGg/lhY34ZyziwwCi2FCXp1HzdxQJ-T6-qQUgCLcB/s1600/Snapshot_20170611_184424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--cUBR_qNDxo/WT4U2pPIOpI/AAAAAAAADGg/lhY34ZyziwwCi2FCXp1HzdxQJ-T6-qQUgCLcB/s400/Snapshot_20170611_184424.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>After making your selection, you should see a message that says "<b>Splashscreen set to</b>" and the path of the file you selected. Press <b>ENTER</b>.</li>
<li>Exit the RetroPie Setup program. You can do this by pressing <b>Esc </b>or using a <b>Cancel </b>option, where available.</li>
<li>Enter this command to reboot your Pi:<br /><br /><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">reboot</span></li>
</ol>
<b>Enabling WiFi networking</b><br />
While you do not need to connect your Pi to a network in order to use the preconfigured games in this image, you might want to enable Wi-Fi networking in order to remotely administer and customize your device. There is already a <a href="https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/Wifi" target="_blank">pretty good post about how to do this</a> at the RetroPie site.<br />
<br />
<b>Note</b>: When the RetroPie documentation talks about "the Retropie menu in emulationstation" they mean you use the left/right controls on your D-Pad to select <b>RetroPie </b>as if it were a console/platform:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oHHsf4XaK30/WT4eaPI0zLI/AAAAAAAADGw/kroPmjPXByIsMEk5wj4vsEuPYjs7LV-HgCLcB/s1600/Snapshot_20170611_215300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oHHsf4XaK30/WT4eaPI0zLI/AAAAAAAADGw/kroPmjPXByIsMEk5wj4vsEuPYjs7LV-HgCLcB/s400/Snapshot_20170611_215300.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
And when you press <b>A</b> from there, you see this menu:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JuZeaoTgCBE/WT4ehaL1KQI/AAAAAAAADG0/x_8U-CeXgOAYLRFTjA3F1fY0M87RWiHBwCLcB/s1600/Snapshot_20170611_215316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JuZeaoTgCBE/WT4ehaL1KQI/AAAAAAAADG0/x_8U-CeXgOAYLRFTjA3F1fY0M87RWiHBwCLcB/s400/Snapshot_20170611_215316.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Important: Enabling Security on your Raspberry Pi</b><br />
Although recent versions of the Raspian OS <a href="https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/a-security-update-for-raspbian-pixel/" target="_blank">disable SSH access by default</a>, I have noticed that it is enabled in the RetroPie image that I use. If you never connect your Pi to a network, this isn't a big deal, but if your device is connected to either your Ethernet or Wi-Fi networks, this is a potential security risk. To protect yourself, you should either disable the SSH feature if you're not going to use it or change the device's default password so your device can't be easily overtaken by a scripted attacker.<br />
<br />
The raspi-config tool included with Raspian is where you can disable/enable SSH. You can get to it from a command line by exiting EmulationStation and running this command:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">sudo raspi-config</span><br />
<br />
You can also access it by selecting <b>RetroPie </b>from the main EmulationStation screen and choosing the "<b>Raspi-Config</b>" option from the RetroPie menu. You control the SSH setting inside the "<b>Interfacing Options</b>" screen of raspi-config. <a href="https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/SSH" target="_blank">This page</a> explains the process in detail.<br />
<br />
You should also change the default password of your device if you ever plan to leave it connected to a network. If you're familiar with the Linux passwd command, you can use that. Otherwise you can use the <b>Change User Password </b>option in <b>raspi-config</b> to do this.<br />
<br />
(The default username in Raspbian is <b>pi </b>and the default password is <b>raspberry</b>.)<br />
<br />
I hope you found this guide helpful. Game on!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jvR09mrm_Gk/WT9ddtwyhYI/AAAAAAAADHQ/BIxKXo-i5G0RJN97YIGLpqq5eaXTB4CuwCLcB/s1600/My%2BRaspberry%2BPi.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="1024" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jvR09mrm_Gk/WT9ddtwyhYI/AAAAAAAADHQ/BIxKXo-i5G0RJN97YIGLpqq5eaXTB4CuwCLcB/s640/My%2BRaspberry%2BPi.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<ul>
</ul>
Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-1935028582200420962017-06-04T22:05:00.001-07:002017-06-04T22:11:26.152-07:00SOLUTION: Plex Media Server Keeps Renaming Movie FilesI first discovered <a href="https://www.plex.tv/" target="_blank">Plex Media Server</a> when looking for a way to stream backed-up copies of my DVD collection from my <a href="http://amzn.to/2su2zhh" target="_blank">Synology Disk Station</a> Network Attached Storage (NAS) device. It seemed like the perfect solution: All I had to do was copy my properly named and organized movie files to the NAS and Plex would serve them up to the <a href="http://amzn.to/2qOXHlv" target="_blank">Roku</a> devices in my home. Only something annoying kept happening to my uploaded movies as soon as the Plex Media Server added them to my Plex library: Instead of using the nicely-formatted, correct titles that I assigned each of my movie files before copying them to the NAS, Plex consistently replaced their entries in the library with ugly and sometimes meaningless titles instead. For example, Plex renamed "The Sinister Saga of Making the Stunt Man (2000)" to "SINISTER_SAGA.Title1" and renamed "Inspector Morse: Cherubim and Seraphim (1992)" to "DLT16013.Title2".<br />
<br />
These changes were confounding, because I followed <a href="https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200381023-Naming-Movie-files" target="_blank">Plex's instructions for naming and organizing movie files</a>, but the Plex Media Server was clearly ignoring my effort and replacing my tidy titles with... something else. In most cases, Plex's renaming behavior didn't just cause the titles to
look ugly- it also interfered with Plex's ability to
download relevant data for most of the films, particularly the movie
poster box art.<br />
<br />
In the below screenshot you can see that plex only identified one of my movie files correctly, while it renamed all of the others with the unexpected title names, and used generic thumbnails instead of downloading the movie posters.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cyjcgu6_7Js/WTS_pngHEcI/AAAAAAAADCw/1CFgnD-Gia0qUapyIMrwmGSq-fAGmctsACLcB/s1600/Plex%2BRenamed%2BMedia.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="1387" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cyjcgu6_7Js/WTS_pngHEcI/AAAAAAAADCw/1CFgnD-Gia0qUapyIMrwmGSq-fAGmctsACLcB/s640/Plex%2BRenamed%2BMedia.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Well it took me several days of research and experimentation (and scouring <a href="https://forums.plex.tv/" target="_blank">the Plex forums</a> where some users' independent discoveries helped light the way), but I finally both figured out what was going on and came up with a way to fix it. <br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">ROOT CAUSE</span></h2>
Plex uses a variety of different media detection and matching methods in order to correctly identify titles and download the appropriate metadata (plot summary, box art, etc.). In my case, Plex was doing two different things that were causing my correctly-named files to be renamed once they were processed in the Plex database: First, Plex was ignoring file and folder names in cases where it looked into an individual file's metadata and found a "Title" property in the metadata. Also, the agents Plex uses to identify movies were running in the wrong order for my library settings, so Plex wasn't performing the expected lookup operations in cases where it found the "Title" property in a file.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">SOLUTION</span></h2>
I've come up with a workflow that guarantees that when Plex detects your media files it uses online information first, before attempting to look inside your files' metadata for an alternative title. There are three different aspects to this: Your Plex server settings, your Plex library settings, and your individual files- so I will address each of them separately.<br />
<br />
<b>Note</b>: I encountered this problem (and fixed it) using Plex Media Server both on my Synology DS214se NAS and on a computer running Windows 7. My NAS has version 1.5.3 of Plex installed and my PC has a slightly newer version, 1.5.6. My steps work the same for both versions/platforms.<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Plex Server Settings</span></h3>
You only have to make this change once per Plex server in your home. Ideally you should do this before creating any new Plex libraries, so that your libraries get scanned correctly the first time.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Log in to your Plex server and click the <b>Home </b>icon to go to the Plex server's home page.</li>
<li>Click the <b>Settings </b>icon in the top-right of the page and then click <b>Server </b>to view the Server settings.<br /><br /><b>Note</b>: If you get a "server settings are unavailable" message, it sometimes helps to sign out from your Plex account (the icon in the upper-right corner of the page) and then sign back in and try again.<br /> </li>
<li>Once you're on the <b>Server </b>tab of the <b>Settings </b>page, click <b>Agents </b>and then click <b>Movies</b>.</li>
<li>Below <b>Movies</b>, click <b>Plex Movie</b>. The sub-agents that the "Plex Movie" agent uses when matching media are listed below in order of precedence. The "Local Media Assets (Movies)" sub agent is the one that looks inside your files for the <b>Title </b>metadata tag. Select <b>Local Meda Assets</b> and drag it to the bottom of this list! Also, make sure that <b>Plex Movie</b> is at the top. The "Plex Movie" option cannot be unchecked, but you can optionally check/uncheck the other options in this list. Remember, Plex will use these agents in the order that they appear here.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Kzs5B1kOPY/WTTK3qRCZ9I/AAAAAAAADC4/_Ly4CwgqAnsdfx7TpUzGCe4FDH-5cv3qgCEw/s1600/Plex%2BMovie%2BAgent%2BSettings.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="867" height="173" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Kzs5B1kOPY/WTTK3qRCZ9I/AAAAAAAADC4/_Ly4CwgqAnsdfx7TpUzGCe4FDH-5cv3qgCEw/s400/Plex%2BMovie%2BAgent%2BSettings.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Correct sub-agent order for Plex Movie agent.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
<li>Next, under <b>Movies</b>, select <b>The Movie Database</b> and make the same kind of adjustments: Drag <b>Local Media Assets (Movies)</b> to the bottom of the list and make sure <b>The Movie Database</b> is on the top. You can check/uncheck other sub-agent options if you wish.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pDYZml0dlQk/WTTMVc0PrhI/AAAAAAAADC8/4C6CiB3oNNsX3cFClMVEY-Iqb1JfrIgBwCEw/s1600/Movie%2BDatabase%2BAgent%2BSettings.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="863" height="158" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pDYZml0dlQk/WTTMVc0PrhI/AAAAAAAADC8/4C6CiB3oNNsX3cFClMVEY-Iqb1JfrIgBwCEw/s400/Movie%2BDatabase%2BAgent%2BSettings.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Correct sub-agent order for The Movie Database agent.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
<li>Click the <b>Home </b>icon to return to the main Plex screen. Under <b>Libraries </b>on the left side of the page, click the <b>...</b> icon next to your <b>Movies </b>library, then click <b>Refresh All</b> > <b>Refresh</b>. This rebuilds your library using your new server settings. Already you can see a huge improvement in my own library. Note that two titles still have mangled names- that's because neither of these films exists in the Plex Movie database, so Plex fell back on the Local Media Assets agent to extract their metadata. We'll tackle this problem in the "Preparing Your Files" section below.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ujhhVeY0esU/WTTPynwT9iI/AAAAAAAADDA/eSRqC0oaewE-nB1r7rWSNDVlg6L4HBuggCLcB/s1600/Movies%2BLibrary%2Bafter%2BRefresh%2BAll.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="1334" height="305" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ujhhVeY0esU/WTTPynwT9iI/AAAAAAAADDA/eSRqC0oaewE-nB1r7rWSNDVlg6L4HBuggCLcB/s640/Movies%2BLibrary%2Bafter%2BRefresh%2BAll.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My library after changing the sub-agent order and performing a "Refresh All."</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
</li>
</ol>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Plex Library Settings</span></h3>
In order for the Plex server settings we changed to have any effect we need to make sure our libraries have the correct agent settings for the desired media type. In the case of movie files, this means you should select either <b>Plex Movie</b> or <b>The Movie Database</b>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<i>
Editing an existing library</i></h3>
<ol>
<li>On the left side of the Plex server home page, click the <b>...</b> next to your <b>Movies </b>library under <b>Libraries</b>, and then click <b>Edit</b>.</li>
<li>On the <b>Edit Library</b> screen, click <b>Advanced </b>and then scroll down to where you can see the <b>Scanner </b>and <b>Agent </b>settings.</li>
<li>For <b>Scanner</b>, select <b>Plex Movie Scanner</b>.</li>
<li>For <b>Agent</b>, select either <b>Plex Movie</b> or <b>The Movie Database</b>. Each agent has some other customization options that appear below.</li>
<li>When you have chosen your desired settings, click <b>Save Changes</b>.</li>
<li>Back on the Plex server home page, under <b>Libraries </b>on the left side of the page, click the <b>...</b> icon next to
your <b>Movies </b>library, then click <b>Refresh All</b> > <b>Refresh</b>.</li>
</ol>
<h3>
<i>
Creating a new library</i></h3>
<ol>
<li>On the Plex server home page, click the <b>+</b> next to <b>Libraries</b>.</li>
<li>On the <b>Select type</b> tab, click <b>Movies </b>and optionally name your library.</li>
<li>On the <b>Add folders</b> tab, click <b>Browse For Media Folder</b> to locate and add folders that Plex will search when updating this library. You can add multiple folders to a single library.</li>
<li>On the <b>Advanced </b>tab, scroll down until you can see the <b>Scanner </b>and <b>Agent </b>settings.</li>
<li>For <b>Scanner</b>, select <b>Plex Movie Scanner</b>.</li>
<li>For <b>Agent</b>, select either <b>Plex Movie</b> or <b>The Movie Database</b>, and check any of the additional options that appear below.</li>
<li>Click <b>Add Library</b> to complete the process and begin scanning for media.</li>
</ol>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Preparing Your Files</span></h3>
<ol>
<li>Before you even try to add any movie files to Plex, you should make sure you are following the <a href="https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200381023-Naming-Movie-files" target="_blank">recommended folder and file naming scheme</a>. Plex's instructions are pretty clear, but it basically boils down to: Put each movie into its own folder, and name the folders and movie files in this format: "Movie Title (year).ext" (Where "ext" is the filename extension of the movie (mkv, mp4, m4v, etc.).<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yBuz5rn6Anw/WTTV_iL_G4I/AAAAAAAADDI/Q1HAGFR0XCsnYgyShp3eybau-cqJfW70ACLcB/s1600/Bang%2Bthe%2BDrum%2BSlowly%2BExample.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="890" height="218" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yBuz5rn6Anw/WTTV_iL_G4I/AAAAAAAADDI/Q1HAGFR0XCsnYgyShp3eybau-cqJfW70ACLcB/s640/Bang%2Bthe%2BDrum%2BSlowly%2BExample.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Here you can see that each of my movie files is stored in its own folder, with both the folder and movie file following the same naming convention.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
<li>Even after fixing my Plex server settings, some of my files were still getting renamed unexpectedly, and this was because the media files contained metadata tags that had those undesired names in the <b>Title </b>property. Notice the following: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-18V18eyIFAE/WTTXak2sOQI/AAAAAAAADDM/5-euE483TjAfmKq_DFd-FaAaFL6lP3Z7QCLcB/s1600/Morse%2Band%2BDoomed%2BFlight%2BStill%2BBroken.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="379" height="275" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-18V18eyIFAE/WTTXak2sOQI/AAAAAAAADDM/5-euE483TjAfmKq_DFd-FaAaFL6lP3Z7QCLcB/s320/Morse%2Band%2BDoomed%2BFlight%2BStill%2BBroken.png" width="320" /></a></div>
The title on the left (listed as DLT16013) is for a file in my library named "Inspector Morse - Cherubim and Seraphim (1992).m4v". If I locate that file in Windows File Explorer, right-click the file, and go to <b>Properties </b>> <b>Details</b>, this is what I see:<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dVgt0m2MPBU/WTTYV7B00BI/AAAAAAAADDQ/pG8RVu5PAKsEDKOo1Yz1L7zqBCBvbrGCQCLcB/s1600/Morse%2BMetadata.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="377" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dVgt0m2MPBU/WTTYV7B00BI/AAAAAAAADDQ/pG8RVu5PAKsEDKOo1Yz1L7zqBCBvbrGCQCLcB/s1600/Morse%2BMetadata.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The source of the problem.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To fix this, click the link at the bottom of the <b>Details </b>page that says "<b>Remove Properties and Personal Information</b>". This opens a <b>Remove Properties</b> dialog where you can choose to either just remove individual properties by checking them or creating a new copy of the file with all possible properties removed. I like to choose this second option, and then delete the original file once I make sure that the new file is working properly.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ELU3k6k-PEQ/WTTZQf73ucI/AAAAAAAADDU/hElZARR-_v8VhIeYT6zqd04kQ1FrVCs7ACLcB/s1600/remove%2Bproperties.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="355" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ELU3k6k-PEQ/WTTZQf73ucI/AAAAAAAADDU/hElZARR-_v8VhIeYT6zqd04kQ1FrVCs7ACLcB/s1600/remove%2Bproperties.png" /></a></div>
If you choose the "<b>Create a copy</b>" option the new file will have a modified filename. For example, when I removed the properties from a file named "<b>Doomed Flight (1998).m4v</b>" the resulting file was named "<b>Doomed Flight (1998) - Copy.m4v</b>." Plex appears to be smart enough to ignore the "<b>- Copy</b>" part of the filename when detecting media, but if you go this route you might choose to manually trim that text out of the filename before refreshing your library.</li>
<li>If you had to remove metadata in order to fix a problem in an existing library you might have to do a "<b>Refresh All</b>" on the library to force Plex to re-inspect your modified files. I chose to make new copies of my problem files and uploaded them with different filenames (with the "- Copy" still there), and as a result I only had to do a "<b>Update Library</b>" in order to fix the handful of problem entries rather than rebuilding the whole database.</li>
</ol>
After performing all of the steps above I finally have a Movies library that lists all my movies the way I intended them to appear. The Doomed Flight and Inspector Morse movies still have generic thumbnails since they weren't in any of the movie databases, but at least their titles/years correctly appear in the library now:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bBpf_UdZxfE/WTThbB3Ju8I/AAAAAAAADDc/7M0GUvjfLgE-UxM9OpgoF1P8rIoXbAwQwCLcB/s1600/Plex%2BLibrary%2Ball%2BFixed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="1340" height="304" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bBpf_UdZxfE/WTThbB3Ju8I/AAAAAAAADDc/7M0GUvjfLgE-UxM9OpgoF1P8rIoXbAwQwCLcB/s640/Plex%2BLibrary%2Ball%2BFixed.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yes!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-67948993248224124852017-06-04T17:36:00.004-07:002017-06-04T17:36:52.413-07:00SOLUTION: Corrupted User Interface and Broken Keyswitches in Kontakt InstrumentsI recently had a terribly frustrating problem with the Kontakt 5 sampler incorrectly loading Native Instruments and third-party commercial libraries which took many combined hours of my time to investigate, experiment with, and ultimately fix. I couldn't find any information on the internet that pointed to a solution (or even a cause) for this problem; I was completely on my own. I am documenting the ordeal here for any unlucky travelers who run into the same issue. <b>Please note</b>: I am a Windows user, and I don't know if this problem or its solution translate to Mac OS.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Bq_kY6ubCQ/WTSm72OTveI/AAAAAAAADCo/AKH9rSxxF0QtGbg5NuvTvpAtKq-d7FzRwCLcB/s1600/Corrupted%2BUser%2BInterface%2Band%2BBroken%2BKeyswitches%2Bin%2BKontakt%2BInstruments.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Bq_kY6ubCQ/WTSm72OTveI/AAAAAAAADCo/AKH9rSxxF0QtGbg5NuvTvpAtKq-d7FzRwCLcB/s640/Corrupted%2BUser%2BInterface%2Band%2BBroken%2BKeyswitches%2Bin%2BKontakt%2BInstruments.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">SYMPTOMS</span></h2>
<br />
I discovered the problem after applying a patch to <a href="http://www.soniccouture.com/en/" target="_blank">Soniccouture</a>'s excellent drum library, <a href="http://www.soniccouture.com/en/products/28-rare-and-experimental/g58-electro-acoustic/" target="_blank">Electro-Acoustic</a>. Installing the patch is a manual process which requires copying some files into the instrument's Library folder. To test the changes, I launched Kontakt in stand-alone mode and opened Electro-Acoustic, and was greeted by this horrific result:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9EWMAGk6Fms/WTSZjJ8s5NI/AAAAAAAADCY/ob_7ySYK6UEEorbBSOR9kmi71pAvgDEvgCLcB/s1600/Electro%2BAcoustic%2BStandalone.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1229" height="468" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9EWMAGk6Fms/WTSZjJ8s5NI/AAAAAAAADCY/ob_7ySYK6UEEorbBSOR9kmi71pAvgDEvgCLcB/s640/Electro%2BAcoustic%2BStandalone.png" width="640" /></a></div>
As shown in the image, all controls from all of the plugin's built-in tabs are visible all at once, rendering the user interface (UI) unreadable. Additionally the highlighted keyswitches shown on the virtual keyboard are all wrong.<br />
<br />
Thinking I had perhaps done something wrong when applying the instrument patch files, I tried out a few other libraries. And unfortunately, I discovered that the same issue was occurring in many of them now. Here's Native Instruments Emotive Strings:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m6HHSbx1-tc/WTSak_0UfnI/AAAAAAAADCc/qcHOvBHbxKU1VgcWOVEAs31d5QsLrOcKgCLcB/s1600/Emotive%2BStrings%2BStandalone.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1229" height="468" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m6HHSbx1-tc/WTSak_0UfnI/AAAAAAAADCc/qcHOvBHbxKU1VgcWOVEAs31d5QsLrOcKgCLcB/s640/Emotive%2BStrings%2BStandalone.png" width="640" /></a></div>
Again, all UI elements of the instrument were displayed on-screen at once, and none of them were usable.<br />
<br />
I then tested Kontakt in my two DAWs to see if results were any different. Here's what I found:<br />
<ul>
<li>When launched as a plugin in <a href="http://amzn.to/2qOvsU9" target="_blank">Ableton Live 9</a>, Kontakt behaved just the same as in stand-alone mode.</li>
<li>It was even worse in <a href="http://amzn.to/2qVByBk" target="_blank">Steinberg Cubase 9</a>, though. In Cubase, after opening a new instance of Kontakt and selecting a library, Kontakt would spend some time loading samples, but then would eventually freeze, locking up Cubase entirely. It wouldn't display the instrument UI at all, and since Cubase was unusable, the only way to exit it was to kill the process in Task Manager.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">OBSERVATIONS</span></h2>
Here's a quick list of things I observed over the next several days in my quest to solve the problem.<br />
<ul>
<li>The problem only affected stand-alone mode and <i>new instances</i> of the Kontakt plugin in a DAW, not plugin instances that had already been saved in existing Cubase projects. I even had a couple of projects that used Soniccouture Electro-Acoustic (the instrument I was using when I discovered the whole problem) which loaded and played fine. It was only when I added a new instance of Kontakt to a new or pre-existing project that the issue occurred.</li>
<li>Updating to the latest Kontakt version didn't help. I don't know exactly which version I had installed when I first hit the issue, but I checked Native Access and saw that there was an update available (5.6.8). I installed the update but found that it did not fix my issue.</li>
<li>Uninstalling/re-installing Kontakt didn't work- even if I manually cleaned up left-over registry and file traces that the uninstaller doesn't remove. (Spoiler alert- there was ONE post-uninstall trace of the program that I was overlooking when doing this clean-up. More about this in the "solution" section.)</li>
<li>I normally use Windows 7, but I have another boot partition with Windows 10, that also has Cubase and <a href="http://amzn.to/2qOzA6q" target="_blank">Native Instruments Komplete 11</a> installed. When I switched over to Windows 10 and tried loading some of the same libraries that were giving me problems on Windows 7, I found that they worked fine. I also ran Native Access to make sure all my plugins were the same version I was running in Windows 7, so this ruled out the specific version of Kontakt. Version 5.6.8 was not the problem.</li>
<li>Here was the real breakthrough, though: After I switched back to Windows 7 I logged into a different user profile that I hardly ever use. I launched Kontakt in stand-alone mode, and loaded Electro-acoustic... and this time it worked! Both the UI and keyswitches were now working properly! This told me it wasn't an installation problem, but rather something specific to my Windows user account.</li>
<li>On this working user profile, I ran Sysinternals Process Monitor while launching Kontakt and loading the Soniccouture instrument again, watching exactly what <b>Kontakt 5.exe</b> was doing- and this is when I saw it: Kontakt was using a registry subkey that I had overlooked previously, when I was doing manual post-uninstall cleanup of Kontakt. I had already been deleting the Kontakt-related keys under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, but I had forgotten to check for anything under the user-specific portion of the registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER!</li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">SOLUTION</span></h2>
So here's what I did to finally fix the problem:<br />
<ol>
<li>Make sure no instances of Kontakt are currently running, either as a stand-alone program or a plugin.</li>
<li>Launch <b>regedit.exe</b> and browse to this location in the registry: <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Native Instruments\Kontakt 5</b></span></li>
<li>With the <b>Kontakt 5</b> node selected in the left pane of the window, select <b>File </b>> <b>Export </b>and save a backup copy of the registry contents.</li>
<li>Now right-click the <b>Kontakt 5</b> node and click <b>Delete </b>on the shortcut menu.</li>
<li>When you are asked if you are sure you want to permanently delete the key, click <b>Yes</b>. (Kontakt will re-create this key with the default program settings the next time it's launched.)</li>
<li>Quit Regedit and re-launch Kontakt.</li>
<li>Load a library that was exhibiting the problem with the UI and/or keyswitches previously. It should now work.</li>
</ol>
And here was the glorious result:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H1i9FKYN9m0/WTSi8NPOwoI/AAAAAAAADCk/MAje8_UXgAERCpVHLdXcaWS8KQLEniKKgCLcB/s1600/Electro-Acoustic%2BWorking%2BAgain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1229" height="522" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H1i9FKYN9m0/WTSi8NPOwoI/AAAAAAAADCk/MAje8_UXgAERCpVHLdXcaWS8KQLEniKKgCLcB/s640/Electro-Acoustic%2BWorking%2BAgain.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Good as new!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This also fixed the problem with new instances of the plugin in Live and Cubase. I really hope this post saves someone the time and frustration this problem caused me.Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-56250596569674404342016-09-27T21:19:00.000-07:002017-10-01T14:42:26.076-07:00VR Gaming with the Alienware Alpha R2 Mini PC - Hardware Upgrade GuideWhen I ordered my i5-based Alienware Alpha R2 it was exactly what I had been looking for: A tiny, near-silent PC that was small enough to fit on my entertainment center but powerful enough to play my favorite games on a big-screen TV. Shortly after making my purchase however, I decided to take my first dip into virtual reality with the <a href="https://www3.oculus.com/en-us/rift/" target="_blank">Oculus Rift</a>- and I was disheartened when I read the steep <a href="https://www3.oculus.com/en-us/blog/powering-the-rift/" target="_blank">minimum system recommendations</a> for the Rift.<br />
<br />
While these are Oculus's "recommendations" rather than strict requirements, developers writing software for the Rift are targeting hardware at least as powerful as the components listed by Oculus, and if your hardware falls short your VR gaming experience can be sub-par (or even literally sickening, due to lag-induced motion sickness)- and in my case, both my graphics and CPU were fairly below-spec.<br />
<br />
Thus began my upgrade journey.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hQ3YxAGMpcE/V-s0QOOQnMI/AAAAAAAAC8I/82yGEbly198h1WseB8M3CPGJHzvW9Os2QCLcB/s1600/VR%2BGaming%2BWith%2BThe%2BAlienware%2BAlpha.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hQ3YxAGMpcE/V-s0QOOQnMI/AAAAAAAAC8I/82yGEbly198h1WseB8M3CPGJHzvW9Os2QCLcB/s640/VR%2BGaming%2BWith%2BThe%2BAlienware%2BAlpha.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
IS THE ALPHA IDEAL FOR VR?</span></h2>
While I love the Alienware Alpha for what it is- a small, powerful-for-its-size living room gaming PC, it is definitely not the first thing I'd recommend to someone who mainly wanted to play virtual reality games and didn't care about the form factor. There are several reasons for this:<br />
<ul>
<li>The on-board graphics in all Alpha models released to-date fall short of current VR minimum recommendations. The recommended GeForce GTX 970 is around 32% more powerful than my Alpha's GeForce GTX 960 graphics, for example. (<b>Note</b>: The recommended <a href="https://www.vive.com/us/ready/" target="_blank">specs for the competing HTC Vive</a> are a little strange here: They recommend the NVIDIA GeForce 1060- which is ~8% faster than the GTX 970 or the AMD Radeon RX 480- which is ~13% slower!)</li>
<li>Only the i7 models have CPUs that meet minimum VR recommendations. The recommended Intel i5-4590 processor is around 25% more powerful than the low-wattage i5-6400T in my Alpha, based on Passmark CPU scores. (<b>Note</b>: The same Intel CPU is recommended for the <a href="http://amzn.to/2djcU7h" target="_blank">HTC Vive</a>, but they also recommend the AMD Radeon RX 480, which is ~20% faster than the i5-4590.)</li>
<li>The Alpha only has one video output. Whichever headset you end up going with (Vive or Rift) is going to require an HDMI port, and you will need at least one other video output to drive a regular monitor. While there are solutions (like <a href="http://amzn.to/2d4RCdE" target="_blank">this special bi-directional HDMI switch</a>) that let you share a single video output, depending on what you need to do and the specific games/apps you work with, sometimes that's just not going to be enough. Trust me, you want multiple independent video outputs.</li>
<li>While Alienware offers the ability to use higher-end graphics via the very cool Alienware Graphics Amplifier (AGA), this kind of cancels out the primary appeal of the Alpha: its small and sleek design. The AGA is huge and it adds noise.</li>
<li>The Graphics Amplifier introduces some other problems that I'll discuss later, which make the computer less-than-ideal for general use.</li>
</ul>
If you are thinking about getting into virtual reality and you haven't bought a PC yet, you're going to be better off (both financially and otherwise) by purchasing a <a href="http://www.alienware.com/landings/oculus/" target="_blank">VR-certified off-the-shelf unit</a> or building your own desktop with high-end parts. This post is for people like me who already had an Alpha and wanted to make it work for VR.<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
CLONING AND REPLACING THE HARD DRIVE</span></h2>
When ordering a computer online, I always pick the cheapest storage solution available so I can replace it with the drive of my choosing (you can usually find better after-market storage solutions cheaper than what OEMs charge). In this case, my Alpha arrived with a <a href="http://amzn.to/2c8qrRy" target="_blank">500GB Seagate Laptop Thin HDD</a>. The "thin" in the name is accurate, by the way- it is the slimmest 2.5" hard drive I've ever seen, more like an SSD drive in physical size. I replaced it with a <a href="http://amzn.to/2ccPNQQ" target="_blank">Crucial MX200 500GB</a> SATA SSD. Crucial's MX models come with a serial number for <a href="http://www.acronis.com/en-us/promo/tihd2015-download/" target="_blank">Acronis True Image HD</a>, which is a handy tool that I used in the replacement process.<br />
<br />
Cloning the factory drive was a bit more of a hassle than I had anticipated, thanks to the computer's UEFI setup and how it affected Windows 10. Here's the whole procedure:<br />
<ol>
</ol>
On another PC where I already had Acronis True Image HD installed, I used the <b>Rescue Media Builder</b> feature to create a DVD of the "<b>Acronis bootable rescue media</b>." This is a disc that boots to a Windows-like interface that works largely the same as the installed True Image product.<br />
<br />
Next I connected my new SSD drive to one of the Alpha's front USB ports using a <a href="http://amzn.to/2ciSKv9" target="_blank">StarTech USB 3.0 to 2.5" SATA Hard Drive Adapter Cable</a>. Next I connected my <a href="http://amzn.to/2cnGIiN" target="_blank">LG Ultra Slim Portable DVD external drive</a> to another one of the Alpha's USB ports and popped in the True Image disc and rebooted the Alpha, expecting to be able to press F12 in order to select the DVD drive at startup...<br />
<br />
The thing is, the Alpha's factory configuration does not appear to allow booting from a connected USB device. Users of Windows 8 and Windows 10 are probably familiar with <a href="http://www.howtogeek.com/175649/what-you-need-to-know-about-using-uefi-instead-of-the-bios/" target="_blank">UEFI</a> by now, and how it's increasingly rare to see "Press F2 for system settings" and "Press F12 to select a boot device" options when you first power on a computer. For better or worse, the way this is <i>supposed to</i> work under Windows 10 now is this: Click <b>Start </b>> <b>Settings</b>, search for "<b>Recovery options</b>" and then click <b>Restart now</b> under <b>Advanced Setup</b>, and then click <b>Use a device</b> on the "Choose an option" screen, which should then bring up a "Use a device" screen where you can choose the device to boot from. However, the only boot devices my Alpha reveals are "<b>Onboard NIC (IPV4)</b>" and "<b>Onboard NIC (IPV6)</b>." My connected DVD drive was nowhere to be found.<br />
<br />
Here's what I had to do: Click <b>Start </b>> <b>Settings</b>, search for "<b>Recovery options</b>" and then click <b>Restart now</b> under <b>Advanced Setup</b>. In the "Choose an option" screen, click <b>Troubleshoot </b>> <b>Advanced Options</b> > <b>UEFI Firmware Settings</b> > <b>Restart</b>. This got me into the Alpha's setup utility, where I could see where the problem was:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NeLxemv6u6I/V9YZReFK0TI/AAAAAAAAC6E/j6DjgC2yjy0SdWuLZJcO5nwi7nowoj5ZACLcB/s1600/2016-09-11%2B19.19.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NeLxemv6u6I/V9YZReFK0TI/AAAAAAAAC6E/j6DjgC2yjy0SdWuLZJcO5nwi7nowoj5ZACLcB/s640/2016-09-11%2B19.19.07.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_2140880714"></span><span id="goog_2140880715"></span><br />
The Alpha's default UEFI configuration for whatever reason doesn't honor connected USB devices. The "Onboard NIC" devices (for LAN booting) were the only internal devices the Alpha exposes (other than "Windows Boot Manager," which is just the option that loads Windows). In order to use my USB disc drive to load Acronis True Image, I had to do the following:<br />
<ol>
<li>On the <b>Boot </b>tab, choose <b>Disabled </b>for <b>Secure Boot</b>. The setup utility won't let you modify the <b>Boot List Option</b> setting until you do this.<br /><br /><b>Note</b><br />You'll see a warning that changing this setting may prevent your operating system from booting. (And it will, but we will reverse the situation later.)</li>
<li>Next, change <b>Boot List Option</b> from <b>UEFI </b>to <b>Legacy</b>. (You'll also probably get another warning when you change this setting.) This changes the "Boot Option Priorities" list to a longer list named "Set Boot Priority." </li>
<li>For <b>1st Boot Priority</b> I chose <b>USB Storage Device</b>.</li>
<li>For <b>2nd Boot Priority</b> I chose <b>CD/DVD/CD-RW Device</b>.</li>
<li>And for <b>3rd Boot Priority</b> I chose <b>Hard Drive</b>. (I don't have any M.2 PCIe drives installed.)</li>
<li>I pressed <b>F10 </b>to save and exit.</li>
<li>Now when the computer restarted I saw the old <b>F2 </b>and <b>F12 </b>options, and I was able to boot from the DVD drive.</li>
<li>Inside True Image, I used the <b>Clone Disk</b> operation to copy my entire internal hard disk image to my attached SSD drive.</li>
</ol>
You might expect that would be the end of the clone operation, yeah? But you'd be wrong! See, the factory Windows 10 installation assumes your computer is using Secure Boot and UEFI at boot time, and as a result is not available for booting when the computer's in "legacy" mode. So here's how to reverse the process:<br />
<ol>
<li>Reboot the computer after the clone operation is complete.</li>
<li>Press <b>F2 </b>when you see the prompt to enter the BIOS setup utility.</li>
<li>Back at the <b>Boot </b>tab, change <b>Boot List Option</b> back to <b>UEFI</b>.</li>
<li>Now change <b>Secure Boot </b>back to <b>Enabled</b>.</li>
<li>Press <b>F10 </b>to save and exit, and allow Windows 10 to boot up from the original drive just to make sure your computer's still configured correctly. If it still works, you can now safely replace the drive.</li>
</ol>
The rest of the process is super easy. Just disconnect the Alpha, flip the unit on its top, remove four screws, and pop off the bottom plate to reveal the drive housing. Just a few more screws hold the existing drive in place, using a custom mounting assembly. Swap out the old drive for your new one and slap it all back together.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
UPGRADING THE CPU</span></h2>
If you have one of the i7-based Alphas, don't worry- you're already set. The i7-6700T processor that ships with R2 models is around 24% more powerful than the i5-4950 that Oculus recommends. (Even the i7-4785T that shipped with the R1 Alphas qualifies, surpassing the i5-4950 by about 5% in raw CPU benchmarks.)<br />
<br />
But anyone with an i3 or i5-based model will need to upgrade. Of course this is easier said than done. For one thing, when shopping for replacement CPUs you must make sure to get something that uses the correct socket type:<br />
<ul>
<li>R1 Alphas have the LGA1150 ("H3") socket, used by Intel's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haswell_(microarchitecture)#Desktop_processors" target="_blank">Haswell</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadwell_(microarchitecture)#Desktop_processors" target="_blank">Broadwell</a> processors.</li>
<li>R2 Alphas have the LGA1151 socket, used by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylake_(microarchitecture)#Desktop_processors" target="_blank">Skylake</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaby_Lake#List_of_Kaby_Lake_processors" target="_blank">Kaby Lake</a>.</li>
</ul>
Both generations of Alphas use special T-series processors, which are desktop-class processors that draw less power (and generate less heat) than the standard models or top-performance K-series models that Intel offers. The T-series processors are "OEM parts" intended for computer manufacturers and system builders, not individual consumer purchase. You can't buy T-series processors at your local Best Buy, and you will have a hard time finding new, non-refurbished T-series CPUs online at any sort of reasonable price.<br />
<br />
The good news is that you can safely install non-T-series CPUs in the Alphas, but this comes with some caveats:<br />
<ul>
<li>To avoid melting your computer, the Alpha powers your replacement CPU at T-series levels, more or less delivering T-series performance, regardless of your CPU's stated clock speed.</li>
<li>The only processors powerful enough for VR that Alienware has <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UIUzRjq3QMdSw2tfBFrCoUMn7fQDJ9sJfeP2xnqVe2Q/edit" target="_blank">officially approved for use in the Alpha</a> are hard-to-get T-series models. (For the R1s it's the i7-4765T and i7-4785T, and for the R2s it's the i7-6700T.) <span style="color: red;">While non-T processors have been proven to work by Alpha owners like me, using them in your Alpha might void your Dell warranty</span>.</li>
</ul>
I ended up ordering an <a href="http://amzn.to/2cBDEm3" target="_blank">Intel i7-6700</a> processor. The <a href="http://amzn.to/2df8KCi" target="_blank">Intel i7-6700K</a> might also work, but it costs more and it wouldn't deliver any better performance. (Anyway, the K-series chips are designed for roomy, well-ventilated PCs with high-end cooling systems, not cramped, air-cooled systems like the Alpha.)<br />
<br />
The CPU replacement procedure was quite simple:<br />
<ol>
<li>Disconnect all cables and place the unit on a clean, flat surface in a static-free environment.</li>
<li>Remove the bottom plate of the Alpha (4 screws).</li>
<li>Flip the unit over and slide off the top cover.</li>
<li>Pop the fan housing off of the CPU and set it aside.</li>
<li>Before removing the heat sink, take note of how it's installed (there's a little gap in one side that has to be in a certain position in order for you to re-assemble the PC later; it's possible to install the heat sink in the wrong direction before you realize what you've done). Then remove the heat sink (4 screws) and set it aside. </li>
<li>Replace the old CPU with your new one. The i7 processors are easy to line up correctly, since they have a marked corner that lines up with the marked corner on the socket.</li>
<li>Apply some thermal compound to the new CPU. I used a slightly-less-than-pea-sized drop of <a href="http://amzn.to/2d7M2qG" target="_blank">Arctic Silver 5</a>, which has worked out just fine, but I've since read that <a href="http://amzn.to/2cBG4B3" target="_blank">Arctic MX-2</a> or <a href="http://amzn.to/2cVHTf6" target="_blank">Arctic MX-4</a> might perform even better. (Arctic and Arctic Silver are different companies.)</li>
<li>Clean the old compound off of the heat sink then screw it back into place, making sure it's positioned the same way it was before you removed it.</li>
<li>Replace the CPU fan (and re-connect it if you disconnected it earlier).</li>
<li>Replace the top cover.</li>
<li>Flip the unit back over and replace the bottom plate before plugging everything back in.</li>
</ol>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
UPGRADING THE GRAPHICS</span></h2>
With the R2 generation of Alphas, Alienware introduced the ability for some models to offload graphics capabilities to an external desktop graphics card via the <a href="http://amzn.to/2cZM9bl" target="_blank">Alienware Graphics Amplifier</a>. <br />
<br />
<b>Important</b>: At this time, the only Alienware Alpha models that work with the Graphics Amplifier are those that:<br />
<ul>
<li>Belong to the R2 generation (ASM200 models, not ASM100).</li>
<li>Have NVIDIA GeForce GTX960 graphics. (Therefore, the models with AMD graphics are not compatible, even though their motherboards have an AGA connector.)</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Which graphics card should you use?</h3>
Before selecting a graphics card to use in you Graphics Amplifier, you should first check <a href="https://www.alienwarearena.com/forums/thread/99648/technical-support-1/the-mini-technical-support-faq-for-your-alienware-computer" target="_blank">this mini technical support FAQ</a> to see which graphics chipsets have been approved for use with the AGA. Next you have to narrow your selection down to a specific model. While shopping, keep a few things in mind:<br />
<ul>
<li>The AGA was designed with NVIDIA "reference cards" in mind, which are around 1.5 inches wide, 4.6 inches tall, and 10.5 inches long. Some very long cards might not fit.</li>
<li>The AGA was also designed for blower-cooled cards, which push air along the card's body and out the back of a computer instead of blowing air sideways inside the computer chassis. <a href="http://amzn.to/2cZYAlA" target="_blank">Here's an example</a> of a blower style card that works in the AGA.</li>
<li>If you're shopping for good cards for VR, remember that you'll want something with enough of the right video ports on it. Most (possibly all?) cards supported by the AGA have at least two ports, but you want to make sure they're the right connectors for your video hardware (monitors, VR headsets): For example, do you need HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, etc? </li>
</ul>
I got a good price on <a href="http://amzn.to/2cBJOCI" target="_blank">this Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 G1 Gaming card</a>, which is neither reference-sized nor blower-cooled, and it's working out fine- so don't worry too much if you can't find an affordable card that meets all of the above recommendations. Also, both the Rift and my television have HDMI connections for video/audio, but the card I bought has a DVI port, three DisplayPort connectors, and only one HDMI port. Since DisplayPort has audio support just like HDMI does, I picked up <a href="http://amzn.to/2dfkogE" target="_blank">this DisplayPort-to-HDMI cable</a> for my TV connection.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Setting up the Graphics Amplifier</h3>
You should read the <a href="https://na.alienwarearena.com/forums/thread/83039/technical-support-1/alienware-graphics-amplifier-faq" target="_blank">Alienware Graphics Amplifier FAQ</a> before setting yours up. Alienware updates it with the details on the latest supported graphics cards over time, which is important because sometimes brand-new cards have special driver installation requirements that aren't obvious to most users.<br />
<br />
The process was pretty painless for me.<br />
<ol>
<li>First I checked Dell's Product Support site to make sure I had the latest version of the "Alienware External Graphic Amplifier Software" installed. In my case, I found that I already had the latest version.</li>
<li>Next I used the <b>Check for updates</b> feature on the <b>Drivers </b>tab of NVIDIA GeForce Experience program to check for the latest graphics drivers. There were some updates available, so I downloaded and installed the new drivers.</li>
<li>Next I powered off the Alpha.</li>
<li>I installed my GTX 1070 card in the AGA and connected my television's HDMI In connection directly to the GTX 1070 (via the DisplayPort-to-HDMI cable I mentioned earlier) instead of to the Alpha's video out. </li>
<li>Next I connected the Graphics Amplifier to the Alpha using the special AGA cable.</li>
<li>Finally I powered the Alpha back on and logged into Windows. After I signed on it took several minutes for Windows 10 to reconfigure itself to use the correct driver for the Alpha (the Device Manager said I was just using a generic Microsoft display driver until the drivers were fully configured), but once the driver fully kicked in I was all set.</li>
</ol>
<h3>
AGA-related Complications</h3>
We'll get to the benchmarks in a bit, but first I wanted to mention a few AGA-related issues I've experienced.<br />
<br />
<b>The Alpha cannot enter Sleep mode while connected to the AGA.</b><br />
The only time I ever actually fully shut a PC down is if I'm about to take it apart (or put it in storage). Instead I configure all my computers that don't have to remain on 24/7 to enter S3 (Sleep) mode when I press the power button, or after a period of inactivity. Sleep mode's much better for me than Hibernation (S4), because a PC can enter and wake from Sleep mode nearly instantly while Hibernation usually takes a fair bit more time.<br />
<br />
Anyway, after setting my Alpha up for use with the Rift, I went crazy for a couple of days trying to figure out why I couldn't put my Alpha to sleep. No matter which power scheme I chose in the Windows Power Options control panel, there wasn't even a "Put the computer to sleep" option to set a sleep time-out.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S6SHoJWuPt8/V-itEiiHgfI/AAAAAAAAC64/IumN7-FjEfAsIBlGsyrRGAwxKdKvivKxQCLcB/s1600/Power%2BOptions%2Bno%2Bsleep%2B2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S6SHoJWuPt8/V-itEiiHgfI/AAAAAAAAC64/IumN7-FjEfAsIBlGsyrRGAwxKdKvivKxQCLcB/s400/Power%2BOptions%2Bno%2Bsleep%2B2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I <a href="http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/p/19991086/20939318#20939318" target="_blank">posted about my problem</a> to the Dell support forum, and unfortunately it turns out that as long as the Alpha is connected to the Alienware Graphics Amplifier, Windows Sleep mode is disabled. I'm pretty unhappy about this, but that's the current state of things. Currently I just shut my Alpha off when I don't need to use it. It's literally the only computer I own or use that I actually have to turn off.<br />
<br />
<b>Wake-from-USB is disabled by default (and doesn't work correctly when enabled)</b><br />
Another thing I like to be able to do is wake my computers by wiggling a mouse or touching a keyboard. I have a number of computers in physically inconvenient locations, but I can wake them up via wireless keyboards/mice because their wireless dongles are USB devices.<br />
<br />
Although the keyboard and mouse that ship with the Alpha are wired, the computer comes with a hidden USB 2 port on the underside of the unit explicitly intended for wireless keyboard/mouse dongles. Great, right?<br />
<br />
Well, let us for a moment put aside the fact that as long as your AGA is connected to the Alpha, you can't even put your computer to sleep, so there's no point in being able to wake from USB. During the days when I was trying to troubleshoot the sleep problem, I ran across another pretty ridiculous problem.<br />
<br />
The Alpha ships with the USB Wake Support option disabled in BIOS. (To enable the feature, you must first disable the "Deep Sleep Control" feature in the Advanced tab, and then change USB Wake Support to Enabled. Note that you probably won't be able to Hibernate after doing this.)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iYIx2Pa0aSg/V-s1cFPUatI/AAAAAAAAC8U/tr-lbzOjRwQfvkq4aGGLZOb19SdqgQ0RgCLcB/s1600/Deep%2BSleep%2BControl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iYIx2Pa0aSg/V-s1cFPUatI/AAAAAAAAC8U/tr-lbzOjRwQfvkq4aGGLZOb19SdqgQ0RgCLcB/s400/Deep%2BSleep%2BControl.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>You must disable Deep Sleep Control in order to enable USB Wake Support.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Remember how I said that I have to completely power down my Alpha now, since there's no Sleep option? Well when USB Wake Support was enabled, my computer kept instantly powering back on as soon as it shut down! It would power off and then immediately power back on and start Windows. So I couldn't put the computer to sleep, and I couldn't shut it down either! Needless to say, I re-disabled USB Wake Support once I realized what it was doing.<br />
<br />
<b>The USB ports on the Alienware Graphics Adapter are not reliable.</b><br />
One really cool-on-paper thing about the AGA is that in addition to housing a desktop graphics card, it also serves as a 4-port USB 3 hub. This would be an excellent feature for VR purposes (the Rift, for example, needs 3 USB ports, when you consider the headset, sensor, and game controller), but unfortunately it just doesn't work that well. I'm currently only able to use a single USB port on the AGA reliably; the one for the Rift headset itself. When I have anything else connected to the AGA USB ports, those devices just randomly disconnect and reconnect. The Rift's sensor couldn't even maintain a USB connection long enough for me to get through the initial Oculus setup wizard. Both my Xbox One controller dongle and my Rift sensor are plugged directly into the Alpha's rear USB ports. I've heard other AGA owners complain of this same limitation. It's a real shame.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS</span></h2>
I performed benchmark tests at every step of the way in the upgrade process so I could measure the impact of upgrading the graphics and processor. For reasons I can't explain, I somehow lost the 3DMark scores from the baseline 6400T/GTX960 configuration, however I have Passmark scores from all four CPU/GPU combinations, so I'll do those first:<br />
<h3>
PassMark PerformanceTest </h3>
Here are the raw scores for <a href="http://www.passmark.com/products/pt.htm" target="_blank">PassMark PerformanceTest 8</a>, for each of the four configurations I tested:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vTj_P8Xh_H0/V-npWW7WzLI/AAAAAAAAC7M/jeNAloI7SpcCLGbJsqNZbZ6au6OfptO5ACLcB/s1600/Alpha%2BPassmark%2BTests.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vTj_P8Xh_H0/V-npWW7WzLI/AAAAAAAAC7M/jeNAloI7SpcCLGbJsqNZbZ6au6OfptO5ACLcB/s1600/Alpha%2BPassmark%2BTests.png" /></a></div>
<br />
As you can see, upgrading from the i5-6400T to the i5-6700 alone delivered a 41% gain in raw CPU performance while upgrading from the on-board GTX 960 to the AGA-hosted GTX 1070 resulted in a 36% jump in graphics performance. Passmark doesn't weight 3D graphics too heavily in its overall score, explaining why the final PassMark score is only 23% higher than the base configuration.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u5xPEJPhEes/V-nsxHgOS5I/AAAAAAAAC7g/aoAcXmmQAGQ8S0SFFVeLTb5vxF7Ei8O2QCLcB/s1600/PerformanceTest%2BGraph.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u5xPEJPhEes/V-nsxHgOS5I/AAAAAAAAC7g/aoAcXmmQAGQ8S0SFFVeLTb5vxF7Ei8O2QCLcB/s640/PerformanceTest%2BGraph.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<i><b>The Alpha throttles non-T CPUs.</b></i><br />
According to the PassMark site, a standard i7-6700 running under normal circumstances should get a <a href="http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i7-6700+%40+3.40GHz" target="_blank">CPU score of 9967</a>. As you can see in my test results on the alpha, my 6700 scored 9069.8 on the 6700/1070 test, which is closer to <a href="http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i7-6700T+%40+2.80GHz" target="_blank">PassMark's rating of the 6700T</a>, which is 8918. So my Core i7-6700 seems to perform a little better than a 6700T would in the same system- but not by much. I did not try putting my 6700K in the Alpha. I was worried that the Alpha might not be able to rein that one in. I'd like to hear from anyone who's tried it.<br />
<h3>
Futuremark 3DMark 11</h3>
And here are the results from the 3DMark 11 "Performance" suite of tests (these tests run at 1280x720 resolution). Again, sorry I lost the scores for the i7-6400T/GTX 960 combo.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jsVuKYHIZrU/V-nrzoltVbI/AAAAAAAAC7Y/a8SfpH9ChDs7axU30ZVw_Q9yCw6-askoACLcB/s1600/Alpha%2B3DMark%2B11%2BTests.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jsVuKYHIZrU/V-nrzoltVbI/AAAAAAAAC7Y/a8SfpH9ChDs7axU30ZVw_Q9yCw6-askoACLcB/s1600/Alpha%2B3DMark%2B11%2BTests.png" /></a></div>
<br />
From these scores we can see that as far as gaming goes, the CPU makes the biggest difference in physics computations (34% boost in Physics when upgrading to the i7-6700) while the graphics card upgrade resulted in huge pure graphics gains (60% increase in Graphics score when switching from GTX 960 to the GTX 1070).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Idm7eS6S-uI/V-n5WWECW1I/AAAAAAAAC7w/kTDSoTWEI6Ugs6kvqgfm8GOt8KN10Je1QCLcB/s1600/3DMark%2BGraph.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Idm7eS6S-uI/V-n5WWECW1I/AAAAAAAAC7w/kTDSoTWEI6Ugs6kvqgfm8GOt8KN10Je1QCLcB/s640/3DMark%2BGraph.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Temperatures</h3>
A big concern I had before replacing my CPU was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_design_power" target="_blank">TDP</a>- the amount of heat generated by the CPU during normal use. The tiny Alienware Alpha was designed for low-wattage processors for a reason: They generate less heat, and thus don't need huge and complicated cooling systems. I was worried that the higher clockspeeds of the i7-6700 (whose TDP is twice the 6700T) or i7-6700K (whose TDP is 3x the 6700T!) would drive the Alpha beyond its cooling thresholds, resulting in (at best) poor performance or (at worst) physical damage to the CPU and motherboard.<br />
<br />
I was pleased to find that the Alpha managed to keep the temperatures in a safe range:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Idle</b>: Average ~44 degrees (C) Recorded range: 39-57 </li>
<li><b>No Man's Sky at 1920x1080 fullscreen</b>: 63 degrees (C) max</li>
<li><b>Elite Dangerous in VR mode on the Rift</b>: 62 degrees (C) max</li>
</ul>
<h3>
VR Compatibility Tests</h3>
After all the upgrades, here are the results of the <a href="https://support.oculus.com/1633938460220125/" target="_blank">Oculus Rift Compatibility Tool</a>:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VMJFT6BpLiU/V-tB9Uev_hI/AAAAAAAAC8k/PO5M9rcaCIsUJcAFRv5HmH3NJaokM4qiACLcB/s1600/Oculus%2BRift%2BResults.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VMJFT6BpLiU/V-tB9Uev_hI/AAAAAAAAC8k/PO5M9rcaCIsUJcAFRv5HmH3NJaokM4qiACLcB/s400/Oculus%2BRift%2BResults.png" width="270" /></a></div>
<br />
And here are the results of the <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/323910" target="_blank">SteamVR Performance Test</a>:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7haV-nannoQ/V-tCAzYzyDI/AAAAAAAAC8o/8_kpANSW6dAiLO1ngaE4qCos_eZ2yFcsQCLcB/s1600/SteamVR%2BResults.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7haV-nannoQ/V-tCAzYzyDI/AAAAAAAAC8o/8_kpANSW6dAiLO1ngaE4qCos_eZ2yFcsQCLcB/s320/SteamVR%2BResults.png" width="233" /></a></div>
<br />
The actual VR performance of the Alpha has been excellent so far. All native VR titles I've tried with it have worked without a hitch. Here's the whole setup, to give you an idea of scale and space required for both the Alpha and the Graphics Amplifier. At the bottom is the <a href="http://amzn.to/2dBELDU" target="_blank">Logitech K830 Illuminated Living-Room Wireless Touchpad Keyboard</a> I got for the setup, so I can use the Alpha from the couch. The wireless dongle is connected to the Alpha's hidden USB 2 port.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uvTJzWV6OYo/V-tD3JkHnKI/AAAAAAAAC80/BqyzIhCFpfkJFi9zGkaEklXkVEUQ7iq8QCLcB/s1600/Whole%2BVR%2BSetup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uvTJzWV6OYo/V-tD3JkHnKI/AAAAAAAAC80/BqyzIhCFpfkJFi9zGkaEklXkVEUQ7iq8QCLcB/s640/Whole%2BVR%2BSetup.jpg" width="338" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<ol>
</ol>
<ul>
</ul>
Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-35371987583105783572016-08-02T08:26:00.003-07:002016-08-02T19:48:10.353-07:00How to Speed Up Windows Update's 'Check for Updates' Feature on Windows 7If you are the type of Windows 7 user who prefers checking for new Windows Update patches manually instead of letting them all quietly install in the background you may have noticed that for around the past year, the "Check for Updates" scan has taken increasingly longer- often to the point that many people think there's something wrong with their computers and they abort the operation or reboot before letting the scan complete. I get a lot of questions about this since many people who use my <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel</a> program are also the kind of user who run update checks manually, and they sometimes think my program is the result of the slowdown when in fact this issue has affected millions of Windows 7 users around the world.<br />
<br />
We may never know the true reason for this slowdown (it does not happen on Windows 8.1 or Windows 10), but over the past few months, Microsoft has released several patches that, combined, restore the faster scanning speeds Windows 7 used to enjoy in years past.<br />
<br />
I credit Woody Leonhard for collecting this info in two articles: <a href="http://www.infoworld.com/article/3058260/microsoft-windows/heres-how-to-significantly-speed-up-windows-7-scans-for-updates.html" target="_blank">This one</a> and <a href="http://www.infoworld.com/article/3086811/microsoft-windows/microsoft-releases-kb-3161647-kb-3161608-to-fix-slow-windows-7-update-scans.html" target="_blank">this one</a>. Below are some quick steps for downloading and installing these patches so you can restore your Windows Update performance. For more information (and a number of other handy Windows Update troubleshooting steps), check out <b>topic #17</b> at my <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/11/gwx-control-panel-troubleshooting-guide.html" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel Troubleshooting Guide</a>.<br />
<br />
Thanks also to commenter Chuck for suggesting an additional patch for addressing the issue.<br />
<ol>
<li>Before you start, restart your computer- this puts Windows Update into a fresh state where it isn't busy working on background tasks. (You won't be able to install the following patches if Windows Update is busy in the background.)</li>
<li>For each of the following links, download the correct version of the listed patch for your specific version of Windows 7 (32-bit/x86 vs. 64-bit/x64, etc), then install the patch, and finally restart Windows if you are prompted to do so. This bypasses having to get the updates via super-slow Windows Update, which is the problem we're trying to fix!<br /><br /><b>Note</b><br />Over time, specific Windows Update patches can be superceded by others. Just download the updates Microsoft recommends instead if this happens. (And let me know so I can update my links!)<br /> </li>
<li><a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3020369" target="_blank">KB3020369</a></li>
<li><a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3138612" target="_blank">KB3138612</a></li>
<li><a href="https://technet.microsoft.com/library/security/MS16-039?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396" target="_blank">KB3148522/MS16-039</a></li>
<li><a href="https://technet.microsoft.com/library/security/MS16-090?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396" target="_blank">KB3168965/MS16-090</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3172605" target="_blank">KB3172605</a></li>
<li>The next time you run Windows Update you should experience improved performance. If you still encounter issues, please check out<b> topic #17</b> of the <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/11/gwx-control-panel-troubleshooting-guide.html" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel Troubleshooting Guide</a> for more steps.</li>
</ol>
Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-4982871153666688102016-08-01T18:08:00.000-07:002016-08-01T18:08:40.666-07:00How to Uninstall GWX Control PanelMicrosoft's initial campaign to annoy and trick users of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 into upgrading to Windows 10 "for free" appears to have ended. The July 29 cut-off date has passed, and I no longer see the dreaded KB3035585 "Get Windows 10" patch showing up as an available download in Windows Update on my own Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 systems- and my test computers that have Microsoft's Get Windows 10 app installed and enabled no longer display Microsoft's icon in the notification area.<br />
<br />
Microsoft has hinted that they might run more free upgrade campaigns again in the future, but I'm putting together these uninstall/removal instructions for anyone willing to wager that Microsoft won't try something similar in the coming months.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Should you uninstall GWX Control Panel now that the July 29 deadline has passed?</span><br />
At the moment we're not certain whether Microsoft will kick off another nag-em-to-death upgrade campaign, or what form a future campaign would take. It's just too early to say whether it's <i>really</i> over for Windows 7/8.1 users, or whether the settings GWX Control Panel puts in place are enough to protect against any future Microsoft efforts to get you onto their new platform.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Before You Start</span><br />
Any Windows settings changes you made with <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel</a> will "stick" even after you uninstall the program, so you should still be protected from surprise upgrades unless Microsoft changes their tactics somewhere down the road. If, however, you want to leave open the possibility to upgrade to Windows 10 after removing GWX Control Panel, be sure to do the following before you uninstall the program:<br />
<ol>
<li>Launch GWX Control Panel by double-clicking it or by using the <b>Display GWX Control Panel</b> option on the Monitor Mode icon's right-click menu.</li>
<li>If the Get Windows 10 app is installed, you can click <b>Enable 'Get Windows 10' App</b> to make it possible for Microsoft's icon to come back when/if the company decides to put it back into service. Clicking this button might not make the icon appear immediately, because Microsoft appears to have made the program dormant for the moment.</li>
<li>Also, if these buttons are available, click <b>Allow Windows 10 Upgrades</b> and <b>Enable Non-critical Windows 10 Settings</b> to restore Microsoft's ability to upgrade you to Windows 10. (Again, this will not cause your computer to upgrade automatically; just opens up the possibility that it can be upgraded if Microsoft reinstates their free upgrade offer.)</li>
</ol>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Uninstalling GWX Control Panel</span><br />
These instructions should work for any GWX Control Panel user, regardless of whether you used the standalone version or the GWX Control Panel installer.<br />
<ol>
<li>Restart Windows and log in to an account that you know has Administrator rights. (If you have multiple user profiles on your computer, you might have trouble uninstalling GWX Control Panel unless you make absolutely sure that only one user is logged in and that user has admin privileges.)</li>
<li>Open your <b>Programs and Features</b> control panel (<b>Appwiz.cpl</b>). In the <b>Search Programs and Features</b> box, type: <b>GWX</b>. An entry for <b>GWX Control Panel</b> should appear under <b>Uninstall or change a program</b> if you used the GWX Control Panel setup program to install the application. If you see it, select <b>GWX Control Panel</b> and then click <b>Uninstall</b>.<br /><br /><b>Note 1</b>: If you don't see an entry for <b>GWX Control Panel</b> on this screen, then you are using the standalone version of the program. Continue to the next step.<br /><br /><b>Note 2</b>: If you encounter errors while running the uninstaller, please see topic #15 at <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/11/gwx-control-panel-troubleshooting-guide.html" target="_blank">the troubleshooting guide</a>.<br /> </li>
<li>If you are running the stand-alone version of GWX Control Panel, first you'll want to disable Monitor Mode if it's currently enabled. If you see the blue "10" icon in your notification area, right-click it and then select <b>Display GWX Control Panel</b> from the shortcut menu. Click the <b>Disable Monitor Mode</b> button. The <b>GWX Control Panel Monitor Mode Status</b> field should now read, "<b>Disabled. Not running.</b>" If the field instead says, "<b>Enabled (username). Running.</b>" then you need to perform a different step: Right-click the GWX Control Panel title bar and then pick <b>Enable/disable Monitor Mode for current user</b> from the shortcut menu. The status should change to "<b>Disabled. Not running.</b>"</li>
<li>With Monitor Mode disabled, all you have to do now is delete the GWX Control Panel program file you downloaded. For most users this file is probably in your Downloads folder. If you moved the file or you're not sure where your downloads go, you can search for the file: Open up Windows File Explorer (<b>explorer.exe</b>) and select your system drive under <b>Computer</b> (on Windows 7) or <b>This PC</b> (on Windows 8). Your system drive is usually drive <b>C:</b>. In the search box at the upper-right of the Explorer window, type <b>gwx_control_panel</b> and press <b>ENTER</b>. Any copies of the program should appear in the search results. Just right-click any entries you find in the search results, and then click <b>Delete</b>.</li>
</ol>
Thank you for your interest and your support. If Microsoft ever re-activates their Windows 10 annoyware down the road, <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">you know where to find me</a>. Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-71304667217390181302016-03-28T22:34:00.000-07:002016-04-01T22:24:22.667-07:00GWX Control Panel Release Notes and Version HistoryTo keep the official <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel user guide</a> short and to-the-point, I'm now maintaining all release notes for the program in this post. As always, you can download the program at the <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">Ultimate Outsider Downloads</a> page.<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">GWX CONTROL PANEL RELEASE NOTES</span></h2>
Here are the differences between all released versions of GWX Control Panel:<br />
<br />
<u><b>VERSION 1.7.4.1</b></u><br />
<b>Date</b>: April 1, 2016<br />
<b>Installer MD5 checksum</b>: FEA83EAC98858081B092B4A32B451357<br />
<b>Installer SHA-1 checksum</b>: BF30804BD847D8D20B18517C9003AF235AB9919A<br />
<b>Stand-alone MD5 checksum</b>: C6EA8429C22C53BC7A738FFEC4831429<br />
<b>Stand-alone SHA-1 checksum</b>: FF89E1F50BDF778293E9CBBC91BF76AA5FA85143<br />
<b>Changes</b>:<br />
<ul>
<li>Removed a misleading alert that was appearing on some computers with "clean" Windows installs that had not yet encountered Windows 10 symptoms. This was a dialog box I had added while I was testing a fix I had implemented in version 1.7.4.0 but ended up not needing. The alert was harmless, but wasn't supposed to appear in the final release, so now it's gone.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<u><b>VERSION 1.7.4.0</b></u><br />
<b>Date</b>: March 30, 2016<br />
<b>Installer MD5 checksum</b>: 681341EBA9DDC3A11E94F7FCB05EF5BE<br />
<b>Installer SHA-1 checksum</b>: 70C73E91C3BC038A19F347C4E69E9FAC13E3DB50<br />
<b>Stand-alone MD5 checksum</b>: 18113E1AB4B350B1FDB35A3B5BA6D19F<br />
<b>Stand-alone SHA-1 checksum</b>: 599306998D16A5C954271E8377602BA22199B26E<br />
<b>Changes</b>:<br />
<ul>
<li>Fixes issues that can occur if third-party tools or scripts break permissions on some Windows 10-related registry keys.</li>
<li>Now checks for the "Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates" setting of Windows Update, since this can leave you vulnerable to some known Windows 10 update patches.</li>
<li>Added the ability to enable/disable the "recommended updates" setting in the Change Windows Update Settings dialog.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<u><b>VERSION 1.7.3.1</b></u><br />
<b>Date</b>: March 28, 2016<br />
<b>Installer MD5 checksum</b>: 89D8EE023742E9727D363D15BDCB2080<br />
<b>Installer SHA-1 checksum</b>: E470925FA09BF262AE641C22CC1AF57318064277<br />
<b>Stand-alone MD5 checksum</b>: B5C2D94CAC4197868A31484A3AB94DB3<br />
<b>Stand-alone SHA-1 checksum</b>: 5BBB5C4C7972B7A8C2D1CD6215221B1E3D28CAA9<br />
<b>Changes</b>:<br />
<ul>
<li>You can now block the Microsoft Get Windows 10 icon app even if it isn't currently installed. Previous versions of the program disabled the "<b>Disable Get Windows 10 App</b>" button if the app couldn't be found. But now you can preemptively disable it in the event that the KB3035583 patch gets installed on your PC subsequent to running GWX Control Panel. The text changes to "<b>Prevent Get Windows 10 app</b>" in this case.</li>
<li>For users of the GWX Control Panel installer (versus stand-alone), the <b>Check for Updates</b> feature now checks with UltimateOutsider.com to see if a new version is available and downloads/installs the new version at user's request. Stand-alone users will still just have a button that takes you to the Downloads page. (I don't know a reliable/elegant way to upgrade a stand-alone copy, while upgrading is easy with the installer.) <b>Note</b>: For about a half hour there was a version posted that didn't give any "You're already running the most recent version" indication if that turns out to be the case. That was confusing, and I fixed it immediately. So basically if you check for updates and nothing seems to happen, it might mean you're running the 1.7.3.0 version that was up temporarily, and you might have to do a manual download. Sorry!</li>
<li><b>Note</b>: The <b>Enable/Disable Monitor Mode</b> and <b>Display the User Guide</b> buttons have moved. (Making room for an upcoming feature.)</li>
<li>Fixed some unexpected behavior that could occur if a user chose not to allow GWX Control Panel admin rights if required to perform an action.</li>
<li>Some optimizations in all recursive file operations (hopefully improving performance and success rate of massive delete operations).</li>
<li>No longer displays "Change Windows Update Preferences" dialog on computers where users have not yet configured their Windows Update settings; instructs them to set up Windows Update first instead.</li>
<li>Improved internal performance of diagnostic logging.</li>
<li>Program no longer crashes when run on Windows Vista. (Note: GWX Control Panel serves no purpose on Vista; Microsoft does not target that OS for Windows 10 upgrades. I just didn't want my program crashing when Vista users tried to run it.)</li>
<li>To eliminate some odd timing issues caused by users having Monitor Mode enabled for both All Users and Current User at the same time, the installer now makes sure that only "All Users" is enabled. (This only applies to upgrades, and only where Monitor Mode was already enabled.)</li>
<li>For debugging purposes, installer now saves a log file in the install directory, named install_log.txt.</li>
<li>The installer is now based on NSIS 2.5, which has some security improvements over previous versions.</li>
<li>LOTS of under-the-hood refactoring and optimizations in preparation for some future plans.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<u><b>VERSION 1.7.2.0</b></u><br />
<b>Date</b>: January 24, 2016<br />
<b>Installer MD5 checksum</b>: C6312B051E84600B6166B3FCC1FF2B4B<br />
<b>Installer SHA-1 checksum</b>: 4874B9A791CA1A3EC2927104B89D75D518CE2A47<br />
<b>Stand-alone MD5 checksum</b>: 3CBAA23AB6ED2824DC5D8BE8B6AFBCE9<br />
<b>Stand-alone SHA-1 checksum</b>: 519465821FF83471685E7D64D2B8E20B53969C76<br />
<b>Changes</b>:<br />
<ul>
<li>Fixed a confusing user interface issue where on some computers, clicking "Disable Get Windows 10 App" or "Prevent Windows 10 Upgrades" didn't refresh the dialog, making it look like the buttons didn't work (when in fact they were working).</li>
<li>Added thread-safe error logging (included in Save Diagnostic Info reports) for better troubleshooting.</li>
<li>Fixed an erroneous "Monitor Mode is not currently running" message in Save Diagnostic Info reports.</li>
<li>Screen now refreshes more accurately depending on current state of monitor mode. (It didn't always notice when a running instance shut down.)</li>
<li>Improved logic around Monitor Mode detection of Windows Update switching into "install updates automatically" mode. (Intended behavior is to only trigger a warning if user preferences change from a non-automatic setting to automatic installs.)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<u><b>VERSION 1.7.1.0</b></u><br />
<b>Date</b>: January 18, 2016<br />
<b>Installer MD5 checksum</b>: 643DADD1DA7E670BED94D78E8F0C3501<br />
<b>Installer SHA-1 checksum</b>: 4AE3FD5E84E56C50E8520783F48653E342E8FEE0<br />
<b>Stand-alone MD5 checksum</b>: 599F929F42F77CE37B3875FEB10F2F0D<br />
<b>Stand-alone SHA-1 checksum</b>: 8456306EDE6A1BEA712E1A8B7774CD6CA4B5358C<br />
<b>Changes</b>:<br />
<ul>
<li>Monitor Mode now has new "<b>Change Monitor Mode preferences</b>" menu option where you can select what kind of events you'd like to be notified about.</li>
<li>All buttons and dynamic text fields in the program have tooltips that appear when you float the mouse over them, for extended information.</li>
<li>Added a new information field and detection logic for "non-critical" Windows 10 settings. Previous versions of GWX Control Panel monitored these settings, but bundled most of them under "Windows 10 Upgrades." Now, the "Windows 10 Upgrades" logic is only tied to settings and features known to directly affect visible Windows 10 upgrade behavior.</li>
<li>Added new <b>Enable/Disable Non-critical Windows 10 Settings</b> button so users can change those settings at will without affecting the computers "Windows 10 Upgrades" status. </li>
<li>Added "<b>Click to</b>" to the names of all buttons to make it clear that the button text represents actions, not status. The upper "information" area is where to look for your computer's current status.</li>
<li>The <b>Status and settings summary</b> now includes more detailed information, including occasional steps on how to resolve certain issues.</li>
<li>Monitor Mode now waits 30 seconds before generating any alerts if it starts up when a user logs into Windows. This should resolve some "false alarm" alerts that happened because other applications and system services were still starting up, and were accidentally identified as having changed configuration status. Monitor Mode instances launched directly from GWX Control Panel do instant alerting if new settings are detected.</li>
<li>Software Protection service status now included in diagnostic logs. (GWX Control Panel doesn't currently interact with this service, but since it's required for Windows Update to work, this info can help in troubleshooting.)</li>
<li>Diagnostic logs now include specific alert information as alerts are generated and resolved. This info is included in both Monitor Mode and "normal mode" reports.</li>
<li>Fixed a silly glitch with the <b>Change Windows Update Settings</b> feature that disabled the wrong button in the UI while settings were being applied.</li>
<li>Now detects whether Monitor Mode is set up to use a different version of the program from the currently running process. This should help troubleshoot problems that stand-alone users encounter when they have multiple copies of the program on their system.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<u><b>VERSION 1.7.0.2</b></u><br />
<b>Date</b>: December 30, 2015<br />
<b>Installer MD5 checksum</b>: 0E2FB32DC43F3C210E13A156B3CB385C<br />
<b>Installer SHA-1 checksum</b>: 4958C9FFBC692CE657EB89484FD54F2E40A02D98<br />
<b>Stand-alone MD5 checksum</b>: 338E4AD4E15C34C9D12023CE709E7131<br />
<b>Stand-alone SHA-1 checksum</b>: 25BF97EE01A44963B4C2029FB98D64997C0BF53B<br />
<b>Changes</b>:<br />
<ul>
<li>New "<b>Delete Windows 10 Programs</b>" feature deletes program files known to be related to the Windows 10 upgrade and their related scheduled tasks. Right now this only covers files from the KB3035583 patch, but future versions will include other files as more problematic programs are discovered. <b>Important</b>: These programs are the main reason people were seeing their Windows 10 Upgrades settings getting reset in the 1.6 version of GWX Control Panel monitor mode. This new feature is the best way to prevent those reversions; simply removing the Get Windows 10 icon from your notification area is not enough to stop Microsoft from continually reverting your settings.</li>
<li>Now detects whether Windows Update is configured to automatically install updates (the "<b>automatically install Windows Updates</b>" field in the information section), because automatically installing new updates leaves you vulnerable to Windows 10 upgrades. Beginning with version 1.7.0.2, Monitor Mode will only trigger an alert if it detects that Windows Update switches from one of the safer settings to "automatically install." It won't trigger an alert if you already had Windows Update configured for automatic updates.</li>
<li>(Version 1.7.0.2) New, more horizontal window layout makes it possible for users running Windows at extremely low screen resolutions to see all GWX Control Panel controls. </li>
<li>Added new "<b>Change Windows Update Settings</b>" feature where you can set your Windows Update preferences in the event that GWX Control Panel detects that you are in automatically install mode.</li>
<li>Slightly reduced CPU and resource utilization (it was already pretty good before, but now it's even better).</li>
<li>Renamed "<b>Disable OS Upgrades in Windows Update</b>" feature to "<b>Prevent Automatic Windows 10 Upgrades</b>" because the old name confused some users.</li>
<li>Improved responsiveness and reliability of "<b>Prevent Automatic Windows 10 Upgrades</b>" feature.</li>
<li>Now additionally detects 32-bit version of MS "Get Windows 10" app on 64-bit Windows.</li>
<li>Tightened up Windows 10 detection logic; no longer triggers alerts in one case that's been determined to be safe. Added at least one new detection scenario.</li>
<li><b>Save Diagnostic Info</b> report now includes human-readable details on exactly what traces of Windows 10 were found. Indicates parent subkey and registry value of detected (or missing) settings.</li>
<li>Some other additional details in diagnostic info, like whether current user is administrator and running status of some critical services.</li>
<li>No longer prompts for restarts after <b>Prevent/Allow Automatic Windows 10 Upgrades</b>. (The improved reliability of the new logic should make restarts unnecessary.)</li>
<li><b>Enable/Disable Monitor Mode</b> feature now defaults to enabling Monitor Mode for all users instead of just the current user account. Per-user enable/disable is still available from a system menu option (see <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/12/gwx-control-panel-17-user-guide.html" target="_blank">version 1.7 user guide</a> for details). This new behavior is due to the very confusing way that Windows handles program credentials when users with Standard and Child accounts have to elevate to admin privileges when performing certain actions. The <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/11/gwx-control-panel-troubleshooting-guide.html" target="_blank">troubleshooting guide</a> should include some background on this as well.</li>
<li>End User License Agreement now appears as a child of the main program dialog, preventing the situation where it appears behind other open windows but users have no idea since the old EULA dialog didn't have an icon in the taskbar.</li>
<li><b>Installer</b>: Added shortcut to GWX Control Panel uninstaller in the GWX Control Panel folder of the Start menu.</li>
<li><b>Installer</b>: Start menu and desktop shortcuts are now created for all users on the computer instead of just the profile of the user who installed it.</li>
<li><b>Installer</b>: Added more logic to kill existing GWX CP processes during install/uninstall. NOTE: This doesn't work across multiple currently logged-in user accounts. Please log out all other user accounts before installing/uninstalling to ensure the program files can safely be installed/removed. Also, ideally you should run the installer from an administrator account, not an elevated Standard or Child account.</li>
</ul>
<b>Issues fixed in version 1.7.0.2</b>:<br />
<ul>
<li>If you used GWX Control Panel's Monitor Mode and you use the
installer to upgrade from an earlier version of the program, the
installer didn't automatically restart Monitor Mode after the upgrade is
complete. The installer now restores Monitor Mode if you had it enabled
previously. GWX Control Panel will also now start Monitor Mode if it
detects that you have it enabled but for some reason it isn't running.</li>
<li>The new buttons and information fields in version 1.7.0.1 made the
program too tall to fit on very low resolution screens. The minimum
screen size I tested with internally was 1360x768, but many netbooks
have 800x600 screens, which can't display the whole GWX Control Panel
program window. Version 1.7.0.2 has been re-arranged so that it doesn't
take up so much vertical space.</li>
<li>If you already had your Windows Update settings configured to
"automatically install updates" this would trigger an alert in Monitor
Mode the first time it ran, even if you WANT to have Windows Updates at
that setting. The real purpose of this alert is to let you know if
Microsoft <i>changes </i>your Windows Update settings without your
consent. Version 1.7.0.2 will now only trigger an alert if it detects
that Windows Update changed from one of the other three options to
"automatically install," which might indicate that a Windows Update
patch reverted your Windows Update preferences.<br /> </li>
</ul>
<br />
<u><b>VERSION 1.6.0.1</b></u><br />
<b>Date</b>: November 24, 2015<br />
<b>Installer MD5 checksum</b>: 243B8266A11747CD9605F33FB12D45B2<br />
<b>Installer SHA-1 checksum</b>: FAFC81D0379F759927A9046D85BA9F9888E1B275<br />
<b>Stand-alone MD5 checksum</b>: D25D0085AE1520F5255485B03CF91397<br />
<b>Stand-alone SHA-1 checksum</b>: D3DAE116A383EBAF13BFA5B435217AA9212D87ED<br />
<b>Changes</b>:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Monitor Mode</b>. This optional feature actively monitors your
computer and notifies you if it detects any known evidence of Windows 10
activity. </li>
<li><b>Worry-free installer</b>. This is the first version available with a traditional setup program: It creates shortcuts in your Start menu and on
your desktop for easy access to GWX Control Panel and documentation. It
will allow for safe upgrading to future versions of GWX Control Panel
without leaving duplicate copies of the program laying around with
different filenames like you might sometimes experience with the
stand-alone version. And finally, it provides a standard uninstaller
routine, available in the <b>Programs and Features</b> control panel. (If you don't use installers, GWX Control Panel is still also available as a stand-alone download.)</li>
<li><b>Check for Updates</b>. The built-in <b>Check for updates</b>
feature tells you what version of GWX Control Panel you're currently
running and takes you to the Ultimate Outsider Downloads page where you
can download the latest version if a newer one is available.<br />
</li>
<li><b>Save Diagnostic Info</b>. This new feature saves a text file to
your desktop that contains your current Windows 10-related settings and
error messages encountered during the current GWX Control Panel
instance. The text file includes info on where to send the file if you
encounter unexpected problems with GWX Control Panel.</li>
<li><b>More comprehensive protection</b>. The <b>Disable/Enable Operating System Upgrades in Windows Update</b> feature now covers a slightly wider range of settings related to
Windows 10 upgrades </li>
<li><b>Restart Monitor Mode</b> command available in the system menu, for launching Monitor Mode after previously exiting it manually.</li>
<li><b>Reset Control Panel Window Position</b> command in Monitor Mode pop-up menu fixes problems with GWX Control Panel being hidden or in an unreachable location on the desktop.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<u><b>VERSION 1.5</b></u><br />
<b>Date</b>: November 1, 2015<br />
<b>MD5 checksum</b>: 5A3AD8242727E09AAEE45647474C1059<br />
<b>SHA-1 checksum</b>: 8041E202B94FE70D5A32F710DC1A2357EC6134B2<br />
<b>Changes</b>:<br />
<ul>
<li>Now detects the hidden $Windows.~WS folder associated with the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool, in addition to the more common $Windows.~BT folder that was already detected in previous versions.</li>
<li>New <b>Delete Windows 10 Download Folders</b> feature now deletes both detected hidden download folders, preventing users from having to run scripts or manually override file security and ownership settings.</li>
<li>Program now only requests administrator privileges when they're actually required, and only once per session, instead of always asking for permissions at program startup. <b>Note</b>: This is a hard feature to test because of the thousands of user security/permissions possibilities out in the wild; please let me know if you experience unexpected behavior when attempting to perform operations.</li>
<li>New <b>/norestart</b> command line switch to assist support staff who operate GWX Control Panel via remote assistance tools. (More elsewhere in this post.)</li>
<li>Clear Windows Update Cache feature now displays a list of temporary effects that clearing the cache will have on Windows Update.</li>
<li>Decoupled download folder size checking from rest of the informational stats to speed up the first screen refresh with current status.</li>
<li>Removed the <b>Close 'Get Windows 10' App</b> button because it confused some users and was somewhat redundant, since the <b>Disable/Enable 'Get Windows 10' App</b> feature implicitly exits or launches the GWX app as needed.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<u><b>VERSION 1.4</b></u><br />
<b>Date</b>: October 18, 2015<br />
<b>MD5 checksum</b>: 959F1627A304DAE42305AA4D4D23B770<br />
<b>SHA-1 checksum</b>: E58E0B2AD672793BCBD35D74E35EA4A2E371EA18<br />
<b>Changes</b>: Greatly expanded checks and fixes for Windows 10 upgrade hijacking the Windows Update control panel. Added new Clear Windows Update Cache feature for fixing extra stubborn Windows Update issues.<br />
<br />
<u><b>VERSION 1.3</b></u><br />
<b>Date</b>: September 12, 2015<br />
<b>MD5 checksum</b>: 68E547DB5559E823CE4CF7A03650FF47<br />
<b>SHA-1 checksum</b>: 782AEA51E6CD6DF1350FB69D389DB308D24DF681<br />
<b>Changes</b>: Additional detection to determine if Windows is configured to allow OS upgrades via Windows Update. Now locates and reports the total size of the hidden Windows 10 download folder (usually <b>C:\$Windows.~BT</b>) and gives you the ability to open the folder in Windows Explorer.<br />
<b>Note</b>: I've noticed that lots of people are still downloading the original download linke with a different filename (must be from direct links instead of people finding my downloads page), so I have replaced the version 1.0 EXE file on the server with a renamed copy of version 1.3 of GWX Control Panel. It is the same program now, with the same checksums, just with a different filename.<br />
<br />
<u><b>VERSION 1.2</b></u><br />
<b>Date</b>: September 10, 2015<br />
<b>MD5 checksum</b>: DC0F180C129E796A6E4D80861E0A5F9E<br />
<b>SHA-1 checksum</b>: C93DF1C606EEAC929E48CA17B61DF117E65BB66F<br />
<b>Changes</b>: Can now restore normal Windows Update behavior if it has entered 'Upgrade to Windows 10' mode.<br />
<br />
<u><b>VERSION 1.1</b></u><br />
<b>Date</b>: September 7, 2015<br />
<b>MD5 checksum</b>: D2BC4F41E644CB20A99661CE06709EE1<br />
<b>SHA-1 checksum</b>: BCDB295F36AC2FA72575364F072D147BE6EFEBBE<br />
<b>Changes</b>: Renamed to GWX Control Panel (GWX_control_panel.exe), now has the ability to launch/display GWX icon if app is enabled but not currently running.<br />
<br />
<b><u>VERSION 1.0</u></b><br />
<b>Date</b>: August 30, 2015<br />
<b>MD5 checksum</b>: EA1C2A2D8B8C659C852AC08582DE19CC<br />
<b>SHA-1 checksum</b>: 55EFE9A57A9B7323B937BE5C12DC258C908B2DB8<br />
<b>Changes</b>: First released version with a different filename.<br />
<br />
<br />Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-63018322960455228872016-02-10T10:26:00.000-08:002016-02-10T22:37:14.637-08:00Razer's Terrible Game Scanner ServiceI'm no gamer but I love Razer Inc's peripherals. At both home and work I use their <a href="http://amzn.to/1T7U1F7" target="_blank">BlackWidow keyboards</a>, <a href="http://amzn.to/1T7Uasf" target="_blank">DeathAdder mice</a>, and <a href="http://amzn.to/1O38knY" target="_blank">Goliathus mousepads</a>. They're reliable and they look and feel great. Sadly, today I discovered something about them that is not so great: The Razer Game Scanner Service.<br />
<br />
I launched <a href="https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/debugview.aspx" target="_blank">Sysinternals DebugView</a> today to do some debugging and was surprised to see the following:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QnWuZSXzDyA/Vrt-__8rZaI/AAAAAAAACag/xfh7KfxhLQE/s1600/GameScannerService.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="560" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QnWuZSXzDyA/Vrt-__8rZaI/AAAAAAAACag/xfh7KfxhLQE/s640/GameScannerService.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Some service installed on my computer was pumping tons of messages to my computer's debug console, writing the same message several times a second: "GameScannerService(RzProcessManager) (0xb20) (0xcb4)." It didn't take long to figure out that this service is part of the <a href="http://www.razersupport.com/software/comms/" target="_blank">Razer Comms</a> package, which must have installed along with the default <a href="http://www.razerzone.com/synapse/" target="_blank">Razer Synapse</a> applications that you're prompted to install when you plug a new Razer device into your computer. I don't even have any games installed on this computer, so I obviously don't need this service- but I've got a much bigger problem: This is a Windows logo-certified commercial product that's installed on literally millions of machines around the world that's pumping thousands and thousands of lines of useless information to the debug consoles of those computers all the time. That's a huge waste of collective CPU resources, and it's just plain terrible design. Release-build software shouldn't ever dump <i>anything </i>to the debug console, <i>ever</i>. How in the world did this get past Razer QA and Microsoft's certification labs?<br />
<br />
Since I don't need the service, I just disabled it in the Services control panel:<br />
<ol>
<li>Launch <b>Services.msc</b>.</li>
<li>Locate <b>Razer Game Scanner</b> in the list of services.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u2SqaVbB5JA/Vrt_rdwm5mI/AAAAAAAACao/MU1otbEyk4M/s1600/Razer%2BGame%2BScanner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u2SqaVbB5JA/Vrt_rdwm5mI/AAAAAAAACao/MU1otbEyk4M/s640/Razer%2BGame%2BScanner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Double-click the service's entry, then click <b>Stop </b>and set the <b>Startup type</b> field to <b>Disabled</b> and then click <b>OK</b>.</li>
</ol>
Depending on the features you need, you might be able to simply uninstall <b>Razer Synapse</b> from the <b>Programs and Features</b> control panel.Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-85797342071792871492016-02-04T21:31:00.003-08:002016-02-06T12:06:04.811-08:00SOLUTION: How to Remove the "Launch Quick Remote" Icon from Your Android Lock and Home ScreensMy <a href="http://amzn.to/1UPEvNj" target="_blank">Samsung Galaxy S5</a> phone received a couple of software updates earlier this week, and beginning yesterday a mysterious new icon appeared on both my lock screen and my home screen...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kliQ_ZEp8Ls/VrQyaIx8naI/AAAAAAAACZ8/412XTswn94o/s1600/Launch%2BQuick%2BRemote%2BHeader.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kliQ_ZEp8Ls/VrQyaIx8naI/AAAAAAAACZ8/412XTswn94o/s640/Launch%2BQuick%2BRemote%2BHeader.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The icon obscured anything beneath it, and if I tried to drag it out of the way my phone's screen would dim like it was covered by a gray transparent overlay. Once this happened I was also no longer able to touch the screen or use the phone's physical buttons. The only way I could regain use of my phone was to pop out the battery and then pop it back in and restart.<br />
<br />
This is what the icon looked like:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0g5Fwc3-z3E/VrQqnH8AlBI/AAAAAAAACZQ/bkalurSS5YE/s1600/Quick%2BRemote%2BLock%2BScreen.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0g5Fwc3-z3E/VrQqnH8AlBI/AAAAAAAACZQ/bkalurSS5YE/s640/Quick%2BRemote%2BLock%2BScreen.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Here's how it appeared on my lock screen.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U-TMbQiYYIg/VrQqqb1xcOI/AAAAAAAACZU/T8LBY1YmXSg/s1600/Quick%2BRemote%2BHome%2BScreen.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U-TMbQiYYIg/VrQqqb1xcOI/AAAAAAAACZU/T8LBY1YmXSg/s640/Quick%2BRemote%2BHome%2BScreen.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>And this is how it appeared on my home screen, with the "Launch Quick Remote" bubble.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I had never seen this icon before, it covered up stuff on my screen, and touching it rendered the phone useless. What in the *bleep* was going on?
My web searches came up empty, but I ultimately figured out how to fix the problem. It appears that the recent software updates AT&T pushed to my phone this week included an app called <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.peel.app" target="_blank">Peel Smart Remote</a>, which seems to be some kind of universal remote app for your phone. I've never used it before, and have no desire to start. My first thought was to simply remove the app. Unfortunately, that's not possible on my phone- it's apparently part of AT&T's bundled image for the S5. I was still able to get rid of the icon though. Here's how:<br />
<br />
<b>Regaining control over your phone:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>My phone is an <a href="http://amzn.to/1UPEvNj" target="_blank">AT&T Samsung Galaxy S5</a> (Model number:
SAMSUNG-SM-G900A) and it's currently running Android version 5.0
(Lollipop). With that model it's really easy to just pop off the back cover, pry out the battery, and then replace it and power the phone back on. Once the phone boots back up you should be able to use your screen and buttons to perform the steps in the next section.</li>
<li>If your phone doesn't have a replaceable battery that you can easily pop out, commenter <b>BiggestU </b>passed along this tip: "You can power off by simultaneously holding down
the power button and the volume down button for at least 7 seconds. Wait
a minute, then turn the power back on again." (I will add that when I
did this the phone restarted automatically, instead of shutting down- but it definitely does the
trick.)</li>
<li>Another commenter, <b>Renay</b>, suggests that there might be a way to regain control of your phone without restarting: "When the screen is stuck, briefly press Vol-up, Home, and Power together. It will give control back immediately." </li>
</ul>
<b>Getting rid of the icon</b>:<br />
<ol>
<li>Once you have control over your phone, open up the <b>Settings </b>app and locate the <b>Application manager</b>.</li>
<li>Locate <b>Peel Smart Remote</b> in the list and tap it to open its info.</li>
<li>You will probably find that the app cannot be uninstalled. However, you should be able to disable it. Press the <b>Disable </b>button.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o0W1cPL2fE0/VrQuty3PfUI/AAAAAAAACZg/IYZtSBHkQZg/s1600/Peel%2BSmart%2BRemote%2BDisable%2BButton.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="547" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o0W1cPL2fE0/VrQuty3PfUI/AAAAAAAACZg/IYZtSBHkQZg/s640/Peel%2BSmart%2BRemote%2BDisable%2BButton.png" width="640" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>When you return to the list of apps you should now find that <b>Peel Smart Remote</b> is disabled. If you restart your phone now, you should no longer see the icon.<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gvXHyHODrsU/VrQvMccPouI/AAAAAAAACZo/KSONo-wD20s/s1600/Peel%2BSmart%2BRemote%2BDisabled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gvXHyHODrsU/VrQvMccPouI/AAAAAAAACZo/KSONo-wD20s/s640/Peel%2BSmart%2BRemote%2BDisabled.png" width="640" /></a></div>
</li>
</ol>
That's all there is to it. I'm still left with some lingering questions, though:<br />
<ul>
<li>Why are Peel/Samsung/AT&T putting this dumb icon on my screen without telling me what the *bleep* it's for?</li>
<li>What purpose is this thing supposed to serve anyway when tapping it makes my phone unusable? </li>
</ul>
In the App Age, where both documentation and customer support are but distant memories, we may never know...<br />
<br />Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com95tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-3401028161759465922016-02-01T22:00:00.002-08:002016-02-02T10:23:26.076-08:00How to Move Plugins and Sample Libraries Without Reinstalling or Reconfiguring AnythingI was really frustrated when Waves and MusicLab omitted the ability for users to choose where to install their products in <a href="http://www.waves.com/downloads/central" target="_blank">Waves Central</a> and <a href="http://www.musiclab.com/products/realeight/info.html" target="_blank">RealEight</a>. Even though I've got a <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/06/building-new-computer-for-music.html" target="_blank">kickin' rad DAW PC</a>, my <a href="http://amzn.to/204MOGb" target="_blank">primary system drive</a> is a small SSD and I don't have room on it for anything other than my operating system and my personal files. Neither Waves nor MusicLab would help me move their products to a different drive (I asked), so I came up with a different solution...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In version 1.1.0.0 of <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/01/coming-soon.html" target="_blank">UltimatePluginTool</a>, I've added the ability to relocate entire folders to any other folder or drive on your computer in a way that doesn't affect your existing programs. If you've ever moved a Native Instruments product to another drive and then tried to use Maschine or Komplete Kontrol afterward, you know that relocating an application usually <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/03/video-tutorials-fixing-maschine-reaktor.html" target="_blank">requires more work than simply dragging around some files</a>. Well, the new <b>Relocate Plugin Content</b> wizard of UltimatePluginTool addresses those problems by leaving a <a href="https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa365680%28v=vs.85%29.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396" target="_blank">symbolic link</a> in the old location where your files used to reside which silently redirects any applications who look there to the new, correct location.<br />
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The wizard can move the files for you or just create the link if you've already relocated the files. The user guide <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">included with the download</a> has full instructions, and I've posted a video tutorial that walks you through three different examples of the Relocate Plugin Content wizard in action.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="444" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r_rWKOGVQlo" width="790"></iframe>
Even though I added this feature specifically because I wanted to move some of my music applications to a different drive, UltimatePluginTool's Relocate Plugin Content wizard isn't limited to music software. You can seamlessly locate pretty much any folder on your PC to another directory or drive. I've already used it to move a number of applications onto a secondary "programs and plugins" drive. Liberate your applications and unburden your drives!
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<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Support UltimatePluginTool</span>
</h3>
I develop and maintain free software on my own time. I don't charge a fee because I want everyone to have equal access to my programs- but if something I wrote helped you and you'd like to express your thanks in a concrete way, you can send a donation of any amount via PayPal. Support from my visitors covers my hosting and licensing costs, and gives me incentive to keep putting out cool new utilities.<br />
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<b>Note</b>: You might receive a personal "thank you" from me in response, but I won't sign you up for any mailing lists and you won't hear from me again unless you contact me first. Thanks for your consideration!Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-26302300809056340242016-01-11T09:58:00.000-08:002016-01-13T16:38:02.242-08:00Understanding Windows 10 Upgrade System SettingsMicrosoft has gone to great lengths to get users of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 to upgrade to Windows 10- by hook or by crook. While Microsoft has published very little technical information about their systems for encouraging and pushing Windows 10 upgrades to users of earlier operating systems, some of the published information that does exist is actually wrong or incomplete...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WTFmMmK_ePA/VpPpF5ARghI/AAAAAAAACTA/fQTbn-LMbZA/s1600/Understanding%2BWindows%2B10%2BUpgrade%2BSystem%2BSettings.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WTFmMmK_ePA/VpPpF5ARghI/AAAAAAAACTA/fQTbn-LMbZA/s640/Understanding%2BWindows%2B10%2BUpgrade%2BSystem%2BSettings.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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I put together a video that explains some of the well-known Windows settings related to Windows 10 upgrades. It also demonstrates how some of the background tasks that Microsoft installs along with its Windows 10 program files actively reset system settings that you might have changed.<br />
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You can view the video here, and the full transcript appears below.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="444" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OMaeAR8rz2M" width="790"></iframe>
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<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">TRANSCRIPT </span></h3>
The Windows Update patch named <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3035583" target="_blank">KB3035583</a> is most well known for installing the "Get Windows 10" icon app on Windows 7 and Windows 8 computers. The first version of KB3035583 began appearing on peoples' computers in early-to-mid 2015, but Microsoft has released several subsequent versions since that time, under the same name. If your computer is configured to install Windows updates automatically and you already have a version of KB3035583 installed, Windows Update installs the new versions of the patch on your PC as they become available, replacing the pre-existing version.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-frwFptEFQUM/VpPqyRAuF4I/AAAAAAAACTM/uUXiDZxtNq4/s1600/tray%2Bicon%2Barrow.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-frwFptEFQUM/VpPqyRAuF4I/AAAAAAAACTM/uUXiDZxtNq4/s400/tray%2Bicon%2Barrow.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The 'Get Windows 10' icon app.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Aside from the Get Windows 10 icon app, KB3035583 includes a number of other programs that play different roles in Microsoft's aggressive campaign for the widespread adoption of Windows 10. Like the Get Windows 10 app, these programs are scheduled to run at certain times, or in response to certain events, as defined in the Windows Task Scheduler.<br />
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Almost as soon as Microsoft began pushing the Get Windows 10 app to the public, users of Windows 7 and Windows 8 who weren't interested in upgrading to Windows 10 began looking for ways to get rid of the icon and prevent unwanted operating system upgrades. There are some well-known registry values associated with the Get Windows 10 app and various other aspects of Microsoft's Windows 10 upgrade apparatus. <br />
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One of these registry values, <b>DisableGWX</b>, hides the Get Windows 10 icon from your notification area. If you have the KB3035583 patch installed and Windows launches a scheduled instance of the Get Windows 10 app, the app immediately checks for this registry value and silently exits without displaying the icon if the value exists and has a value of 1. Having this registry value in place does not prevent the KB3035583 patch from being installed, and doesn't prevent the other background tasks associated with the patch from running. It only prevents the Get Windows 10 icon and related notifications from appearing in your notification area.<br />
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Another registry value, <b>AllowOSUpgrade</b>, plays a part in <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/windows/comments/3fcq64/i_found_out_how_to_force_the_windows_upgrade_via/" target="_blank">certain aspects of the Windows 10 Upgrade process</a>, although its full purpose is not publicly documented. If the value exists and is set to zero, it appears to prevent Windows 10 Upgrades that are initiated via Windows Update from succeeding. You might think this would protect you from an unwanted Windows 10 upgrade, but it's not quite that simple. You see, on many computers, some of the scheduled background tasks associated with the KB3035583 patch re-enable the <b>AllowOSUpgrade </b>value by setting it to 1.<br />
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One of these tasks, refreshgwxconfig-B is scheduled to run twice a day. If yours is one of the affected computers and you manually disable the <b>AllowOSUpgrade </b>value by setting it to 0, the scheduled task will re-enable it the next time it runs.<br />
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<i><b>Note</b>: If you watch <a href="https://youtu.be/OMaeAR8rz2M" target="_blank">the video</a> that accompanies this post, you can see the refreshgwxconfig-B task reset the <b>AllowOSUpgrade</b> setting in real time.</i><br />
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Another Windows 10 registry value that scheduled background tasks routinely reset is <b>ReservationsAllowed</b>. Interestingly, unlike <b>AllowOSUpgrade</b>, which gets enabled every time the tasks run, <b>ReservationsAllowed </b>gets disabled (set to zero) instead. Again, there is very little official information on the purpose of this registry value, and the only Microsoft knowledge base article that mentions it (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3080351" target="_blank">KB3080351</a>) has been proven to be incorrect. <i>[<b>Update</b>: On January 13 they finally corrected this knowledge base document; it no longer mentions <b>ReservationsAllowed </b>at all.]</i> My own theory as to why the background tasks are disabling the <b>ReservationsAllowed </b>setting is that Microsoft has transitioned away from the reservation system they originally used at Windows 10's launch, and have instead introduced several methods of performing immediate upgrades. You don't need to reserve an upgrade anymore; you simply upgrade.<br />
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It might occur to you that simply uninstalling the KB3035583 patch would solve the problem of Windows changing your system settings behind your back. Unfortunately, if you already had previous versions of the patch installed that were subsequently upgraded by newer versions, attempting to remove the patch now just rolls you back to an earlier version. It won't fully remove the patch anymore. <i>(You can see this demonstrated in the video.)</i> And these files are hard to remove manually, since they are protected by additional layers of Windows security that require more than simple administrator access.<br />
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<a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel</a> is a free tool that checks for many of the files and system settings associated with Windows 10 upgrades. It can disable or enable the Get Windows 10 app and disable or enable the ability to perform Windows 10 Upgrades just like you can do in the Windows registry. It also has a special Monitor Mode that alerts you if it detects new files or settings that may leave you vulnerable to Windows 10. (For example, it notifies you if Windows re-enables the <b>AllowOSUpgrade </b>registry value.) It can also delete hard-to-remove files like the secret Windows 10 Download folders and the KB3035583 program files and scheduled tasks.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yNu7X88MLqo/VpPrYzd3VBI/AAAAAAAACTU/muFzLEaCUcc/s1600/GWXCP%2B1_7_0_2%2Bonly.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="378" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yNu7X88MLqo/VpPrYzd3VBI/AAAAAAAACTU/muFzLEaCUcc/s640/GWXCP%2B1_7_0_2%2Bonly.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>GWX Control Panel 1.7.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
If you prefer to take care of all these things manually, the information is out there. You just have to know what to look for. GWX Control Panel is just a quick, easy, and free way to reclaim control over your current operating system.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">ADDENDUM</span></h3>
My video covered some specific system settings that had been getting discussed (and debated) in the news recently, but here's some additional information not covered in the video. One of the more important registry settings related to the Windows 10 upgrade process is a Windows Update policy setting called <b>DisableOSUpgrade</b>. You can set this value manually, or by editing a property in the Local Group Policy Editor control panel (<b>gpedit.msc</b>). You can find instructions on how to set this property in <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3080351" target="_blank">this knowledge base article</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N2PSePSku8w/VpQQoP9oqCI/AAAAAAAACTk/YWK1_ZOW-RA/s1600/Local%2BGroup%2BPolicy%2BEditor.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N2PSePSku8w/VpQQoP9oqCI/AAAAAAAACTk/YWK1_ZOW-RA/s640/Local%2BGroup%2BPolicy%2BEditor.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>The 'Turn off the upgrade to the latest version of Windows through Windows Update' option in the Local Group Policy Editor manages the DisableOSUpgrade registry value.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The registry value doesn't exist by default; you must create it manually and set it to 1 (or do so indirectly via the Policy Editor) in order for it to take effect. Also keep in mind that you have to <i>enable</i> this setting in order to <i>disable </i>some Windows 10 upgrade scenarios. One observation here: I've noticed that if you set the <b>DisableOSUpgrade </b>setting manually, that change doesn't get reflected in the Local Policy Group Editor... you can't always trust what you see in the control panel. The only way to be sure the value exists and is set properly is to navigate to the correct location in Regedit (or use the "<b>Save Diagnostic Logs</b>" feature of GWX Control Panel, which will tell you if it determines that the registry value is missing or incorrect).<br />
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In the video I discussed a couple of upgrade-related settings that get reset by various KB3035583 background tasks. While I haven't seen any background tasks change the <b>DisableOSUpgrade </b>setting, the registry value is not necessarily permanent, either. The problem is that Microsoft occasionally pushes update patches for Windows Update itself, and these patches sometimes wipe out existing Windows Update settings, including the <b>DisableOSUpgrade </b>value. (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3083710" target="_blank">Here's an example</a> of one such patch where I and several of my users observed this behavior.) These Windows Update client updates are kind of special, because <a href="http://blogs.technet.com/b/mu/archive/2014/06/24/upcoming-update-for-windows-update-client.aspx" target="_blank">Microsoft can push them to your computer automatically</a>, even if you have your Windows Update settings configured to "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them" or "Download updates but let me choose whether to install them." This is because they sometimes include necessary changes in order to communicate properly with Microsoft's update servers.<br />
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I don't believe this is a malicious or targeted change on Microsoft's part (it's essentially a re-install/clean slate for Windows Update sometimes), but the fact is that you can't expect your Windows 10-related registry changes to "stick" 100% of the time.<br />
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Luckily, this is yet another system setting that GWX Control Panel checks for (ever since version 1.3), and the program's Monitor Mode will alert you if any recent updates delete or otherwise change your settings- also and give you the chance to fix it with a single click.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">SUMMARY</span></h3>
The TL;DR version of this post is:<br />
<ul>
<li>You can configure several aspects of Windows 10 upgrade behavior by tweaking some registry settings, although concrete information on these settings can be hard to find.</li>
<li>Some of these Windows settings can change while you're not looking, as a result of scheduled tasks or occasional Windows Update patches, so some vigilance is advisable if you're intent on keeping your current operating system and minimizing unwanted upgrade notifications.</li>
<li>The KB3035583 patch is a lot more than just the "Get Windows 10" icon, and some of its associated scheduled tasks can revert system settings that you change manually.</li>
<li>Uninstalling KB3035583 doesn't always actually remove the program files, since Windows only lets you uninstall the most recent version of the update. If you already had a version of the patch installed before the most recent one landed on your system, "uninstalling" the patch will just restore the previous version.</li>
<li>GWX Control Panel isn't <i>required </i>to prevent Windows 10 and its associated annoyances, but it's a convenient, quick, and safe way to check and change your settings and fix other Windows 10-related problems and annoyances.</li>
</ul>
Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-71000300767246338642015-12-29T16:26:00.004-08:002016-01-24T21:17:18.819-08:00GWX Control Panel 1.7 User GuideGWX Control Panel is a free program that you can use to protect your Windows 7 or Windows 8-based computer from unwanted Windows 10 notifications and upgrades- and version 1.7 of the program introduces a number of features and usability improvements that give you even more control over your computing environment.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tWsJh8zE_R0/VoS6Gw5NUJI/AAAAAAAACOw/7hfxrtL7ouE/s1600/GWX%2BControl%2BPanel%2B1_7%2BHeader.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tWsJh8zE_R0/VoS6Gw5NUJI/AAAAAAAACOw/7hfxrtL7ouE/s640/GWX%2BControl%2BPanel%2B1_7%2BHeader.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This user guide covers all features of the current version of the program and highlights some of the new capabilities and improvements in version 1.7. Head to the <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">download page</a> to pick up the latest version of the program.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LV3XdqYpc1Q/VooDwNPu_EI/AAAAAAAACSg/RlcUM9p_F_E/s1600/Download%2BGWX%2BControl%2BPanel%2BButton.png" /></a></div>
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<i><b>UPDATE (January 24, 2016)</b>: This user guide might not be as up-to-date as the original <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel announcement page</a>. I apologize for the confusion over having different "user guide" posts, but you wouldn't believe how archaic and brittle this blogging platform is. Version 1.7 was such a big update that it was easier for me to just write a new user guide for it from scratch and then import it into the main post once I was finished. Anyway, please check the announcement page for the latest information. There isn't anything in this post that's not covered there.</i><br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">WHAT'S NEW IN VERSION 1.7</span></h2>
<ul>
<li>(Note this post is only current up to version 1.7.0.2; please check<a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank"> the announcement page</a> for newer information.) </li>
<li>The new <b>Delete Windows 10 Programs</b> feature gives you the ability to delete some hard-to-remove Windows 10-related applications with just a couple of mouse clicks.</li>
<li>GWX Control Panel now monitors your Windows Update preferences and alerts you if your settings switch to "install updates automatically" mode from one of the other settings that give you more control over your updates. Also, you can now check and change your Windows Update preferences with the new <b>Change Windows Update Settings</b> feature.</li>
<li>The program no longer prompts you for restarts after you perform certain operations, due to improved handling of certain system settings.</li>
<li>Much more detailed "<b>Save diagnostic info</b>" reports tell you exactly which settings GWX Control Panel detected on your system.</li>
<li>Much better user experience for computers with multiple Windows profiles and Standard/Child user accounts.</li>
<li>There's a lot more! For a complete breakdown of all updates and features in version 1.7, check out the <i>GWX Control Panel Release Notes</i> section of the <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">announcement page</a>.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">WHAT IT DOES AND HOW IT WORKS</span></h2>
The goal of GWX Control Panel is to protect you from unwanted Windows 10 upgrades and notifications without disabling important or popular operating system features, and without requiring you to change the way you work with Windows. Here are some specific ways GWX Control Panel helps you:<br />
<ul>
<li>The <b>Disable 'Get Windows 10' App</b> feature removes Microsoft's "Get Windows 10" nagware app from your notification area.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OdFR2tZj5Ms/VoMTKz5ZJMI/AAAAAAAACNk/M-tjErOAxFU/s1600/gwx%2Balert%2Bsmall.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OdFR2tZj5Ms/VoMTKz5ZJMI/AAAAAAAACNk/M-tjErOAxFU/s320/gwx%2Balert%2Bsmall.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is the 'Get Windows 10' icon app.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
<li>The <b>Prevent Automatic Windows 10 Upgrades</b> feature checks for system settings that leave you vulnerable to unwanted Windows 10 upgrades and gives you the ability to fix them.</li>
<li>The <b>Prevent Automatic Windows 10 Upgrades</b> feature also restores your Windows Update control panel to its normal behavior if it gets hijacked by Windows 10 advertisements or installers. Here are some specific symptoms it fixes:<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-ztJlF7g_A/VoMTdEhV2cI/AAAAAAAACNs/QaGwrW4B6u0/s1600/Windows%2BUpdate%2Bimpending%2Bupgrade.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-ztJlF7g_A/VoMTdEhV2cI/AAAAAAAACNs/QaGwrW4B6u0/s400/Windows%2BUpdate%2Bimpending%2Bupgrade.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>This is one of numerous ways that Windows 10 can hijack your Windows Update control panel. In this example, Windows Update is hiding the normal Windows 7 updates behind the "Show all available updates" link.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GccInGx2R4k/VomLMfPneKI/AAAAAAAACRI/GRFD-IC0WkM/s1600/Upgrade%2Bto%2BWindows%2B10%2Bis%2Bready%2Bcropped.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GccInGx2R4k/VomLMfPneKI/AAAAAAAACRI/GRFD-IC0WkM/s640/Upgrade%2Bto%2BWindows%2B10%2Bis%2Bready%2Bcropped.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>The <b>Prevent Automatic Windows 10 Upgrades</b> feature fixes the "Your upgrade to Windows 10 is ready" problem in Windows Update. (Note, some users will have to follow this with <b>Clear Windows Update Cache</b> in order to fully resolve this issue.)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RDgntRj8v9o/VomMOCiV1cI/AAAAAAAACRQ/--RCQij-yf4/s1600/Windows%2BUpdate%2BReschedule%2BStart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RDgntRj8v9o/VomMOCiV1cI/AAAAAAAACRQ/--RCQij-yf4/s400/Windows%2BUpdate%2BReschedule%2BStart.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>The <b>Prevent Automatic Windows 10 Upgrades</b> feature can even rescue your PC from impending Windows 10 installs that display the "It's almost time for your upgrade" window.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
<li>The <b>Delete Windows 10 Download Folders</b> feature locates and deletes hidden Windows 10 installer files that Microsoft secretly downloads to your computer.</li>
<li>The <b>Delete Windows 10 Programs</b> feature easily deletes hard-to-remove program files that are known to prepare your computer for Windows 10 upgrades.</li>
<li>The program alerts you if your Windows Update settings change from one of the safer "download only" or "check only" options to "automatically install" behind your back and gives you the chance to fix it with the <b>Change Windows Update Settings</b> feature.</li>
<li>The optional <b>Save Diagnostic Info</b> feature (in the right-click pop-up menu of the title bar) generates enhanced diagnostic reports that give you detailed information on any settings GWX Control Panel finds that leave you open to unwanted Windows 10 behavior.</li>
<li>The optional "<b>Monitor Mode</b>" feature runs quietly in the background watching for unexpected system changes, and alerts you as soon as any new Windows 10 settings or files are detected.</li>
</ul>
<b><i>What it doesn't do:</i></b><br />
<ul>
<li>Doesn't interfere with any Windows features such as Windows Update or OneDrive; the goal is to keep you safe from Windows 10 without having to change the way you work with your computer. (<b>Note</b>: You can optionally choose to disable automatic Windows updates with the <b>Change Windows Update Settings</b> feature if you prefer, but all update-related settings you can change in GWX Control Panel are safe and reversible.) </li>
<li>Doesn't block or hide any specific Windows Update patches. (Although it can detect and optionally delete problematic Windows 10 files that Windows Update installs.)</li>
<li>Doesn't include any advertising.</li>
<li>Doesn't include any additional third-party software (you can even download it as a stand-alone executable).</li>
<li>Doesn't collect any personal data or "phone home" in any way.</li>
<li>Doesn't do any specific checking or disabling of Windows "telemetry"
features, although this may appear as an optional capability in a
future release.</li>
<li>Doesn't (yet) prevent the Windows 10 advertisement that Microsoft displays in Internet Explorer. I am currently investigating whether there's a safe way to stop this. (But for now I recommend just using a different browser like <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/" target="_blank">Firefox</a> or <a href="https://www.google.com/chrome/browser/desktop/index.html" target="_blank">Chrome</a> if you don't want to see these ads.)<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o_KV5A37-D4/VomNvyAoklI/AAAAAAAACRc/1w_F-Ly-pyk/s1600/Internet%2BExplorer%2BUpgrade%2BBanner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="120" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o_KV5A37-D4/VomNvyAoklI/AAAAAAAACRc/1w_F-Ly-pyk/s640/Internet%2BExplorer%2BUpgrade%2BBanner.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>GWX Control Panel is not yet able to inhibit the "Microsoft recommends upgrading to Windows 10" banner ads in Internet Explorer, but this ability might appear in a future release.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_JetqIDH-G4/VomOUgAudPI/AAAAAAAACRk/7KKHnrbT6gU/s1600/Internet%2BExplorer%2BHijack.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_JetqIDH-G4/VomOUgAudPI/AAAAAAAACRk/7KKHnrbT6gU/s400/Internet%2BExplorer%2BHijack.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>This is another example of the annoying Internet Explorer "Microsoft recommends upgrading to Windows 10" ads that GWX Control Panel does not (yet) fix. Investigation on how to stop this behavior is ongoing.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">DOWNLOADING AND INSTALLING GWX CONTROL PANEL</span></h2>
You can always <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">download</a> the latest version of GWX Control Panel at the <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">Ultimate Outsider Downloads page</a>. The program is available for download either as an installer or as a standalone executable, but I recommend using the installer for the following reasons:<br />
<ul>
<li>The installer gives you some handy Start menu and desktop shortcuts for GWX Control Panel, documentation, and the uninstaller.</li>
<li>The installer can provide a better experience for computers with multiple user profiles. (The program's Monitor Mode might not work properly for all users unless you run it from an appropriate location, and the installer takes care of this for you.)</li>
<li>Using the installer allows for a more streamlined experience when updating to newer versions of GWX Control Panel, for a number of reasons.</li>
</ul>
The standalone version is still available for folks who want it, though.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LV3XdqYpc1Q/VooDwNPu_EI/AAAAAAAACSg/RlcUM9p_F_E/s1600/Download%2BGWX%2BControl%2BPanel%2BButton.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Important</b><br />
If you maintain a computer with multiple user profiles, please follow these simple tips to ensure the most streamlined and predictable installation and configuration experience:<br />
<ul>
<li>Use an administrator account when installing or uninstalling GWX Control Panel. (Standard and Child accounts actually run software installers using an administrator account's credentials, and this can result in a confusing experience for non-technical Windows users.) The <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/11/gwx-control-panel-troubleshooting-guide.html" target="_blank">troubleshooting guide</a> has more information about how to use GWX Control Panel with Standard and Child user accounts.</li>
<li>If your computer has multiple user profiles, log out of all profiles except your primary administrator user account before installing or uninstalling the program. The installer closes running instances of the program before upgrading or removing GWX Control Panel, but it cannot "see" instances of the process running under other user accounts. The fail-safe thing to handle this is to restart Windows, log in to an administrator account of your preference, then install, upgrade, or uninstall as desired.</li>
</ul>
When you launch GWX Control Panel, you'll see something like this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B95PzWo-UBE/VoS6YhhZNGI/AAAAAAAACO4/WO07ByX0rRQ/s1600/GWXCP%2B1_7_0_2%2Bonly.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="378" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B95PzWo-UBE/VoS6YhhZNGI/AAAAAAAACO4/WO07ByX0rRQ/s640/GWXCP%2B1_7_0_2%2Bonly.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The main GWX Control Panel window in version 1.7.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I posted a <a href="https://youtu.be/5pcmDTDRGgA" target="_blank">quick video tutorial for GWX Control Panel 1.1</a> at YouTube. There's also <a href="https://youtu.be/d4bL_GP5T80" target="_blank">another tutorial</a> that covers the new features in versions 1.2 and 1.3. Many features have been added since those videos were produced, however.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">THE INFORMATION SECTION</span></h2>
The upper portion of the main GWX Control Panel window is enclosed in a box labeled <b>Information</b>. This is where you can learn how protected your PC is from Windows 10 upgrades and notifications.<br />
<br />
Here is a summary of the bits of information available here:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Is 'Get Windows 10' icon app running?</b> This indicates whether the Microsoft program that creates the "Get Windows 10" icon in your notification area is currently running. If the program doesn't exist on your computer, it will say, "<b>(App not found)</b>".</li>
<li><b>Is 'Get Windows 10' icon app enabled? </b>This indicates whether Microsoft's "Get Windows 10" is configured to run on your PC. It is possible for this field to say <b>Yes</b>, even if the first field says <b>No</b>, because Microsoft uses a series of scheduled tasks to determine when to run the program. If the program doesn't exist on your computer, it will say, "<b>(App not found)</b>".</li>
<li><b>Are automatic Windows 10 Upgrades allowed?</b> This field indicates whether your computer is vulnerable to unwanted Windows 10 upgrades and related side-effects that can appear in your Windows Update control panel. If this field says <b>Yes</b>, it means that one or more critical system settings are set in such a way that you might experience unexpected Windows 10 upgrades or other upgrade-related behaviors in certain parts of the operating system (such as messages in the Windows Update control panel encouraging you to upgrade to Windows 10). If you would like to know exactly which settings GWX Control Panel discovered, you can find this information in the output file generated by the <b>Save diagnostic info</b> command in the program's system menu. (See <i>"The System Menu"</i> section for more info.)</li>
<li><b>Automatically install Windows Updates?</b> If this field says <b>Yes</b>, it means that you currently have Windows Update configured to automatically install new updates on a regular schedule. This is not recommended if you truly wish to avoid Windows 10, since Microsoft routinely pushes new Windows 10-related updates, and you could easily get an unpleasant surprise by installing all new updates without reviewing them first. This field is new in version 1.7, in response to a number of reports I've heard from Windows users who claimed their Windows Update preferences changed from "download only" or "check only" to "automatically install" without their consent. GWX Control Panel checks for this now so you can catch any unexpected changes.</li>
<li><b>Windows 10 Download folders found?</b> Microsoft pushes the Windows 10 installer files into secret, hidden directories on unsuspecting users' computers through a couple of different methods. This field indicates whether GWX Control Panel detects one or more of the locations where these files are known to reside.</li>
<li><b>Size of Windows 10 download folders</b>: If one or more of the hidden download folders are found, this field indicates the total amount of storage space occupied by the files they contain.</li>
<li><b>Open BT Folder</b>: When the hidden $Windows.~BT download folder is found, you can click this button to open the folder in Windows File Explorer.</li>
<li><b>Open WS Folder</b>: When the hidden $Windows.~WS download folder is
found, you can click this button to open the folder in Windows File
Explorer. This folder is less common, and is usually the result of running Microsoft's Windows 10 Media Creation Tool.</li>
<li><b>GWX Control Panel Monitor Mode Status</b>: This indicates whether you have enabled the Monitor Mode feature of GWX Control Panel, and also whether a Monitor Mode instance of the program is currently running. Depending on how you've set up your computer, you might have monitor mode enabled for a specific user account or for all users on the PC, and that is reflected in this field as well. (Please see the section on Monitor Mode for more information.)</li>
<li><b>Status and settings summary</b>. Most of the time, this little box gives you a quick summary of your PC's current status as far as Windows 10 files and settings go. This box can also display the current status of operations that take some time to complete.<br /> </li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">THE BUTTONS</span></h2>
The lower portion of the main GWX Control Panel window contains a number of buttons for configuring and troubleshooting your PC. This is what they do:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Enable/Disable 'Get Windows 10' App</b>: This enables or disables Microsoft's Get Windows 10 icon app, either removing or restoring the icon in your notification area, as desired. This button is only available if GWX Control Panel detects the app on your PC.</li>
<li><b>Prevent/Allow Automatic Windows 10 Upgrades</b>: This changes a number of settings that determine whether Microsoft is able to upgrade your PC to Windows 10 or change the behavior of your Windows Update control panel to deliver Windows 10 advertisements and updates. This does NOT disable Windows Update and does not block or hide any Windows Update patches.</li>
<li><b>Delete Windows 10 Download Folders</b>: If any of the hidden Windows 10 installer folders are detected on your computer, you can use this button to delete those files and free up storage space. This button is not available if no download folders are detected. Note that this procedure can take some time (once it starts actually deleting files, you should see the "Size of Windows 10 download folders" field report gradually decreasing sizes. If you have trouble deleting all of the files, you can use the "Save diagnostic info" option in the program's system menu to see if there were any telling error messages.</li>
<li><b>Change Windows Update Settings</b>: This new button in version 1.7 opens a dialog box where you can change how Windows update behaves. These are some of the same options available in the "Change settings" screen of the Windows Update control panel. For the best balance of security and protection from Windows 10, it's recommended that you choose one of the options that lets you choose which updates you wish to install, rather than installing all updates automatically or disabling updates entirely.</li>
<li><b>Clear Windows Update Cache</b>: While not directly related to Windows 10, this step is sometimes necessary to remove some lingering Windows 10 notifications from your Windows Update control panel after using the "Prevent Automatic Windows 10 Upgrades" feature. While this feature isn't harmful, it really isn't necessary in most cases, and it does result in some one-time changes in Windows Update that some users might find annoying. GWX Control Panel lists all known one-time effects when you choose this option and gives you a chance to decide whether to proceed before clearing your update cache.</li>
<li><b>Enable/Disable Monitor Mode</b>: Use this button to manage the Monitor Mode feature of GWX Control Panel. Monitor Mode places an icon in your notification area that alerts you if it detects any changes to your PC that might leave you vulnerable to Windows 10. Please see the "Using Monitor Mode" section below for more info.<br /><br /><b>Note</b>: This button configures Monitor Mode for all user profiles on the PC. If you'd like to manage Monitor Mode for just a single user profile, you can use the <b>Enable/disable Monitor Mode for current user</b> command on the system menu.<br /> </li>
<li><b>Display the User Guide</b>: This launches your default browser to the GWX Control Panel user guide.<br /> </li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">THE SYSTEM MENU</span></h2>
If you click the icon in the upper-left of the main GWX Control Panel window, you will see the system menu:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tYAIiYCJUH4/VoJH8dsfppI/AAAAAAAACMw/2QMiisF6134/s1600/GWXCP%2B1_7%2BSystem%2BMenu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tYAIiYCJUH4/VoJH8dsfppI/AAAAAAAACMw/2QMiisF6134/s1600/GWXCP%2B1_7%2BSystem%2BMenu.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The version 1.7 system menu.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Check for updates</b>: This opens a dialog box that displays the version of GWX Control Panel you're currently running and links you to the <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">Ultimate Outsider Downloads page</a> to see if a newer version is available.</li>
<li><b>Save diagnostic info</b>: This saves a file called GwxControlPanelLog.txt to your desktop that contains relevant information about your computer and your Windows 10-related settings and files. Beginning with version 1.7 this report explains exactly what system settings it detected on your PC, which will help you understand what's going on behind the scenes when Monitor Mode detects new changes, for example.</li>
<li><b>Restart Monitor Mode</b>: You can use this to launch a Monitor Mode instance if you have Monitor Mode enabled, but it's not currently running.</li>
<li><b>Enable/disable Monitor Mode for current user</b>: Use this to manage monitor mode configuration for a specific user account on the computer. This replicates the behavior of the Enable/Disable Monitor Mode button from version 1.6 whereas in 1.7 that button now manages the feature for all user accounts on the computer.</li>
<li><b>About GWX Control Panel</b>: Just displays a dialog box with the current version and author information.<br /> </li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">USING MONITOR MODE</span></h2>
When you enable GWX Control Panel's optional Monitor Mode, a new icon will appear in your notification area that will alert you if GWX Control Panel detects any unexpected files or settings that leave you vulnerable to Windows 10. Once enabled, GWX Control Panel will start and quietly monitor your computer whenever you log in to Windows.<br />
<br />
<b>Enabling/Disabling Monitor Mode for all users (recommended):</b><br />
If your computer has multiple user profiles- and especially if some of those profiles are Standard or Child accounts- the best way to use Monitor Mode is to enable it for all users. To do this, just click the <b>Enable Monitor Mode</b> button in the main GWX Control Panel window. The notification icon will appear in the currently logged-on session of Windows, and will also appear for other user accounts who later sign in to Windows.<br />
<br />
To disable Monitor Mode, just click the <b>Disable Monitor Mode</b> button. If you do this from a Standard or Child user account, you will have to enter the password of an administrator user account in order to proceed. Please see the <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/11/gwx-control-panel-troubleshooting-guide.html" target="_blank">troubleshooting guide</a> for more information about the limitations of Standard and Child user accounts.<br />
<br />
<b>Note</b><br />
Version 1.6 of GWX Control Panel only enabled Monitor Mode on a per-user basis, which resulted in some confusing behavior for users running on Standard or Child accounts. As a result, if you upgrade from version 1.6 to 1.7 of GWX Control Panel, you might find that Monitor Mode is enabled for both the current user and for all users. While this is harmless (only one Monitor Mode instance ever runs per-user at a time), you can fix it by disabling Monitor Mode for the current user. (See below.)<br />
<br />
<b>Enabling/disabling Monitor Mode for a single user:</b><br />
If you'd prefer to only have the Monitor Mode icon active on a per-user basis, or if you'd like to disable the single-user Monitor Mode from a previous version of GWX Control Panel, just choose the <b>Enable/disable Monitor Mode for current user</b> option in the program's system menu (accessible by clicking the icon in the upper-left corner of the program window).<br />
<br />
<b>Responding to Monitor Mode alerts:</b><br />
When Monitor Mode detects a Windows 10-related change to your computer, its notification icon flashes with an exclamation mark, and a balloon notification normally appears to draw your attention. (The operating system decides whether or not you see these balloon notifications and how long they appear. Don't worry if you don't see one.)<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xqMaTykfUbs/VoL5u-bnWqI/AAAAAAAACNE/Ncc4YyUR0X4/s1600/GWXCP%2B1_7%2BNotification.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="326" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xqMaTykfUbs/VoL5u-bnWqI/AAAAAAAACNE/Ncc4YyUR0X4/s640/GWXCP%2B1_7%2BNotification.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Monitor Mode balloon notification.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
To see what specific settings or files were detected, open up the main GWX Control Panel window. You can do this in several ways:<br />
<ul>
<li>Click the balloon notification.</li>
<li>Double-click the Monitor Mode icon in your notification area.</li>
<li>Right-click the Monitor Mode icon and then click Display GWX Control Panel from the shortcut menu.</li>
</ul>
Any of the above three actions also stops the notification icon from flashing.<br />
<br />
Once you have a visible instance of GWX Control Panel open, check the various fields in the program's Information section to see what files or settings may have triggered the alert. If you'd like a more detailed report, you can use the <b>Save diagnostic info</b> option from the shortcut menus of either the Monitor Mode icon or the main GWX Control Panel window.<br />
<br />
<b>When alerts are triggered:</b><br />
Monitor Mode keeps track of which Windows 10 settings or files it discovered, and if you choose not to remedy a specific new finding, it will not alert you again until something else changes. This alerting is done on a per-user basis. Consider this scenario:<br />
<ol>
<li>User A receives a Monitor Mode alert because some Windows 10 files were detected on the computer. The user dismisses the alert but decides not to do anything about it.</li>
<li>User B logs in to Windows and also receives the alert, but likewise doesn't do anything to fix the problem.</li>
<li>When user A logs back into Windows, Monitor Mode does not alert that user about the same problem again.</li>
</ol>
Keep this in mind if you receive a Monitor Mode alert about something you don't care about. For example, if you are aware of the risks of leaving your Windows Update set to "Install updates automatically" and wish to leave it that way, just dismiss the Monitor Mode alert and forget about it. You won't be bothered again unless someone changes your Windows Update settings to something else and then changes it back to "install automatically."<br />
<br />
<b>The Monitor Mode pop-up menu:</b><br />
If you right-click the Monitor Mode icon, you'll see this pop-up menu:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ijzo0OIBxG8/VoL_Cymx9EI/AAAAAAAACNU/Gt82qqt025Y/s1600/GWXCP%2B1_7%2BTray%2BMenu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ijzo0OIBxG8/VoL_Cymx9EI/AAAAAAAACNU/Gt82qqt025Y/s1600/GWXCP%2B1_7%2BTray%2BMenu.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Several of the menu options are also available from the system menu of the main GWX Control Panel window, but some are unique to Monitor Mode:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Display GWX Control Panel</b>: Opens a visible instance of GWX Control Panel if one isn't already opened. Also dismisses any alerts if the Monitor Mode icon is currently flashing.</li>
<li><b>Reset Control Panel Window Position</b>: If you ever find the main GWX Control Panel window in a strange location such that it is not visible or cannot be moved due to the title bar being out of reach, this option re-centers the program in the middle of your main display.</li>
<li><b>Check for updates</b>: This opens a dialog box that displays the version of GWX Control Panel you're currently running and links you to the <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">Ultimate Outsider Downloads page</a> to see if a newer version is available.</li>
<li><b>Save diagnostic info</b>: This saves a file called
GwxControlPanelLog.txt to your desktop that contains relevant
information about your computer and your Windows 10-related settings and
files. Beginning with version 1.7 this report explains exactly what
system settings it detected on your PC, which will help you understand
what's going on behind the scenes when Monitor Mode detects new changes,
for example.<br /><br /><b>Note</b><br />Doing <b>Save diagnostic info</b> from Monitor Mode does not include any potential error messages that might occur when attempting to delete Windows 10 download files. Please use the option from the main GWX Control Panel instance if trying to troubleshoot file delete problems.</li>
<li><b>About GWX Control Panel</b>: Just displays a dialog box with the current version and author information.<br /> </li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">WORKING WITH STANDARD AND CHILD USER ACCOUNTS</span></h2>
If you have multiple user accounts set up on your Windows PC and some of them are Standard or Child accounts, there are some important things you should know about how GWX Control Panel works when running under these limited account types.<br />
<br />
Under normal circumstances (when launching GWX Control Panel from one of the desktop or Start menu shortcuts, or when it loads in Monitor Mode), GWX Control Panel behaves the same for all Windows user account types: It doesn't need administrator permissions when it's just checking your current settings (Monitor Mode <i>never </i>needs administrator permissions). Things get a little more complicated once you attempt to use GWX Control Panel for a system-level change that requires administrator permissions.<br />
<br />
<b>If you are using an administrator account and User Account Control (UAC) is <u>enabled</u></b>, Windows will ask if you want to grant GWX Control Panel permission to make settings to your computer the first time you attempt to perform an action that requires administrator permissions:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pa8THVxiyrE/VocfnK0hPHI/AAAAAAAACQo/QyMqLbhcJE0/s1600/GWX%2BCP%2BAdmin%2BUser%2BPrompt%2Bcropped.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pa8THVxiyrE/VocfnK0hPHI/AAAAAAAACQo/QyMqLbhcJE0/s320/GWX%2BCP%2BAdmin%2BUser%2BPrompt%2Bcropped.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The User Account Control prompt when an administrator account attempts a system change in GWX Control Panel.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>If you are using an administrator account and User Account Control is <u>disabled</u></b>, GWX Control Panel will silently grant itself administrator permissions and perform the action you requested.<br />
<br />
If you are using a Standard or Child account and try to use a GWX Control Panel feature that requires administrator access, Windows prompts you to enter the password of an administrator account. <b>Important</b>: After you enter the password, GWX Control Panel runs under the user profile of the administrator account until you quit the program!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zvqz6Xmr-_8/VociPlwIWsI/AAAAAAAACQ0/O07TvaZbQ9g/s1600/GWX%2BCP%2BStandard%2BUser%2BPrompt.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zvqz6Xmr-_8/VociPlwIWsI/AAAAAAAACQ0/O07TvaZbQ9g/s320/GWX%2BCP%2BStandard%2BUser%2BPrompt.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Windows requires an administrator password if a Standard or Child account tries to make any system-level changes.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In all three of the above cases, <i>GWX Control Panel continues running at elevated permissions until you quit the program</i>. For Standard and Child account users, this can have some confusing side-effects!<br />
<ul>
<li>User-specific settings, like <b>Enable/disable Monitor Mode for current user</b>, will happen under the administrator user's account.</li>
<li>The <b>Display the User Guide</b> feature launches the administrator account's default browser with that account's browser settings, bookmarks, etc.</li>
<li>The <b>Save Diagnostic Info</b> report will say "User is Administrator=Yes" because Windows is running it under the account of an administrator.</li>
</ul>
The GwxControlPanelSetup installer requires administrator permissions in order to install/upgrade/uninstall GWX Control Panel. If a Standard or Child account uses the the installer and then checks the option to launch GWX Control Panel in the final page of the setup wizard, <i>that instance of GWX Control Panel inherits the permissions of the installer; it runs under the administrator's account</i>. This is why I recommend that you only run the installer/uninstaller from an administrator account.<br />
<br />
Please see <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/11/gwx-control-panel-troubleshooting-guide.html" target="_blank">the troubleshooting guide</a> for some more information on weird things that Standard/Child user accounts can experience.<br />
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">REMOVING GWX CONTROL PANEL</span></h2>
How you remove GWX Control Panel depends on which version you downloaded:<br />
<br />
<b>If you downloaded the stand-alone version</b>: If GWX Control Panel's Monitor Mode is enabled, use the Disable Monitor Mode button to shut it off. Next, simply locate the <b>GWX_control_panel.exe</b> file you downloaded and delete it.<br />
<br />
<b>If you downloaded the installer</b>: Open your <b>Programs and Features</b> control panel in Windows. Locate the <b>GWX Control Panel</b> entry and select it. <b>Next</b>, click <b>Uninstall</b>. Optionally, you can browse directly to the install folder (the default location is <b>C:\Program Files (x86)\UltimateOutsider\GWX Control Panel</b>) and launch <b>Uninstall.exe</b>. Beginning in version 1.7 there is also an <b>Uninstall GWX Control Panel</b> shortcut in the Start menu, under the GWX Control Panel folder.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">SUPPORT GWX CONTROL PANEL </span></h2>
I develop and maintain free software on my own time. I don't charge a fee because I want everyone to have equal access to my programs- and unlike a lot of developers of "free" software, I don't bundle any annoying third-party programs, spyware, or advertising with my tools. However, if something I wrote helped you and you'd like to express your thanks in a concrete way, you can send a donation of any amount via PayPal. Support from my visitors covers my hosting and licensing costs, and gives me incentive to keep putting out cool new utilities.<br />
<br />
If you wish to help out, you can enter a donation amount below and then click on the <b>Donate</b> button. You do <i>not </i>need a PayPal account in
order to donate! Just click the "<b>Don't have a PayPal account</b>" option on the page that comes up after you click the <b>Donate</b> button. The
donation amount is in U.S. Dollars (USD).
<br />
<br />
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_blank">
<div align="center">
<b>Amount</b>: $
<input name="amount" size="6" type="text" value="0.00" />
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_xclick" />
<input name="business" type="hidden" value="donations@ultimateoutsider.com" />
<input name="item_name" type="hidden" value="Donation for Ultimate Outsider" />
<input name="no_note" type="hidden" value="0" />
<input name="cn" type="hidden" value="Send a note to Ultimate Outsider" />
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input name="tax" type="hidden" value="0" />
<input name="no_shipping" type="hidden" value="1" />
<input name="return" type="hidden" value="http://ultimateoutsider.com/thanks.htm" />
<br />
<input alt="Give Securely With Any Major Credit Card Through PayPal!" src="http://ultimateoutsider.com/btn_donateCC_LG.gif" title="Give Securely With Any Major Credit Card Through PayPal!" type="image" />
<br />
<br /></div>
</form>
<b>Note</b>: You might receive a personal "thank you" from me in response, but I won't sign you up for any mailing lists and you won't hear from me again unless you contact me first. Thanks for your consideration!
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3LERuaWFcFk/VpSWM3XekjI/AAAAAAAACT4/CE9UxtKfoYs/s1600/PayPal%2BNot%2BA%2BMember.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3LERuaWFcFk/VpSWM3XekjI/AAAAAAAACT4/CE9UxtKfoYs/s400/PayPal%2BNot%2BA%2BMember.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Click here on the PayPal page if you don't have a PayPal account.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">CONTACTING THE AUTHOR</span></h2>
If you have problems that don't sync up with your expectations or
with the user documentation, please let me know. User feedback has been
important in helping me decide where to focus for future updates. There
are three easy ways to get in touch with me:<br />
<ul>
<li>Leave a comment here on the blog.</li>
<li>Visit the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Ultimate-Outsider-Music-Production-Tips-427451450797406/" target="_blank">Ultimate Outsider page on Facebook</a> and use the <b>Message </b>feature to send me a private message.</li>
<li>If you ever decide to send a PayPal donation (see the <i>"Support GWX Control Panel"</i> section above), you
can use the "<b>add special instructions to recipient</b>" field to include a
personal note. I read and respond to all of those.<br /> </li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">ISSUES FIXED IN VERSION 1.7.0.2</span></h2>
The version of GWX Control Panel that's currently posted fixes the following issues that users reported with version 1.7.0.1:<br />
<ul>
<li>If you used GWX Control Panel's Monitor Mode and you use the
installer to upgrade from an earlier version of the program, the
installer didn't automatically restart Monitor Mode after the upgrade is
complete. The installer now restores Monitor Mode if you had it enabled
previously. GWX Control Panel will also now start Monitor Mode if it
detects that you have it enabled but for some reason it isn't running.</li>
<li>The new buttons and information fields in version 1.7.0.1 made the
program too tall to fit on very low resolution screens. The minimum
screen size I tested with internally was 1360x768, but many netbooks
have 800x600 screens, which can't display the whole GWX Control Panel
program window. Version 1.7.0.2 has been re-arranged so that it doesn't
take up so much vertical space.</li>
<li>If you already had your Windows Update settings configured to
"automatically install updates" this would trigger an alert in Monitor
Mode the first time it ran, even if you WANT to have Windows Updates at
that setting. The real purpose of this alert is to let you know if
Microsoft <i>changes </i>your Windows Update settings without your
consent. Version 1.7.0.2 will now only trigger an alert if it detects
that Windows Update changed from one of the other three options to
"automatically install," which might indicate that a Windows Update
patch reverted your Windows Update preferences.<br /> </li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">FOR MORE INFORMATION</span></h2>
There's a lot more information about the program at these other posts:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/11/the-gwx-control-panel-faq-frequently.html" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)</a>. A lot of information that used to be in this post has moved here.</li>
<li><a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/11/gwx-control-panel-troubleshooting-guide.html" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel Troubleshooting Guide</a>.
Go here if GWX Control Panel is not working as expected, or if you
believe it is causing problems with other programs or your computer.</li>
<li>The original <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel announcement page</a> has late-breaking news, usage information, and release notes for all versions of GWX Control Panel.</li>
<li>Check out the <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/search/label/gwx%20control%20panel" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel tag</a> to see a historical list of all posts on this blog about the program. </li>
</ul>
Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-25376771163885163852015-12-15T10:44:00.001-08:002015-12-15T10:44:28.150-08:00Amazon Assistant Breaks Gmail Links in Firefox - And How to Fix ItLast week <a href="http://amzn.to/1J9GRQq" target="_blank">Amazon</a> began rolling out a replacement to their <i>Amazon 1Button App</i> browser add-on called <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1J9H3PV" target="_blank">Amazon Assistant</a></i>. Also beginning some time last week, any time I clicked a link inside an email on my Gmail account, Firefox would just open up a blank page instead of navigating to the link I had clicked. Coincidence???<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yeqoT7uKWjc/VnBVvyU8QWI/AAAAAAAACLM/g1uY-H1fmbg/s1600/amazon%2B04%2Bheader.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yeqoT7uKWjc/VnBVvyU8QWI/AAAAAAAACLM/g1uY-H1fmbg/s640/amazon%2B04%2Bheader.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">SYMPTOMS</span></h2>
Firefox is my primary browser, and for the past week this frustrating problem eventually afflicted every one of my Windows-based desktops and laptops. Basically, any time I tried to click a link in Gmail:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GEXqjph8pkw/VnBWZTUudTI/AAAAAAAACLU/DNxRyTkwxng/s1600/amazon%2B01%2Boriginal%2Bemail.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="498" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GEXqjph8pkw/VnBWZTUudTI/AAAAAAAACLU/DNxRyTkwxng/s640/amazon%2B01%2Boriginal%2Bemail.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I'd end up with a blank screen instead of the link I was hoping to see:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ScjJ1RGvbx0/VnBWk2YRHAI/AAAAAAAACLc/Ii5xtmHztwI/s1600/amazon%2B02%2Bclicked%2Blink.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="498" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ScjJ1RGvbx0/VnBWk2YRHAI/AAAAAAAACLc/Ii5xtmHztwI/s640/amazon%2B02%2Bclicked%2Blink.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">THINGS I TRIED</span></h2>
I went through all the ordinary steps in trying to solve the problem, and none of them worked.<br />
<ol>
<li>I tried clearing <b>Cached Web Content</b> in the Firefox <b>Advanced </b>> <b>Network </b>options.</li>
<li>I tried removing all Google cookies in Firefox's <b>Privacy </b>options.</li>
<li>I tried switching from <b>Auto-detect</b> to <b>No proxy</b> in Firefox's <b>Advanced </b>> <b>Network </b>> <b>Settings </b>options.</li>
</ol>
None of this made a difference.<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">THE SOLUTION</span></h2>
I couldn't find any recent information online about this problem, and none of the solutions people had suggested when this sort of thing happened in the past worked for me. And then I stumbled across this <a href="https://twitter.com/uncanny_kate/status/676550243815583744" target="_blank">unassuming little tweet</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Ah, it was the Amazon Assistant add on that was breaking my gmail links, for the record.</div>
— Uncanny Kate Kirby (@uncanny_kate) <a href="https://twitter.com/uncanny_kate/status/676550243815583744">December 14, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Eureka!<br />
<br />
I'm going to try reporting this issue for Amazon, but for the time being, the only way I've found to make Gmail links work again is to disable or remove the Amazon Assistant add-on. Here's how:<br />
<ol>
<li>Click the hamburger menu in the upper-right of your Firefox browser window, and then click <b>Add-ons</b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H7PDYJ_GiKg/VnBdl4RUq9I/AAAAAAAACLs/6NMhFVLpVVc/s1600/amazon%2B05%2Bsettings.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H7PDYJ_GiKg/VnBdl4RUq9I/AAAAAAAACLs/6NMhFVLpVVc/s320/amazon%2B05%2Bsettings.png" width="213" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>On the <b>Extensions </b>tab of the Add-ons Manager, select <b>Amazon Assistant for Firefox</b> and then click <b>Disable </b>(or <b>Remove</b>). The add-on's state will change accordingly.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6o-7-w4DbA/VnBd71vTO4I/AAAAAAAACL8/K7X1T7beWC4/s1600/amazon%2B06%2Bdisable%2Bamazon%2Bassistant.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6o-7-w4DbA/VnBd71vTO4I/AAAAAAAACL8/K7X1T7beWC4/s640/amazon%2B06%2Bdisable%2Bamazon%2Bassistant.png" width="640" /></a></div>
</li>
<li> Close the Add-ons Manager and return to your Gmail account. Locate an email that contains a link you had previously tried to click and see if it works now.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6YwnPb6FsOg/VnBeBLDRIvI/AAAAAAAACME/t9Lmi1qxmNc/s1600/amazon%2B07%2Bsuccess.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="498" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6YwnPb6FsOg/VnBeBLDRIvI/AAAAAAAACME/t9Lmi1qxmNc/s640/amazon%2B07%2Bsuccess.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Aww yiss!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
</ol>
My thanks to Uncanny Kate Kirby on Twitter for helping solve this mystery!<br /><ol>
</ol>
Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-4876188935208724312015-12-06T12:23:00.001-08:002015-12-06T21:03:08.513-08:00Tutorial: Making a Multi-output Drum Kit in UVI FalconUVI <a href="http://www.uvi.net/en/software/falcon.html" target="_blank">Falcon</a> has taken the soft synth world by storm since its release, but there's not a whole lot of information out there yet on how to do certain things with this powerful instrument.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VoQpTUGN0vc/VmSRa6h_tcI/AAAAAAAACKY/IsUePucPk4k/s1600/Falcon%2BTutorial%2BBlog%2BBanner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VoQpTUGN0vc/VmSRa6h_tcI/AAAAAAAACKY/IsUePucPk4k/s640/Falcon%2BTutorial%2BBlog%2BBanner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This tutorial walks you through the following aspects of building your own sample-based drum kit in Falcon:<br />
<ul>
<li>Using layers in Falcon to send different drum sounds to separate audio output channels that you can mix and process individually in your DAW.</li>
<li>Setting up an exclusive group (or "choke group") to simulate real hi-hat behavior.</li>
<li>Using Falcon's "custom drop" feature to import multiple samples into a single keygroup.</li>
<li>Using the round robin trigger mode to add variety to individual percussion sounds.</li>
<li>And finally, we'll see how to apply some of this knowledge to modifying kits in UVI's excellent <a href="http://www.uvi.net/en/drums-percussion/beat-box-anthology.html" target="_blank">Beat Box Anthology</a> collection of classic drum machine samples. </li>
</ul>
To help you get up to speed quickly I've put together a free mini sample pack for this tutorial, which you can download from the <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">Ultimate Outsider Software page</a>. We'll start off by building the kit's layers and importing samples, and then complete the kit by setting up the multi-channel audio routing in a DAW. As an added bonus, I'll show you how to create or modify your own kits using samples from UVI's Beat Box Anthology. I'm using Ableton Live 9 in my examples, but most of what's covered here applies regardless of what DAW you're using. (Part 5 of the written tutorial also includes configuration steps for Steinberg Cubase.)<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">TUTORIAL VIDEO</span></h2>
I produced a YouTube companion video that covers everything in this written tutorial except for Cubase configuration.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="444" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PJweVvn1-YQ" width="790"></iframe><br />
<br />
If you prefer written tutorials, read on!<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">PART 1: ADDING THE KICK LAYER</span></h2>
<ol>
<li>Open up a new DAW project and create an instance of Falcon. Make sure your left and right panels are both visible. You toggle the panels on or off using the <b>Show/Hide Panel</b> buttons at the top of the Falcon window. Also make sure all the sections of the <b>Edit </b>tab (<b>Program</b>, <b>Layer</b>, <b>Keygroup</b>, <b>Oscillator</b>, <b>Mapping</b>, etc.) are visible by enabling their respective icons. Falcon automatically creates a new, empty program (patch) when you start a new instance.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cSyR3Y2OanU/VluVMHif5sI/AAAAAAAACEw/oxi2P2AaRf0/s1600/falcon%2B01%2Bpanels.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="344" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cSyR3Y2OanU/VluVMHif5sI/AAAAAAAACEw/oxi2P2AaRf0/s640/falcon%2B01%2Bpanels.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
</li>
<li>Download the Falcon tutorial sample pack from the <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">Ultimate Outsider Software page</a>. Extract the samples to a local folder and then browse to them in the file browser tab of Falcon. I've added my copy of the folder to the Favorite Places section of the browser.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CFFGPlx9nig/VluT_W7LrmI/AAAAAAAACEk/KH94PAOitp0/s1600/falcon%2B02%2Bfavorites.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CFFGPlx9nig/VluT_W7LrmI/AAAAAAAACEk/KH94PAOitp0/s640/falcon%2B02%2Bfavorites.png" width="640" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Click the wrench icon near the top of the Falcon window to open <b>Falcon Preferences</b>. On the <b>General </b>tab, enable the <b>One Shot</b> option next to <b>Sample drag'n'drop mode</b>. This will ensure that our drum samples automatically play all the way through when triggered.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sFADkAyUF9w/VluY2PgOlMI/AAAAAAAACFE/7V5chx_1Sm0/s1600/falcon%2B04%2Bone%2Bshot.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sFADkAyUF9w/VluY2PgOlMI/AAAAAAAACFE/7V5chx_1Sm0/s640/falcon%2B04%2Bone%2Bshot.png" width="640" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>You'll notice that each of the samples includes the intended MIDI note value in its name. Drag the <b>Kick C1</b> sample to the <b>C1 </b>key on Falcon's virtual keyboard. This creates a new layer ("Layer 1"), a new keygroup ("Kick C1.wav"), and a new oscillator that contains your sample. You should be able to trigger the sample with your MIDI controller or by clicking its note on the virtual keyboard. If you select the <b>List </b>pane in the left tab of Falcon, you can see the new layer and keygroup.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vtHnBv4JumA/VluXtWTTbaI/AAAAAAAACE4/l2VmoV09418/s1600/falcon%2B03%2Bkick%2Bsample.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vtHnBv4JumA/VluXtWTTbaI/AAAAAAAACE4/l2VmoV09418/s640/falcon%2B03%2Bkick%2Bsample.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /><b>Tip</b>: The lower you click on the virtual keyboard, the higher the velocity of the auditioned sound. This velocity sensitivity happens by default, and is the result of velocity modulation to the amp envelope, as shown in the above screenshot (bottom of the window). If you disable or delete the <b>Amp. Env</b> modulator, you will disable velocity sensitivity for this keygroup.<br /><br /><b>Note</b>: If you didn't set your drag'n'drop preferences to <b>One Shot</b> in step 3, you can apply one-shot mode to an individual sample oscillator by right-clicking inside the waveform and choosing <b>Set as One Shot</b> on the shortcut menu.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xQ3EeFNpY7U/VluaySRRBEI/AAAAAAAACFQ/f5IMk_7K7fk/s1600/falcon%2B05%2Bset%2Bas%2Bone%2Bshot.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xQ3EeFNpY7U/VluaySRRBEI/AAAAAAAACFQ/f5IMk_7K7fk/s400/falcon%2B05%2Bset%2Bas%2Bone%2Bshot.png" width="373" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>In the <b>List </b>tab of Falcon's left pane, rename the current layer by double-clicking the layer name and typing: <b>Kick</b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h7nAo8IA-cA/VlucVRvDL7I/AAAAAAAACFc/7tYPEXKAdXY/s1600/falcon%2B06%2Bkick%2Blayer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h7nAo8IA-cA/VlucVRvDL7I/AAAAAAAACFc/7tYPEXKAdXY/s1600/falcon%2B06%2Bkick%2Blayer.png" /></a></div>
</li>
</ol>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">PART 2: ADDING THE SNARE LAYER</span></h2>
<ol>
<li>Click the <b>+</b> sign in the<b> Layer(s)</b> row to add a new layer.</li>
<li>Double click the new layer's name and rename it to <b>Snare</b>. Leave this layer selected (so that it's highlighted.) The <b>Keygroup(s)</b> pane should appear empty.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xtEKKharrnA/VludJdDWLCI/AAAAAAAACFk/gl1CrV6RJLs/s1600/falcon%2B07%2Bsnare%2Blayer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xtEKKharrnA/VludJdDWLCI/AAAAAAAACFk/gl1CrV6RJLs/s1600/falcon%2B07%2Bsnare%2Blayer.png" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Drag the <b>Snare D1</b> sample from the file browser to the <b>D1 </b>key of the virtual keyboard.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aLUMr13ZBcs/VlvHePt-OMI/AAAAAAAACF0/y-meK619wHU/s1600/falcon%2B08%2Bsnare.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aLUMr13ZBcs/VlvHePt-OMI/AAAAAAAACF0/y-meK619wHU/s640/falcon%2B08%2Bsnare.png" width="640" /></a></div>
</li>
</ol>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">PART 3: PUTTING HI HATS IN AN EXCLUSIVE GROUP</span></h2>
<ol>
</ol>
<ol>
<li>In the <b>List </b>tab, click <b>+</b> in the <b>Layer(s)</b> row to add another layer, and rename the new layer to <b>Hi Hats</b>.</li>
<li>Making sure that only the <b>Hi Hats</b> layer is selected, drag the <b>Closed Hat F#1</b> and <b>Open Hat A#1</b> samples to their respective places on the virtual keyboard. Your single Hi Hats layer should now have two keygroups, each containing a single sample oscillator.</li>
<li>In order to make the hi hats behave more like real cymbals, we're going to put them in an "exclusive group," where one hi hat sample cuts the other one short when playing. With the <b>Hi Hats</b> layer selected, scroll the <b>Keygroup(s)</b> view all the way over to the right so you can see the <b>ex. group</b> column.<br /><br /><b>Note</b>: If you can't find <b>ex. group</b>, right-click any of the column headers in the <b>Keygroup(s)</b> pane and make sure to check <b>ex. group</b> in the list.</li>
<li>For each of the keygroups under Hi Hats, set the <b>ex. group</b> field to <b>1</b>. (You can change the values by dragging your left mouse up or down on the fields, or by double-clicking them and entering a new value.) This puts the hi hats into the same exclusive group. Now when you play the two hi hat samples very quickly, triggering one of them will cut the other one short.</li>
</ol>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">PART 4: IMPORTING ROUND-ROBIN SHAKER SAMPLES</span></h2>
<ol>
<li>Add a new layer in the <b>List </b>tab and name it <b>Shaker</b>.</li>
<li>Make sure that only the <b>Shaker </b>layer is selected, and then SHIFT-select all of the <b>Shaker A3</b> samples in the file browser. Notice how all of these samples end with something like "rr1?" Falcon recognizes this as an indication that these are intended for a round-robin keygroup.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RsZHW8h1aRI/VlvMP5E2QTI/AAAAAAAACGA/UtpF_96sidw/s1600/falcon%2B09%2Bshaker%2Bsamples.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RsZHW8h1aRI/VlvMP5E2QTI/AAAAAAAACGA/UtpF_96sidw/s1600/falcon%2B09%2Bshaker%2Bsamples.png" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Hold down <b>ALT </b>on Windows (or <b>OPTION </b>on Mac) while dragging the shaker samples to the <b>A3 </b>key. This brings up the <b>Sample Drag'n'Drop</b> dialog. Select <b>NoteName RoundRobin</b> under <b>Mapping </b>method and make sure <b>Destination </b>points to your <b>Shaker </b>layer, and then click <b>OK</b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DRjSa_1hpgw/VlvNC4huqpI/AAAAAAAACGI/4r0hc1Hey9s/s1600/falcon%2B10%2Bsample%2Bdrag%2Bn%2Bdrop.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DRjSa_1hpgw/VlvNC4huqpI/AAAAAAAACGI/4r0hc1Hey9s/s400/falcon%2B10%2Bsample%2Bdrag%2Bn%2Bdrop.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>You should now find that your <b>Shaker </b>layer has a single keygroup that contains all eight shaker samples. Each time you press A3 on your keyboard you will hear a slightly different shaker sample.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VTB2qK--84Q/VlvNzfplyrI/AAAAAAAACGQ/HArNd3MQYRU/s1600/falcon%2B11%2Bshaker%2Bkeygroup.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VTB2qK--84Q/VlvNzfplyrI/AAAAAAAACGQ/HArNd3MQYRU/s640/falcon%2B11%2Bshaker%2Bkeygroup.png" width="640" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>At this point we have a basic drum kit that sends all audio to the plugin's "Main Out" bus. Save your work now by clicking the wrench icon and selecting <b>Save Program and Samples</b>. In addition to saving your program as a UVIP file, this command <i>is supposed to</i> create a folder in the same directory containing all samples used in that program.<br /><br /><b>Note</b>: On version 1.0.1 of Falcon, <b>Save Program and Samples</b> doesn't appear to actually save the samples (not on my Windows DAW PC anyway). I have found that the <b>Save Program and Samples as</b> command, however, does correctly export the samples. Something to keep an eye on.</li>
</ol>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">PART 5: PREPARE YOUR DAW FOR MULTIPLE PLUGIN OUTPUTS</span></h2>
Before we start setting up our Falcon kit to use multiple outputs, we
should make sure our DAW is ready to receive audio from the plugin's
various outputs.
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ableton Live</b></span></h3>
The easiest way to do this in Ableton Live is to make use of the External Instrument device (only available in the <a href="http://amzn.to/1O8oBbM" target="_blank">Standard</a> and <a href="http://amzn.to/1THYm0H" target="_blank">Suite</a> versions of Live).<br />
<ol>
<li>The MIDI track hosting our Falcon instance receives audio from Falcon's "Main Out" master stereo output. When you're working with multiple outputs, it's best not to assign any parts to Main Out, since that bus is also shared by Falcon's four Aux buses. What this means for our DAW setup is that we'll need four additional MIDI tracks to receive audio from the four layers in our drum kit. I've named my additional tracks <b>Kick</b>, <b>Snare</b>, <b>Hi Hats</b>, and <b>Shaker</b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hf8qKzmSOd0/VlvXSnb9FnI/AAAAAAAACGg/jIZudMgkPZw/s1600/falcon%2B12%2Bmidi%2Btracks.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hf8qKzmSOd0/VlvXSnb9FnI/AAAAAAAACGg/jIZudMgkPZw/s1600/falcon%2B12%2Bmidi%2Btracks.png" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Drag an <b>External Instrument</b> device to the <b>Kick </b>track. Point its <b>MIDI To</b> to the <b>Falcon </b>track, channel <b>1</b>. Under <b>Audio From</b>, select the <b>Falcon 2</b> output.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d31DZtfwSq0/VlvY-SbLM8I/AAAAAAAACGs/Ax_cJz_acYw/s1600/falcon%2B13%2Bexternal%2Binstrument.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d31DZtfwSq0/VlvY-SbLM8I/AAAAAAAACGs/Ax_cJz_acYw/s1600/falcon%2B13%2Bexternal%2Binstrument.png" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Repeat this for the <b>Snare</b>, <b>Hi Hats</b>, and <b>Shaker </b>tracks, only set their <b>Audio From</b> entries to <b>Falcon 3</b>, <b>Falcon 4</b>, and <b>Falcon 5</b>, respectively.</li>
<li>Select the <b>Falcon </b>track and make sure that it's armed for MIDI input.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tkmjBeJ00LY/VlvZZsdgvwI/AAAAAAAACG0/fjDUt4XAGag/s1600/falcon%2B14%2Barmed%2Bfor%2Bmidi.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tkmjBeJ00LY/VlvZZsdgvwI/AAAAAAAACG0/fjDUt4XAGag/s1600/falcon%2B14%2Barmed%2Bfor%2Bmidi.png" /></a></div>
</li>
</ol>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Steinberg Cubase</b></span></h3>
Since all the screenshots up to this point use Ableton Live, we'll take the Cubase setup from the top. I'm going to use the "Rack Instruments" approach (versus the "Track Instruments" approach), because you can use the rack method in all versions of Cubase from 5.0 on. These steps will definitely work in the <a href="http://amzn.to/1THYNId" target="_blank">Pro</a> and <a href="http://amzn.to/1O8oMnn" target="_blank">Artist</a> editions of Cubase, but probably apply to the limited editions as well. <br />
<ol>
<li>In a Cubase project, go to <b>Devices </b>> <b>VST Instruments</b> an add Rack Instrument instance of Falcon.</li>
<li>When Cubase asks if you want to create a MIDI track assigned to Falcon, click <b>Create</b>.</li>
<li>Back in the VST Instruments window, click the <b>Activate Outputs</b> icon on the Falcon instance.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z3vSrOWs4Rk/Vl0czWFC5-I/AAAAAAAACHs/HL6LLfEtZGI/s1600/falcon%2B18%2Bactivate%2Boutputs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z3vSrOWs4Rk/Vl0czWFC5-I/AAAAAAAACHs/HL6LLfEtZGI/s400/falcon%2B18%2Bactivate%2Boutputs.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>In the menu that appears, make sure to enable outputs <b>Falcon 1-Falcon 5</b>. The plugin's Main Out goes to Falcon 1, and the other four outputs are for the individual drum layers.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l2aqfzH7SPs/Vl0djaj3loI/AAAAAAAACH0/bEKDapNWdEs/s1600/falcon%2B19%2Bindividual%2Bouts.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l2aqfzH7SPs/Vl0djaj3loI/AAAAAAAACH0/bEKDapNWdEs/s1600/falcon%2B19%2Bindividual%2Bouts.png" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>If you expand the <b>Falcon </b>folder under <b>VST Instruments</b> in your arrangement view you should now see five separate VST channels, one for each output pair enabled on the plugin. You can set up inserts and sends on these channels just like regular audio tracks. In my example, I renamed the VST channels to represent which drum parts they would receive. I also renamed the MIDI track that's routed to the Falcon instance.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9p2gcr2HwSk/Vl0fZTfNc8I/AAAAAAAACIA/ntrwWJpCSy0/s1600/falcon%2B20%2Bcubase%2Bmix.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9p2gcr2HwSk/Vl0fZTfNc8I/AAAAAAAACIA/ntrwWJpCSy0/s640/falcon%2B20%2Bcubase%2Bmix.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Cubase project, after renaming the VST channels and MIDI track and importing a MIDI loop.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
</ol>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">PART 6: ASSIGN LAYERS TO SEPARATE OUTPUTS</span></h2>
<ol>
<li>Back in Falcon, locate the <b>output </b>column in the <b>Layer(s)</b> tab of the left pane (you may have to scroll right to see it). This column is actually hidden by default, so if you cannot find it, right-click one of the column headers in the Layer(s) list and then click <b>output </b>on the shortcut menu. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3sjPW02Bo0U/VlvbUXqI_zI/AAAAAAAACHA/ZIH-Uqzh2zE/s1600/falcon%2B15%2Boutput%2Bcolumn.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3sjPW02Bo0U/VlvbUXqI_zI/AAAAAAAACHA/ZIH-Uqzh2zE/s400/falcon%2B15%2Boutput%2Bcolumn.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>For each layer in your kit, select a different individual output to match the Audio From selections you picked in the previous section. (<b>Kick </b>= Out 2, <b>Snare </b>= Out 3, <b>Hi Hats</b> = Out 4, <b>Shaker </b>= Out 5.)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2G478o_B3z8/VlvcGWu2owI/AAAAAAAACHI/OzqvqFHztbQ/s1600/falcon%2B16%2Boutputs%2Bselected.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2G478o_B3z8/VlvcGWu2owI/AAAAAAAACHI/OzqvqFHztbQ/s1600/falcon%2B16%2Boutputs%2Bselected.png" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Now when you play the appropriate notes on your MIDI controller you should see audio coming in on separate tracks in your DAW. Use <b>Save Program and Samples as</b> to save the multi-output version of your kit if you like.</li>
<li>The sample pack I put together for this tutorial includes a MIDI drum loop that you can import in your DAW to test the kit out. Drag the clip onto the MIDI track where your Falcon plugin instance is hosted. You can now apply your own effects and EQ to each drum part in your Falcon drum kit!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3d66g1hmgzk/VlvihsmOPwI/AAAAAAAACHY/d8AYZ3wF2tk/s1600/falcon%2B17%2Bmidi%2Bplaying.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3d66g1hmgzk/VlvihsmOPwI/AAAAAAAACHY/d8AYZ3wF2tk/s640/falcon%2B17%2Bmidi%2Bplaying.png" width="640" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>At default track volume, the shaker layer is pretty loud in relation to the rest of the kit. If you'd like to adjust the volume of a specific layer, go back into Falcon and locate the <b>volume </b>column in the <b>Layer(s)</b> pane of the <b>List </b>view. You might have to scroll to see it. Also, the <b>volume</b> column is hidden by default, so right-click one of the other column headers and then click <b>volume </b>on the pop-up menu if it's not currently shown. Make sure that only the layer (or layers) you wish to adjust is selected and then adjust the volume field for that layer by dragging down or up.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-56aNG6_RR8M/Vl0ifAdF5eI/AAAAAAAACIM/gik8RVMEF-A/s1600/falcon%2B21%2Blayer%2Bvolume.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-56aNG6_RR8M/Vl0ifAdF5eI/AAAAAAAACIM/gik8RVMEF-A/s1600/falcon%2B21%2Blayer%2Bvolume.png" /></a></div>
</li>
</ol>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">PART 7: MODIFYING KITS IN BEAT BOX ANTHOLOGY</span></h2>
UVI's <a href="http://www.uvi.net/en/drums-percussion/beat-box-anthology.html" target="_blank">Beat Box Anthology</a> is a great collection of kits and samples of dozens of classic drum machines. All of the kits in the collection are set up to send all sounds to the instrument's Main Out. Users of the free UVI Workstation are stuck with this limitation, but Falcon gives you the ability to tweak these kits to suit your needs. Beat Box Anthology is included in UVI's <a href="http://www.uvi.net/en/vintage-corner/vintage-vault.html" target="_blank">Vintage Vault</a> bundle, and the following steps assume you have both Falcon and Beat Box Anthology installed.<br />
<ol>
<li>Let's start with a new instance of Falcon, and expand the <b>Soundbanks </b>category to locate the <b>GM Kits</b> under <b>Beat Box Anthology</b>. (The General MIDI kits will work with the MIDI loop included with my Falcon tutorial sample pack.)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lZ-IOrklrfA/VmHxG5zRZWI/AAAAAAAACIs/gMwk_anqC44/s1600/falcon%2B22%2Bdr%2Btracks.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lZ-IOrklrfA/VmHxG5zRZWI/AAAAAAAACIs/gMwk_anqC44/s320/falcon%2B22%2Bdr%2Btracks.png" width="199" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Double-click one of the kits to load it into the currently selected Falcon part. I've selected the <b>DR Tracks</b> kit, which is based on the <a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/sci/drumtrx.php" target="_blank">Sequential Circuits Drumtraks</a> unit from 1984.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iPfI3oGZ30w/VmHyaFkoWmI/AAAAAAAACI4/KazHdowYfIg/s1600/falcon%2B23%2Bdr%2Btracks%2Bopen.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iPfI3oGZ30w/VmHyaFkoWmI/AAAAAAAACI4/KazHdowYfIg/s400/falcon%2B23%2Bdr%2Btracks%2Bopen.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>On the <b>List </b>tab of the left panel we can see that this kit contains two layers. One layer is for the hi hat choke group, while all other sounds in the kit reside on the other. We can assign the hi hats to their own output the same way we did in Part 6 earlier. First, make sure that only the <b>HH </b>layer is selected in the <b>List </b>view, and then scroll over to locate the output column in the <b>Layer(s)</b> section. If you don't see it, right-click one of the column headers and then click output in the shortcut menu to add it to the <b>Layer(s)</b> view.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p2RNZjEMcdc/VmH0PchAr3I/AAAAAAAACJE/rZ85XukA4d8/s1600/falcon%2B24%2Bhh%2Blayer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p2RNZjEMcdc/VmH0PchAr3I/AAAAAAAACJE/rZ85XukA4d8/s1600/falcon%2B24%2Bhh%2Blayer.png" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Change the output setting for this layer to <b>Out 4</b> (to match the assignments we used in part 6).<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zVWdpvmzASY/VmIHMx46VpI/AAAAAAAACJg/JICqpiNBlLo/s1600/falcon%2B27%2Bh%2Bout%2B4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zVWdpvmzASY/VmIHMx46VpI/AAAAAAAACJg/JICqpiNBlLo/s1600/falcon%2B27%2Bh%2Bout%2B4.png" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>For the rest of the drum sounds, we'll need to edit the keygroups assigned to individual samples in the kit. First, make sure that only the <b>Drums </b>layer is selected, and then ensure that you can see the output column in the <b>Keygroup(s)</b> view. Like with the <b>Layer(s)</b> view, the output column is hidden by default.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GzLeVtMo9WM/VmH2jpsMZII/AAAAAAAACJQ/PASqCctPM38/s1600/falcon%2B25%2Bkeygroup%2Boutput.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GzLeVtMo9WM/VmH2jpsMZII/AAAAAAAACJQ/PASqCctPM38/s1600/falcon%2B25%2Bkeygroup%2Boutput.png" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Now assign the outputs of the individual keygroups to your desired output channels. You might want to hide some columns in your <b>Keygroup(s)</b> view for this step so you can see the keygroup names and outputs without scrolling. You might also find it easier to work in this view by sorting it in <b>root </b>key order, and you can SHIFT-select and CTRL-select multiple keygroups to change their output settings at the same time. Here are output assignments that match what we did when building our own kit in the previous sections, in order of <b>root </b>key note value:<br /><br /><b>B0 </b>& <b>C1 </b>(kicks): Out 2<br /><b>D1 </b>& <b>E1 </b>(snares): Out 3<br />(The <b>HH </b>layer should already be on Out 4)<br /><b>A3 </b>& <b>A#3</b> (shaker): Out 5<br /> </li>
<li>Next set up your DAW to accept multiple plugin outputs just like we did in section 5 above, and don't forget to arm the Falcon track to intercept your MIDI if you're planning to test your setup out with your keyboard controller.</li>
<li>If you have my Falcon tutorial sample pack, drag the Falcon Drum Loop MIDI clip onto your Falcon plugin track and loop it.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LZleDNFJj-A/VmIKEKFtGDI/AAAAAAAACJs/RuSNv-_28gI/s1600/falcon%2B28%2Bbeat%2Bbox%2Banthology.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LZleDNFJj-A/VmIKEKFtGDI/AAAAAAAACJs/RuSNv-_28gI/s640/falcon%2B28%2Bbeat%2Bbox%2Banthology.png" width="640" /></a></div>
</li>
<li><b>Important</b>: Don't forget to save the modified versions of your kits! Click the wrench icon and use <b>Save Program</b> <b>as </b>or <b>Save Program and Samples as</b> to back up your work.</li>
<li>Unlike most of the UVI libraries, Beat Box Anthology includes individual drum samples that you can access in the file browser to create or modify your own kits. If you have the auto preview button activated, you can audition the samples while you browse by selecting them with your mouse or the arrow keys.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cc4fhX9a5Pk/VmIMMiLMT2I/AAAAAAAACJ4/bCOlNZjKIJk/s1600/falcon%2B29%2Bpreview%2Bicon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cc4fhX9a5Pk/VmIMMiLMT2I/AAAAAAAACJ4/bCOlNZjKIJk/s320/falcon%2B29%2Bpreview%2Bicon.png" width="114" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>You can drag these samples from the file browser right into your kit.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CkkDMjrUaxI/VmIMrKhAWFI/AAAAAAAACKA/1mHzWdTmhmA/s1600/falcon%2B30%2Bdragged.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CkkDMjrUaxI/VmIMrKhAWFI/AAAAAAAACKA/1mHzWdTmhmA/s400/falcon%2B30%2Bdragged.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
</ol>
Well, that's it for now. Check out the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/OutsiderSupreme" target="_blank">Ultimate Outsider YouTube channel</a> or the blog at <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/">UltimateOutsider.com</a> for more production tips. Enjoy!
Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-9473396078055885432015-11-26T16:11:00.001-08:002016-08-02T08:30:18.407-07:00GWX Control Panel Troubleshooting GuideHere you'll find solutions or explanations for some commonly reported problems with GWX Control Panel. If you can't find the answer you're looking for, have a look at the <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel user guide</a> or the <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/11/the-gwx-control-panel-faq-frequently.html" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel Frequently Asked Questions</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JD1Wt575Vk4/VlfZ7s4TdHI/AAAAAAAACDg/H2XuTLWhzSc/s1600/GWX%2BControl%2BPanel%2BTroubleshooting%2BGuide.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JD1Wt575Vk4/VlfZ7s4TdHI/AAAAAAAACDg/H2XuTLWhzSc/s640/GWX%2BControl%2BPanel%2BTroubleshooting%2BGuide.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT THE LATEST VERSION</span></h3>
New versions of GWX Control Panel often include improvements and fixes based on feedback I've gotten from users. Please be sure you're running the latest version of the program in case the problem you're having has already been addressed. You can head to <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">the download page</a> directly, or use the <b>Check for updates</b> feature in the right-click pop-up menus of both GWX Control Panel's Monitor Mode icon and the title bar of the main program window.<br />
<br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">1. I CLICKED THE "PREVENT WINDOWS 10 UPGRADES" BUTTON BUT THE PROGRAM STILL SAYS UPGRADES ARE ALLOWED<br />-OR-<br />I CLICKED "DISABLE GET WINDOWS 10 APP" BUT THE PROGRAM STILL SAYS THE APP IS ENABLED</span></h3>
<b>UPDATE (May 5, 2016)</b>: In the past two weeks I've received four reports of this happening, even with the latest version of GWX Control Panel. Some new third party tool or Windows Update patch is altering the registry security settings on some peoples' computers in a way that prevents GWX Control Panel from writing the registry settings that protect you from Windows 10.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>SYMPTOMS</b></span>:<br />
<ol>
<li>You can click the "<b>Click to Prevent Windows 10 Upgrades</b>" button, but after a few seconds, the "<b>Are Windows 10 Upgrades allowed?</b>" field still says <b>Yes</b>, and the button text still says "<b>Prevent Windows 10 Upgrades</b>," indicating that your computer settings haven't changed.</li>
<li>If you right-click the GWX Control Panel title bar and use the <b>Save diagnostic info</b> option, you'll see messages like this in the "BEGIN NORMAL MODE LOGS" section:<br /><br /><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">"ERR, code: 5, Failed to prevent Windows 10 upgrades in Windows Update policies."<br />"ERR, code: 5,"<br /><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span></span></li>
<li>If you open up Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and attempt to create one of the Windows 10-blocking registry values yourself (for example, the <b>DisableOSUpgrade </b>value under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate), you receive an error message that says: "<b>Cannot create value: Error writing to the registry.</b>"</li>
</ol>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>CAUSE</b></span>:<br />
<br />
This is happening because some unknown tool or service is changing the default registry security settings on some computers, but I have not yet figured out who the culprit is. The weird thing is I've encountered scripts and tools in the past that did similar things, and the latest version of GWX Control Panel (1.7.4.1 at this writing) even has code explicitly meant to work around these problems, but in the past two weeks something new has been happening on some folks' PCs that GWX Control Panel is not yet able to combat. (Work is underway!)<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;">WORKAROUND</span></b>:<br />
<br />
While I work to figure out who is causing these problems and how GWX Control Panel can detect and fix it, there is a workaround that seems successful for the handful of people who've experienced the problem:<br />
<ol>
<li>Right-click the following link and click "<b>Save link as</b>" or "<b>Save target as</b>" in your browser to download the file. (If you click the link directly it might just open in your browser like a text file.)<br /><br /><a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/DisableWindows10Settings.reg" target="_blank">Right-click this link and save it to your PC</a><br /> </li>
<li>In the Windows File Explorer, locate the downloaded <b>DisableWindows10Settings.reg</b> file and double-click it.</li>
<li>If Windows asks, "<b>Do you want to allow the following program to make changes to your computer?</b>" click <b>Yes</b>.</li>
<li>When a Registry Editor dialog box appears asking, "<b>Are you sure you want to continue?</b>", click <b>Yes</b>.</li>
<li>If the operation is successful, you should see a message like this, and GWX Control Panel should work normally again:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SUIoCbO3g0c/VywqGLDnteI/AAAAAAAACcA/d_u-W7yvfRo40X6wrY0NJchdRWl73UnAQCLcB/s1600/Registry%2BEditor%2BSuccess.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SUIoCbO3g0c/VywqGLDnteI/AAAAAAAACcA/d_u-W7yvfRo40X6wrY0NJchdRWl73UnAQCLcB/s400/Registry%2BEditor%2BSuccess.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />If the operation fails, you will see a message like this, and you will have to proceed to the following steps:
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r16QyBDFEXU/VywqpAvsz6I/AAAAAAAACcE/MfP0RQRD3xMREbh8OLzSzJ2dXg9VXY8QQCLcB/s1600/Regedit%2BNot%2BAll%2BData%2BWas%2BSuccessfully%2BWritten.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="117" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r16QyBDFEXU/VywqpAvsz6I/AAAAAAAACcE/MfP0RQRD3xMREbh8OLzSzJ2dXg9VXY8QQCLcB/s400/Regedit%2BNot%2BAll%2BData%2BWas%2BSuccessfully%2BWritten.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Launch Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and browse to the following registry key under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE: <b>SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate</b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j7joHiVA_28/VywratqL6yI/AAAAAAAACcU/rA8I5t3BgEM_S_rnZkjStNFGBwtvRUOVwCLcB/s1600/WindowsUpdate%2BPolicy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j7joHiVA_28/VywratqL6yI/AAAAAAAACcU/rA8I5t3BgEM_S_rnZkjStNFGBwtvRUOVwCLcB/s640/WindowsUpdate%2BPolicy.png" width="640" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Right-click the <b>WindowsUpdate </b>node and click <b>Permissions</b>. Select each of the items listed under <b>Group or user names</b> and verify their respective permissions. The following three entities should be listed here, and they should have the following settings:<br /><br /><b>Authenticated Users</b>: Allow Read<br /><b>SYSTEM</b>: Allow Full Control, Allow Read<br /><b>Administrators (xxx\Administrators)</b>: Allow Full Control, Allow Read<br /><br />If all of the entities above are listed there, but their permissions are not set properly, correct this now. NONE of them should have any check marks under <b>Deny</b>, and both <b>SYSTEM </b>and <b>Administrators </b>need to be allowed <b>Full Control</b>. Here's an example of a properly configured system:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EHXHl08YSyM/VywtsHypfNI/AAAAAAAACcg/MkO4D6eooG8lOQhixIBD8A1EnrlcXNs5QCLcB/s1600/Windows%2BUpdate%2BPermissions.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EHXHl08YSyM/VywtsHypfNI/AAAAAAAACcg/MkO4D6eooG8lOQhixIBD8A1EnrlcXNs5QCLcB/s320/Windows%2BUpdate%2BPermissions.png" width="264" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>If any of the three entities listed above are missing, you must restore them. To do this, click Add, then type the first word in the group's name under <b>Enter the object names to select</b>, and then click <b>Check Names</b> to look up the full correct group name. Next, click <b>OK</b>.<br /><br />For example, this is what happened after I typed the word "administrators" and clicked <b>Check Names</b>:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JNOXcO52zfA/Vywum-74VtI/AAAAAAAACco/1lK9HIpxB0AU2KpOghrtWlzgn1Yi_HlpgCLcB/s1600/select%2Busers%2Bor%2Bgroups.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JNOXcO52zfA/Vywum-74VtI/AAAAAAAACco/1lK9HIpxB0AU2KpOghrtWlzgn1Yi_HlpgCLcB/s400/select%2Busers%2Bor%2Bgroups.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Once the group is added, make sure it has the appropriate permissions as described in step 7.</li>
<li>Finally, repeat steps 7-9 for the following registry key under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE: <b>SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\GWX</b></li>
<li>Click <b>OK </b>to quit Registry Editor, and then launch GWX Control Panel. You should have full control over your computer again. </li>
</ol>
The overwhelming majority of GWX Control Panel users do not experience this problem (and I'm not able to reproduce it here yet, since I don't know what's causing the permissions to change), but I'm planning to address the issue in the next update. Check <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">the downloads page</a> to see if there's a new version available.<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">2. THE 'DELETE WINDOWS 10 DOWNLOAD FOLDERS' FEATURE DIDN'T DELETE ALL OF THE DOWNLOADED FILES</span></h3>
GWX Control Panel looks for two different potential locations for downloaded Windows 10 files on your system drive. One folder is named <b>$Windows.~BT</b> and the other is <b>$Windows.~WS</b>. They only exist on your computer if Windows has tried one or more methods of downloading the files to your PC. GWX Control Panel always (as far as I know) deletes the $Windows.~BT folder, but I have heard of some cases where it couldn't delete $Windows.~WS. After taking a look at the code, it looks like there's a bug in 1.7.x of the program where it accidentally skips the $Windows.~WS folder if $Windows.~BT is not found.<br />
<br />
This bug will be fixed in the next version of the program (I've already updated the code), but in the mean time, you can work around the issue by browsing to the root of your system drive (usually C:\) and creating a new folder called <b>$Windows.~BT</b>. Place a single file in the folder- even a little TXT file will do. Now when you use the <b>Delete Windows 10 Download Folders</b> button in GWX Control Panel, the program should find and remove both directories. Sorry for the confusion!<br />
<br />
If this still doesn't work out for you (if you're having a problem unrelated to the bug I mentioned), you can also try this:<br />
<ol>
<li> Start the <b>Disk Cleanup</b> tool. (This is a program built into Windows. You can find it under <b>All Programs</b> > <b>Accessories </b>> <b>System Tools</b> in your Windows Start menu.)</li>
<li>Select your system drive (usually <b>C:</b>) if/when prompted to choose a drive.</li>
<li>Click the <b>Clean up system files</b> button in the Disk Cleanup tab.</li>
<li>After a minute or two, the Disk Cleanup tab will reappear. Locate and check the <b>Previous Windows installation(s)</b> option, and then click <b>OK</b>.</li>
</ol>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">3. ONE OF THE BUTTONS SAYS "ALLOW WINDOWS 10 UPGRADES" BUT I DON'T WANT ANY WINDOWS 10 UPGRADES!</span></h3>
Don't worry! If the button starts with "<b>Allow</b>" that means upgrades are already being prevented. If you had any Windows 10 upgrade settings, the button would actually say "<b>Prevent Windows 10 Upgrades</b>." The upper "<b>Information</b>" section of the program is your computer's current status. The lower area with the buttons is where you can perform actions described on the buttons.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-41rr1YJJOQI/VpZtp0AYEfI/AAAAAAAACUQ/LNcIopwYDVE/s1600/Allow%2Bvs%2BPrevent.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-41rr1YJJOQI/VpZtp0AYEfI/AAAAAAAACUQ/LNcIopwYDVE/s640/Allow%2Bvs%2BPrevent.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Look at the Information section for your current status. Use the buttons to perform actions.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">4. WHY CAN'T I CLICK ONE OR MORE OF THE BUTTONS?</span></h3>
Some buttons become available or unavailable depending on the current state
of the 'Get Windows 10' app or certain files and settings on your computer. See <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">the user guide</a> to learn when they're unavailable.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">5. WHY DOES
IT SAY THE GET WINDOWS 10 APP IS RUNNING OR ENABLED WHEN I DON'T SEE THE
ICON? </span></h3>
It is
possible for the GWX app to be running but not actually displaying its
icon. This is a result of various settings on your PC and the program's
own internal rules/behaviors. Trust me, though, if GWX Control Panel
says the app is running, it <i>is </i>running.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">6. WHY DOES IT SAY THAT AUTOMATIC WINDOWS 10 UPGRADES ARE ALLOWED ON MY PC, AND HOW DO I FIX IT?</span></h3>
The "<b>Are Windows 10 Upgrades Allowed</b>" field (before version 1.7 this used to be called "<b>Are OS Upgrades Enabled in Windows Update</b>") is an indication that one or more system settings related to Windows 10 upgrades was detected on your PC. They can be enabled for different reasons (we don't know <i>all </i>of the circumstances or culprits yet), but beginning with version 1.7, you can now see exactly which Windows 10 Upgrade settings GWX Control Panel detected by using the "<b>Save diagnostic info</b>" feature, which is available in the right-click pop-up menus of both the Monitor Mode icon and and main program window's title bar. <b>Save diagnostic info</b> creates a text file on your desktop and gives you a chance to open it in your default text editor to see what it says. For the <b>Are Windows 10 Upgrades Allowed</b> field, you want to look for the section of the report under <b>UpgradeFlags</b>. You'll see something like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vsZK_bXYDIw/VoYFpthqLdI/AAAAAAAACPQ/l8HorpPHHXM/s1600/UpgradeFlags.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="52" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vsZK_bXYDIw/VoYFpthqLdI/AAAAAAAACPQ/l8HorpPHHXM/s640/UpgradeFlags.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
In the above example, GWX Control Panel discovered that the <b>DisableOSUpgrade </b>registry setting was missing. You might see different values there, depending on the state of your PC.<br />
<br />
<b>Known culprits:</b><br />
There are a bunch of different settings that can potentially trigger this field to indicate <b>Yes</b>, and they're both used and maintained by a variety of operating system components. There are a few known causes for getting this indication.<br />
<ul>
<li>The DisableOSUpgrade registry value doesn't exist in a fresh Windows install; you have to add it yourself (GWX Control Panel can do this for you). So its absence will trigger the alert.</li>
<li>The notorious KB3035583 Windows Update patch installs a number of programs that are scheduled to run in the background on a schedule prescribed by Microsoft. One or two of these scheduled tasks in some of the more recent versions of this update have been confirmed to reset some of the settings that can trigger Are Windows 10 Upgrades Allowed to register Yes, and they will change this setting every time they run. (This is why I added the Delete Windows 10 Programs feature; to blow these tasks away so they stop changing my settings.)</li>
<li>Microsoft occasionally pushes updates to Windows Update itself. Sometimes these updates wipe out some of your existing Windows Update settings (many of which are directly related to Windows 10 upgrades), and you need to reset them with GWX Control Panel.</li>
</ul>
<b>How to fix it:</b><br />
To put your system back to "<b>No</b>" state, click the <b>Prevent Automatic Windows 10 Upgrades</b> button. Consider adjusting your Windows Update settings and/or using the <b>Delete Windows 10 Programs</b> feature of GWX Control Panel if you'd like to stop Windows from altering these settings while you're not looking.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">7. I RECENTLY USED GWX CONTROL PANEL TO PREVENT AUTOMATIC WINDOWS 10 UPGRADES BUT NOW IT'S SAYING THEY'RE ENABLED AGAIN. WHAT HAPPENED?</span></h3>
Please see the answer to the previous question. Chances are the "<b>Delete Windows 10 Programs</b>" feature will stop this behavior.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">8. I USED GWX CONTROL PANEL ONCE TO REMOVE MICROSOFT'S 'GET WINDOWS 10' ICON FROM MY TASKBAR BUT NOW IT'S BACK AGAIN- WHAT HAPPENED?</span></h3>
Microsoft's 'Get Windows 10' icon app is part of the infamous <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3035583" target="_blank">KB3035583 Windows Update patch</a>. Since the update first started rolling out in July 2015, Microsoft has released several updated versions of it, without changing the update name. First off, here are some things to keep in mind about KB3035583:<br />
<ul>
<li>If your Windows Update preferences are set to "install updates automatically," KB3035583 will install every version that Microsoft releases, whether you already have a previous version of it or not. (Note, for the time being you can prevent this by making sure to uncheck the <b>Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates</b> option in your Windows Update settings. Windows will still offer the update for download, but it won't automatically install it. This behavior might change in the future.)</li>
<li>If you have Windows Update set to "check for updates but let me choose" or "download updates but let me choose" and you use Windows Update's "hide" feature to prevent KB3035583 from showing up in your control panel, that's only good for that particular version of the KB3035583 patch. The next time Microsoft pushes a new version of it, the new version of the patch will appear once it is available and need to be re-hidden if you no longer wish to see it.</li>
<li>If you already have an existing version of KB3035583 installed and Microsoft pushes an updated version to your PC, if you then subsequently uninstall KB3035583 from your computer, this will no longer actually remove the files from your PC! Uninstalling the patch once it's been upgraded will just roll you back to the previously installed version. (This is why I added the <b>Delete Windows 10 Program</b>s feature to GWX Control Panel. It <i>really </i>deletes the KB3035583 files.)</li>
</ul>
So, this is a really nasty update, and if you are not vigilant about which updates you install or how you install them, it will keep coming back, eventually. The point of GWX Control Panel is not to prevent Microsoft from installing software that you let it install via your Windows Update settings- it's to let you know when Microsoft installs things or changes settings that leave you vulnerable to Windows 10 and let you fix it.<br />
<br />
So, if you want to keep installing Windows updates (and any Windows computer that connects to the Internet should), leave your updates enabled and also enable GWX Control Panel's Monitor Mode feature. This will alert you when and if Microsoft changes anything behind your back so you can put things right again.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">9. I USED GWX CONTROL PANEL BUT I'M STILL SEEING ADS FOR WINDOWS 10 IN MY WEB BROWSER</span></h3>
Some Microsoft sites (most notably MSN.com) have been displaying some very annoying advertisements for Windows 10 inside desktop web browsers for some time. I've seen the ads take two forms: A banner at the top of the browser window, and an even more annoying blue pop-over ad that you have to dismiss in order to see the web page underneath. Both ads say "Microsoft recommends upgrading to Windows 10."<br />
<br />
As of version 1.7, GWX Control Panel does not yet have a way to prevent this, since the program focuses on system-wide Windows settings, not content delivered to your web browser. I am currently investigating whether there's a safe, non-invasive way to stop these ads, but I don't know yet whether it will be possible to fix with GWX Control Panel. For now, I recommend just avoiding MSN or any other Microsoft site that delivers the ads. (Change your browser start page if you're currently defaulting to MSN.)<br />
<br />
Here are both types of ads I've seen at MSN:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o_KV5A37-D4/VomNvyAoklI/AAAAAAAACRc/1w_F-Ly-pyk/s1600/Internet%2BExplorer%2BUpgrade%2BBanner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o_KV5A37-D4/VomNvyAoklI/AAAAAAAACRc/1w_F-Ly-pyk/s640/Internet%2BExplorer%2BUpgrade%2BBanner.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>GWX Control Panel is not yet able to inhibit the "Microsoft recommends upgrading to Windows 10" banner ads in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, etc. but this ability might appear in a future release.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_JetqIDH-G4/VomOUgAudPI/AAAAAAAACRk/7KKHnrbT6gU/s1600/Internet%2BExplorer%2BHijack.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_JetqIDH-G4/VomOUgAudPI/AAAAAAAACRk/7KKHnrbT6gU/s400/Internet%2BExplorer%2BHijack.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>This is another example of the annoying MSN "Microsoft recommends upgrading to Windows 10" ads that GWX Control Panel does not (yet) fix. Investigation on how to stop this behavior is ongoing.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On a related note, I am still looking for information on a new kind of Windows 10 notification that Microsoft appears to be pushing out. If you have ever experienced the kind of Windows 10 desktop pop-up shown in the following picture, would you please let me know if the "<b>Prevent Windows 10 Upgrades</b>" feature of GWX Control Panel fixes that problem? I have never seen that notification on one of my own systems, so I am unable to test it.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pz-KVx9SZD4/Vp0kURgGRXI/AAAAAAAACWg/1DXUtiTL3G0/s1600/New%2BWindows%2B10%2BPopup.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pz-KVx9SZD4/Vp0kURgGRXI/AAAAAAAACWg/1DXUtiTL3G0/s320/New%2BWindows%2B10%2BPopup.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Have you seen these pop-ups? Please let me know if the "Prevent Windows 10 Upgrades" feature fixes it!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">10. I ENABLED MONITOR MODE BUT IT DOESN'T START AUTOMATICALLY WHEN I LOG IN TO WINDOWS</span></h3>
This is less likely to happen with version 1.7.0.2 of GWX Control Panel than with previous versions, but it's still worth documenting. Version 1.6 of GWX Control Panel enabled Monitor Mode on a per-user basis. In other words, you had to enable it for each user account on a given PC. This turned out to be a problem, because there are situations where users with Standard or Child user accounts actually run the program <i>with the account permissions of an administrator user</i> on that computer, meaning that any user-specific changes the program made actually affected <i>the administrator account</i>, not the true current user account.<br />
<br />
The most likely scenario for seeing this problem (with version 1.6) was this:<br />
<ol>
<li>User with a Standard or Child user account installs GWX Control Panel using the GwxControlPanelSetup installer.</li>
<li>In order to run, the installer needs administrator permissions, so it prompts the user for the password to a local administrator account. <i>Once the password is entered, the installer runs under that administrator user's account profile.</i></li>
<li>The installer launches GWX Control Panel once setup is complete. <i>This instance of GWX Control Panel is still running as the Administrator user, since the installer that launched it had administrator permissions.</i></li>
<li>User enables Monitor Mode in this elevated instance of GWX Control Panel. This does start the Monitor Mode icon for the current windows login, but the registry value that loads Monitor Mode on Windows restart is actually set in the administrator user's account profile.</li>
<li>After restarting Windows, the Standard/Child user who enabled Monitor Mode doesn't see the Monitor Mode icon.</li>
</ol>
Beginning with version 1.7, the <b>Enable Monitor Mode</b> button in the main program window enables Monitor Mode for all users on the PC, which avoids the confusing issue we had with version 1.6. Unfortunately, this can result in another confusing situation for people upgrading from version 1.6 to 1.7...<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">11. I SEE THE MONITOR MODE ICON IN MY NOTIFICATION AREA, BUT GWX CONTROL PANEL IS SHOWING ME THE "ENABLE MONITOR MODE" BUTTON INSTEAD OF "DISABLE MONITOR MODE"</span></h3>
<br />
Because of the confusing behavior described in the previous answer, the Monitor Mode button in the main GWX Control Panel setting changes its state based on whether Monitor Mode is enabled for all users, rather than checking its per-user status. Beginning with GWX Control Panel 1.7, the <b>GWX Control Panel Monitor Mode status</b> field indicates how Monitor Mode is currently configured:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MmsQCmt7t9M/Vob8VDKHMqI/AAAAAAAACQQ/54YiIxuOpco/s1600/Monitor%2BMode%2BUpgrade%2BResults.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MmsQCmt7t9M/Vob8VDKHMqI/AAAAAAAACQQ/54YiIxuOpco/s640/Monitor%2BMode%2BUpgrade%2BResults.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
In the above example, Monitor Mode is still configured for the user account named AnyPoint, and is not configured for "all users," so the <b>Enable Monitor Mode</b> button is in its correct state. And here's what happens after I click <b>Enable Monitor Mode</b>:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OmrCJ0g9aow/Vob9Xbw3WLI/AAAAAAAACQY/5k7SkW7Jf1M/s1600/Monitor%2BMode%2BBoth%2BEnabled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OmrCJ0g9aow/Vob9Xbw3WLI/AAAAAAAACQY/5k7SkW7Jf1M/s640/Monitor%2BMode%2BBoth%2BEnabled.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The button status changed to reflect that Monitor Mode is now enabled for all users.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Notice that <b>GWX Control Panel Monitor Mode status</b> now shows that it's enabled both system-wide and for the user named AnyPoint. This is actually harmless (only one Monitor Mode instance runs per user), but you can clean it up by using the <b>Enable/disable Monitor Mode for current user</b> option in the right-click pop-up menu of the program's title bar.<br />
<br />
<b>Remember</b>: There are situations where an instance of GWX Control Panel launched by a Standard/Child user actually runs under the profile of an administrator account. So just like with version 1.6, the <b>Enable/disable Monitor Mode for current user</b> option in the system menu might affect the administrator account, not the actual current user. This is why I display the name of the user Monitor Mode is enabled under, because it will list the administrator's name if the program is running with elevated permissions.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">12. I DOWNLOADED THE LATEST VERSION OF GWX CONTROL PANEL BUT THE ABOUT BOX AND CHECK UPDATES SCREENS OF MONITOR MODE ARE TELLING ME I HAVE AN OLDER VERSION</span></h3>
The program versions displayed in the About GWX Control Panel and Check for updates dialog boxes are pulled from the currently-running process (they're not hard-coded strings built into the dialog boxes). If you see an older version listed in those screens, it means you're actually running an older version of the program.<br />
<br />
This can easily happen if you use the stand-alone version of GWX Control Panel, because the default behavior of most browsers is to rename more recent copies of a file if a pre-existing file with the same name as what you're trying to download already exists:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f6NIUG0cemQ/VomdCI6ri7I/AAAAAAAACR8/QIhs4zGIQfk/s1600/Downloads%2BMultiple%2BCopies.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f6NIUG0cemQ/VomdCI6ri7I/AAAAAAAACR8/QIhs4zGIQfk/s640/Downloads%2BMultiple%2BCopies.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>GWX Control Panel was downloaded three times, resulting in three uniquely-named files.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The Enable Monitor Mode feature of GWX Control Panel tells Windows to use the path and filename of the currently running copy of GWX Control Panel when you clicked the button. If you enabled GWX Control Panel while using a different folder or filename from the most recent copy you downloaded, your other, older copy is going to be the one that loads on Windows startup.<br />
<br />
The GWX Control Panel installer solves this issue by letting you select a single install location for the program and replacing older copies with the latest version, preventing multiple copies from cluttering up your downloads folder.<br />
<br />
If you still prefer to stick with the stand-alone version, just click Disable Monitor Mode, then click Enable Monitor Mode to re-enable it using the current path/filenname.<br />
<br />
<b>Note</b><br />
If you upgraded from version 1.6, you might also want to use the <b>Enable/disable Monitor Mode for current user</b> feature to make sure you don't have two startup entries for Monitor Mode (this will ensure that only the latest version gets launched at startup).<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">13. WHEN I USE THE 'DISPLAY THE USER GUIDE' FEATURE MY BROWSER BOOKMARKS AND SETTINGS ARE DIFFERENT</span></h3>
If a Standard or User child account does something that requires administrator permissions to perform (basically any time you have to enter a password to do anything in GWX Control Panel, including installing/uninstalling), GWX Control Panel actually runs under the user profile of the administrator account whose password you entered. Consider these two scenarios:<br />
<ol>
<li>Standard user A has to enter administrator user B's password in order to install GWX Control Panel. When the final setup page launches GWX Control Panel, it is still running with administrator permissions, and any changes made for that one instance of the program happen under the administrator's user profile. (Subsequent instances launched under user A's account will run under user A's profile until they attempt to do something that requires administrator permissions.)</li>
<li>Standard user A uses a GWX Control Panel feature that affects system settings, resulting in Windows prompting for an administrator password. Any subsequent actions the user performs in that same elevated instance of the program, including <b>Display the User Guide</b>, happen under the administrator user B's profile.</li>
</ol>
So, what's happening here is you're actually seeing the administrator user's browser settings. Just quit GWX Control Panel and launch it again to run with your own user account permissions.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">14. WINDOWS ASKS ME TO ENTER A PASSWORD IN ORDER TO LAUNCH GWX CONTROL PANEL EVERY TIME I LOG IN TO WINDOWS</span></h3>
Any time Windows asks you to enter a password in order to use GWX Control Panel, it means you are using a Standard or Child account with limited Windows permissions. While this is expected if you launched GWX Control Panel manually and clicked one of the features that changes system settings, this is never supposed to happen at Windows startup, because Monitor Mode doesn't require administrator rights.<br />
<br />
This behavior is much less likely to happen if you use the GWX Control Panel installer rather than the stand-alone version, but here are some potential causes for this behavior if it happens to you:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>GWX_control_panel.exe is located in a protected folder location</b>. Standard and Child user accounts of Windows don't have access to all locations of a computer's storage drives. If another user downloaded GWX Control Panel into a protected or private location and enabled Monitor Mode, users who don't have the same access to the computer can be prompted to enter the password of an account that does.</li>
<li><b>Someone changed the properties of GWX Control Panel to require administrator access</b>. There are a lot of Windows utilities that don't work properly unless you explicitly launch them with administrator permissions. <i>GWX Control Panel is not one of them.</i> If you change GWX Control Panel's properties to elevate it to administrator, this will force Standard and Child user accounts to enter an administrator password in order to run it, even though Monitor Mode never does anything that requires admin rights.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EzR4SCGBl5o/VomjS8ISaRI/AAAAAAAACSM/jA7Pt9FrwQ0/s1600/Run%2Bthis%2Bprogram%2Bas%2Badministrator.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EzR4SCGBl5o/VomjS8ISaRI/AAAAAAAACSM/jA7Pt9FrwQ0/s400/Run%2Bthis%2Bprogram%2Bas%2Badministrator.png" width="311" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>You never need to check this box or use the "Run as Administrator" Explorer shortcut menu option with GWX Control Panel.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
</ul>
In both of these cases, the best way to deal with it is to use the GWX Control Panel installer. It will put the files in a place all users have access to and won't apply unnecessary elevation requirements to its executables or shortcuts. You will also want to be sure to disable/re-enable Monitor Mode after installing to make sure Windows loads the correct version of the program from the right location. <br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">15. I'M UNABLE TO INSTALL/UPGRADE/UNINSTALL GWX CONTROL PANEL DUE TO AN "ERROR OPENING FILE FOR WRITING" DIALOG</span></h3>
This happens if an already-installed copy of GWX Control Panel is still running while the setup program is attempting to install the latest version (or remove an existing one). Now, the setup program attempts to terminate any running instances of GWX Control Panel before proceeding, but sometimes this error still occurs:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ci66M6DMdSU/Vlfch2OEZ5I/AAAAAAAACDs/IfYBbQu4TIc/s1600/fcbdcbah.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ci66M6DMdSU/Vlfch2OEZ5I/AAAAAAAACDs/IfYBbQu4TIc/s320/fcbdcbah.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The two most likely reasons for this error are:<br />
<ol>
<li>More than one user account is currently in the logged-in state on your computer, and at least one of those other accounts is running an instance of GWX Control Panel (either the main program window or the Monitor Mode icon).</li>
<li>You are running the installer from a Standard or Child account, and as a result the installer (which runs under a separate administrator account's credentials), can't "see" processes running in your Standard/Child account's process space. </li>
</ol>
<b>How to fix it:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Only attempt to install, upgrade, or uninstall GWX Control Panel while logged in to an administrator account. (<b>Tip</b>: If you have to enter a password when launching the installer, you are <i>not </i>running from an administrator account.)</li>
<li>Log out any other user accounts on the computer, so that no instances of GWX Control Panel are running outside of your current administrator account's process space. (Or just reboot your computer and only log in to your primary administrator account.)</li>
<li>Launch the GWX Control Panel setup program (or uninstaller) and proceed.<br /> </li>
</ol>
<ol>
</ol>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">16. THE GWX CONTROL PANEL WINDOW IS POSITIONED SO HIGH ON MY DESKTOP THAT I CAN'T GRAB THE TITLE BAR TO MOVE THE WINDOW</span></h3>
This is actually a really neat little bug, but I'll spare you the details and just say I've fixed the problem. There are two easy ways to re-position the GWX Control Panel window:<br />
<ul>
<li>If you have Monitor Mode enabled, right-click the Monitor Mode "10" icon in your notification area and then click <b>Reset Control Panel Window Position</b> on the pop-up menu.</li>
<li>If you don't want to (or aren't able to) use Monitor Mode, you can fix the problem by either uninstalling and then re-installing GWX Control Panel (assuming you used the installer versus running the program stand-alone) or by downloading and installing the most recent version of the GWX Control Panel installer. Beginning with 1.6.0.1, the installer resets the window position before installing/upgrading the program.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">17. I USED GWX CONTROL PANEL AND NOW I GET HANGS OR ERRORS WHEN I TRY TO CHECK FOR WINDOWS UPDATES</span></h3>
GWX Control Panel doesn't cause Windows Update errors or failures, and it doesn't block or otherwise disable Windows Update unless you explicitly tell it to by using <b>Change Windows Update Settings</b> feature to select the <b>Never check for updates</b> option. If you encounter an error when trying to use the <b>Check for updates</b> feature of Windows Update, <i>GWX Control Panel is <u>not</u> the root cause</i>. Here are some things you can do to troubleshoot your problem:<br />
<br />
<b>Important note for Windows 7 users</b>: There are known issues with the speed of "Check for Updates" in Windows 7. Before you start with this checklist, make sure you have the latest patches from Microsoft that fix known slowdown issues. I have<a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2016/08/how-to-speed-up-windows-updates-check.html" target="_blank"> written a separate article</a> about this which lists the exact patches you need to download and install. This does not affect Windows 8.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Wait it out</b>. If your issue is that checking for updates is taking an unusually long time, understand that checking for updates is a queued operation. In other words, when you click "Check for updates" Microsoft puts your request in a queue behind hundreds or possibly thousands of other computers waiting to communicate with your nearest Windows Update servers. Busier times of day usually result in longer wait times. Also remember that if you used the "Clear Windows Update Cache" feature of GWX Control Panel your first update check will take longer than usual.</li>
<li><b>Restart Windows</b>. Seriously, if you haven't rebooted your computer since you first experienced your issue, please do it at least once.</li>
<li><b>Try again later</b>. The number one cause of errors when checking for new Windows updates is server problems, and Microsoft's update servers are busier than ever now that they're also used to distribute Windows 10. Note that most of these failures occur on Monday (when people power on their work computers) and Tuesday (when Microsoft pushes out most updates).</li>
<li><b>Check your internet connection</b>. Windows Update communicates with Microsoft's update servers, and it obviously won't work if your Wi-Fi connection is down or your router's not working, or your DNS cache is out of date. Unfortunately, the errors you get when this is the problem are incredibly misleading. </li>
<li><b>Make sure the Windows Update and Software Protection services are running</b>. Both of these services are supposed to start automatically with Windows, but they are "Delayed Start" services that load after all the other services start. Every once in a while one or both of them doesn't bother starting at all, and Windows Update won't work without them. Open up your Services control panel (services.msc) and locate <b>Software Protection</b> and <b>Windows Update</b>, then make sure they're both enabled as "<b>Automatic (Delayed Start)</b>" and that they're both running.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Giov2Xl_MaI/Vp-j2uUWczI/AAAAAAAACXY/9I3SLp5PxXU/s1600/Software%2BProtection%2Bservice.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Giov2Xl_MaI/Vp-j2uUWczI/AAAAAAAACXY/9I3SLp5PxXU/s640/Software%2BProtection%2Bservice.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />While not as commonly a problem, you should also check that both <b>Background Intelligent Transfer Service</b> and the <b>Cryptographic Services</b> are enabled and running. Windows Update can't fully function without them.<br /> </li>
<li><b>Check your Windows update log for errors</b>. Locate the Windows Update log file (usually C:\Windows\WindowsUpdate.log). It is a normal text file you can open in Notepad. Any recent activity and error messages will be down at the bottom of the file. This will give you some keywords to search for when tracking down a fix.</li>
<li><b>Try some of Microsoft's Windows Update troubleshooters</b>. The first one I'd try would be the one located at the bottom of <a href="http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Windows-Update-error-80070422-80244019-or-8DDD0018" target="_blank">this Knowledge Base article</a>. (Look for the "automatic troubleshooter" link.) If that doesn't seem to work for you, proceed to <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/971058" target="_blank">this other troubleshooter</a>.</li>
<li><b>Try a third-party repair tool</b>. While I haven't used this tool personally, I have heard positive reviews from some folks who were able to able to resolve Windows Update issues with <a href="http://www.tweaking.com/content/page/windows_repair_all_in_one.html" target="_blank">Tweaking.com's Windows Repair utility</a>.</li>
</ol>
<b>Also:</b><br />
If you do a <b>Check for updates</b> and Windows Update reports "No updates available" that really means that no updates are available (unless you've explicitly hidden some with the <b>Hide update</b> feature, in which case you can reveal them with <b>Restore hidden updates</b>).<br />
<ol>
</ol>
While GWX Control Panel does not break or cause errors in Windows Update, it obviously does have some interaction with the Windows Update service. Here's where you can learn more about those aspects of the program:<br />
<ul>
<li>The <b>Prevent/Allow Automatic Windows 10 Upgrades</b> feature affects some Windows Update settings directly related to the Windows 10 upgrade process, and these settings are completely reversible. <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/12/gwx-control-panel-17-user-guide.html" target="_blank">See the user guide</a>.</li>
<li>The <b>Change Windows Update Settings</b> feature presents a subset of the Windows Update settings for your computer. Any changes you make here will be reflected in your Windows Update control panel, and can be undone/changed back in either Windows Update or GWX Control Panel. <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/12/gwx-control-panel-17-user-guide.html" target="_blank">See the user guide</a>.</li>
<li>The <b>Clear Windows Update Cache</b> feature deletes cached Windows update data and results in some one-time effects which are documented both inside GWX Control Panel (before you attempt to perform the operation) and at the <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel announcement page</a>. Among other things, the first time you check for updates after using it will take significantly longer than usual, but any actual errors you encounter are more likely due to server issues- so just try again later.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">18. GWX CONTROL PANEL SUCCESSFULLY BLOCKED WINDOWS 10, BUT NOW WINDOWS UPDATE SAYS I'VE GOT A TON OF UPDATES READY FOR DOWNLOAD!</span></h3>
Sometimes when Microsoft installs Windows 10 "nagware" on your computer it has a side-effect of blocking the regular Windows Update patches that your current operating system is supposed to receive. If you are one of the people experiencing this behavior, once GWX Control Panel blocks Windows 10 and restores your normal Windows Update behavior, you may indeed find dozens (even hundreds) of Windows Update patches waiting to install on your computer the next time you open your Windows Update control panel. While this is to be expected in some cases (for unknown reasons, not all users affected by the Windows 10 annoyances experience this Windows Update hijacking behavior), Windows Update doesn't always behave gracefully when it has a bunch of downloads to deliver to you all at once. Here are some tips to help you get back to normal:<br />
<ul>
<li>Before allowing Windows to install your available updates, I advise checking your Windows Update settings (you can do this from within GWX Control Panel or by clicking <b>Change settings</b> from Microsoft's Windows Update control panel) and making sure to <u>uncheck</u> the option labeled, "<b>Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates</b>." This prevents Windows from automatically selecting non-essential patches such as KB3035583 for installation, and cut down on the number of updates you'll initially have to install.</li>
<li>Some Windows Update patches conflict with one another in the sense that they make their own updates to the same operating system files on your PC. Windows is smart enough to apply the right changes when you install individual updates one-at-a-time, but if you attempt to install two or more conflicting updates together in a batch of other update patches, it is quite common for one of the conflicting patches to fail- which usually has the unfortunate effect of rolling back the <i>entire </i>batch of attempted updates. If you find that Windows keeps trying (and failing) to install the same updates, click the "important updates are available" link from the main Windows Update page, and then uncheck all automatically-selected updates except for one single update. Click OK to return to the main Windows Update page, and then click Install updates. Repeat this process, restarting Windows when prompted to do so. This may take a while, but it works.</li>
<li>People frequently ask me if GWX Control Panel will prevent any Windows 10-related updates from downloading to your PC. The current version doesn't do that (you can read more about why this is- and why it doesn't really matter- in the first topic at the <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/11/the-gwx-control-panel-faq-frequently.html" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel FAQ</a>), but don't worry! If you've already used the "<b>Disable/Prevent Get Windows 10 App</b>" and "<b>Prevent Windows 10 Upgrades</b>" features of GWX Control Panel, you are already protected from Windows 10, regardless of what Windows Update patches you install on your PC.</li>
<li>If you continue to experience problematic Windows Update behavior, have a look at topic 17 above, on this same page. I've never seen a Windows Update problem those steps couldn't fix.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">19. I CAN SEE THE MONITOR MODE ICON BUT MY 'SAVE DIAGNOSTIC INFO' REPORT SAYS IT ISN'T RUNNING</span></h3>
If you enabled Monitor Mode and you can see that it's running, you might notice some confusing output in the <b>Save Diagnostic Info</b> logs:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Monitor Mode Flags=0x00000006<br /> - Monitor Mode is enabled for all users in registry (HKLM Run GwxControlPanelMonitor).<br /> - Monitor Mode is currently running.<br /> - Monitor Mode is not currently running (try Restart Monitor Mode from the system menu).</span><br />
<br />
This is just a minor bug in the 1.7.1.0 code that parses the flag values. If the Flags value is 0x00000003 or 0x00000006, the "Monitor Mode is not currently running" message is incorrect. It will be fixed in the next version.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">20. I AM USING AN ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT BUT MY 'SAVE DIAGNOSTIC INFO' REPORT SAYS I'M NOT AN ADMINISTRATOR</span></h3>
In version 1.7, the "User is Administrator" field in the <b>Save Diagnostic Info</b> reports is really talking about the permissions of the currently running process, not the actual logged-in user account. I agree this is confusing, and I will fix the wording in a future version. Here are some cases when this field will say "User is Administrator=Yes":<br />
<ul>
<li>Using "Run as Administrator" when launching GWX Control Panel (not necessary or recommended).</li>
<li>When GWX Control Panel is launched by the installer.</li>
<li>When GWX Control Panel's Monitor Mode is launched by an instance of GWX Control Panel that has administrator rights. (When it loads at Windows startup Monitor Mode never requests admin rights.)</li>
<li>User modified the shortcut or EXE properties so that the program always runs as administrator (again, not recommended or required).</li>
<li>User selected a program feature that requires administrator rights. (The program self-elevates to Administrator in that case and remains that way until closed.)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">21. I USED GWX CONTROL PANEL AND NOW MY (INSERT APPLICATION OR FEATURE HERE) DOESN'T WORK!</span></h3>
Thousands of people download and use GWX Control Panel every day, and since the program's release I haven't learned of a single instance where the program was responsible for any problem that's not already described on this page or <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">the user guide</a>. That said, there's a first time for everything, and here's how to determine whether GWX Control Panel was the true culprit:<br />
<ol>
<li>Open GWX Control Panel and re-enable any feature that you had previously disabled within the program. (And restart Windows if the program prompts you to do so.) This will undo any changes GWX Control Panel made, restoring them to their state before you ran the program.<br /><br /><b>Note</b><br />The <b>Clear Windows Update Cache</b>, <b>Delete Windows 10 Programs</b>, and <b>Delete Windows 10 Download Folders</b> features are the only things that can't be reversed, since they delete files. Although they are not reversible, neither of them are harmful, and I haven't heard reports of any <i>unexpected </i>side-effects from using them. (There are indeed some known one-time side-effects of clearing your update cache, and those are both detailed in <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">the user guide</a> and described inside the program before you proceed with the operation.)<br /> </li>
<li>If you suspect Monitor Mode is causing problems, click <b>Disable Monitor Mode</b> in the main GWX Control Panel window to exit the Monitor Mode process and prevent it from starting automatically.</li>
<li>Finally, if you want to completely rule out GWX Control Panel as a root cause, and you used the GWX Control Panel setup program to install the software (versus downloading the program stand-alone), you can uninstall it from your <b>Programs and Features</b> control panel in Windows. The uninstaller should stop any open instances and remove any registry values created by the installer and the application.</li>
</ol>
If you reverse GWX Control Panel's changes and uninstall the application and you still have the issue, <i>it's very likely that GWX Control Panel wasn't the actual cause of the problem</i>. If, however, you do these things (reverse changes and uninstall) and your problem goes away then I definitely want to hear about it so I can research the matter further. You can leave comments here or contact me through the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Ultimate-Outsider-Music-Production-Tips-427451450797406/" target="_blank">Ultimate Outsider Facebook page</a>.Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4399960513082382706.post-19237589620017331442015-11-26T16:11:00.000-08:002016-08-01T18:22:52.463-07:00The GWX Control Panel FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)This post answers a number of questions I've received about GWX Control Panel, the program that helps protect Windows 7 and Windows 8 users from unwanted Windows 10-related notifications and upgrades.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_5PKATpYzzo/VlftbHhngaI/AAAAAAAACEA/4xcF7O649Rc/s1600/GWX%2BControl%2BPanel%2BFrequently%2BAsked%2BQuestions.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_5PKATpYzzo/VlftbHhngaI/AAAAAAAACEA/4xcF7O649Rc/s640/GWX%2BControl%2BPanel%2BFrequently%2BAsked%2BQuestions.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
If you can't find the answer you're looking for here, you might find it at one of these other posts:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">The GWX Control Panel announcement post</a>. This is essentially the GWX Control Panel user guide. You'll find the most detailed documentation there, as well as download links and release details.</li>
<li><a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/11/gwx-control-panel-troubleshooting-guide.html" target="_blank">GWX Control Panel Troubleshooting Guide</a>. Go here if GWX Control Panel is not working as expected, or if you believe it is causing problems with other programs or your computer.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">1. WILL GWX CONTROL PANEL BLOCK WINDOWS UPDATE FROM INSTALLING SPECIFIC PATCHES LIKE KB2952664, KB2976978, KB3035583, KB3123862, ETC?</span></h3>
While I describe all the things GWX Control Panel does and doesn't do in the "What it does and how it works" section of <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">the user guide</a>, I still get questions like this every couple of days, so I'll go into more detail here. It is a complex issue, and I will address it in three parts:<br />
<br />
<b>THE PAST</b><br />
If I had to sum up GWX Control Panel with a one-line mission statement, it would be, "Let users fix Windows 10-related annoyances with just a couple of clicks." By "annoyances" I mean visible or tangible problems that Microsoft's Windows 10 campaign causes users of Windows 7 and Windows 8. The first few features I implemented in GWX Control Panel fit perfectly into that theme:<br />
<ul>
<li>Dismiss and prevent the "Get Windows 10" icon.</li>
<li>Block Windows 10 upgrades.</li>
<li>Restore normal Windows Update control panel behavior if it's been hijacked by Windows 10.</li>
<li>Find and delete the hidden Windows 10 download folders to free up disk space.</li>
</ul>
I was able to accomplish all of those things without blocking or uninstalling any Windows Update patches. On my own personal computers, I always install all Windows Update patches- and with GWX Control Panel installed and enabled, I never experience any of the above symptoms. As far as I was concerned, investing development time into blocking individual Windows Update patches didn't make sense to me, because I was able to stop all of Microsoft's undesirable behaviors without hiding or uninstalling a single Windows Update patch.<br />
<br />
And here's the reason I didn't see what value such a feature would deliver: Other than KB3035583 (which I discuss in the next section) and the actual Windows 10 Upgrade itself, the majority of alleged Windows 10-related Windows Update patches that people talk about on message boards don't appear to cause any visible Windows 10-related behavior that isn't already addressed by GWX Control Panel. I've gotten so many emails asking why I'm not doing something to block KB2952664, KB2976978, KB3123862, etc, but the problem is: Those updates don't appear to do anything bad if you're already using GWX Control Panel to disable Windows 10 upgrades. (Note: If you can provide concrete evidence otherwise, please send it my way! I analyze every new supposed Win 10-related patch with my own arsenal of debugging and analysis tools, and I just haven't found them to do anything that my program doesn't already stop.)<br />
<br />
<b>THE PRESENT</b><br />
First, let me clarify a couple of things: I <b>do </b>explicitly block the "<b>Upgrade to Windows 10</b>" patch that can appear in Windows Update depending on your computer's settings. That is actually a special update that is controlled and delivered in a different manner from your typical "KB" updates. Also, while I don't prevent the notorious KB3035583 patch from installing on your computer, my <b>Monitor Mode</b> will notify you if the patch gets installed and my<b> Delete Windows 10 Programs</b> feature will neutralize the update better than actually uninstalling the update would.<br />
<br />
So let me be very clear: <i>As of version 1.7.2.0, with the exception of the actual "<b>Upgrade to Windows 10</b>" patch, GWX Control Panel does not prevent specific Windows Update patches from installing, because they don't appear to cause any Windows 10 annoyances that GWX Control Panel can't fix.</i> You control which updates to install via the Windows Update control panel, and I honor your preferences.<br />
<br />
<b>THE FUTURE</b><br />
All of the above said, since people do still contact me about this issue quite often, I am investigating possible ways to safely and elegantly prevent known Win 10-related updates from installing, even if blocking them doesn't really seem to offer any benefits to-date as long as you're already using GWX Control Panel. While I personally haven't found it necessary to police which updates get installed on my PCs, there's always the possibility that Microsoft could surprise us with some new nasty update some day, and I'd like to be ready for it. So keep an eye out for news on this front... I don't have an E.T.A. for that though. (<b>Update: August 1, 2016</b>... I reached about 95% complete on an update manager for GWX Control Panel but wasn't able to complete it before the July 29 deadline due to work obligations. The code I developed will likely make its way into a future product, and may even make it into a future version of GWX Control Panel if Microsoft ever brings back the free Windows 10 campaign.)<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">2. DO I NEED GWX CONTROL PANEL NOW THAT MICROSOFT ENDED THE "GET WINDOWS 10" UPGRADE CAMPAIGN ON JULY 29th?</span></h3>
Honestly, it's just too early to say. Right now tens (hundreds?) of millions of Windows 7/8.1 computers still have Microsoft's "Get Windows 10" app installed, even if it's not currently bugging them to upgrade. I've seen a couple people mention that Microsoft might re-ignite the campaign at some point, in which case you'll probably want to make sure you have some way to protect yourself from unwanted upgrades. It's also possible that Microsoft might alter their methods so that the settings and procedures GWX Control Panel uses to protect users from Windows 10 are no longer effective. So anyway, we just don't know- but we're probably safe for at least a few months.<br />
<br />
I have written <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2016/08/how-to-uninstall-gwx-control-panel.html" target="_blank">step-by-step instructions for removing/uninstalling GWX Control Panel</a> for anyone who's not used to uninstalling Windows software. (Of course, many GWX Control Panel users used the stand-alone version of the program which doesn't require true "uninstallation" at all. Just disable Monitor Mode if it's running and delete the file.)<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
3. CAN I REALLY <u>PERMANENTLY</u> DISABLE ANY WINDOWS 10 FEATURES WITH GWX CONTROL PANEL?</span></h3>
At
the time I'm writing this, the "Disable" features of GWX Control Panel
really do what they're intended to do; they prevent unwanted OS upgrades
and notifications. This works after system restarts and <i>most </i>Windows
Updates with no further intervention on your part. GWX Control Panel
doesn't break or uninstall any Windows features; it just gives you
control over when things happen.<br />
<br />
But Windows is a
moving target. If Microsoft pushes another update that changes the Get
Windows 10 or Windows Update behavior, or locks its upgrade settings
down even further than they are already, the icon and the notifications
and other annoyances might come back. If that ever happens, I will do my
best to combat it and publish updates at my downloads page.<br />
<br />
But this is important to keep in mind: <i>As long as you have Windows Update enabled, Microsoft has the ability to install new software and change your settings. </i>GWX Control Panel honors your Windows Update settings: If you have Windows Update set to "automatically install updates," GWX Control Panel can't prevent new Windows 10-related change from being installed on your computer. What it can and does do is to notify you whenever new Windows 10 files or settings are found on your PC and gives you the ability to easily fix things. <br />
<br />
We have seen at least one case where a Windows Update patch can
re-enable some settings that GWX Control Panel disables. (Specifically,
it appears to be a recent overhaul to the <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3083710" target="_blank">Windows 7</a> and <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3083711" target="_blank">Windows 8</a> versions of Windows Update, which also resets all Windows Update
settings, including those related to Windows 10 upgrades.) I've also seen and heard of several cases where a Windows 10-related setting will just seem to spontaneously change status while you're working on your computer. This is likely due to Windows 10-related processes launched by the Windows Task Scheduler. They get onto your computer via Windows Update, but don't necessarily run until some time after you apply your updates.<br />
<br />
Be vigilant
and run GWX Control Panel after new updates are installed to make sure
the OS hasn't re-enabled unwanted features. (Or use the new Monitor Mode introduced with version 1.6 to be notified immediately if any Windows 10 settings revert to enabled state unexpectedly.)<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">4. I HAVE USED GWX CONTROL PANEL IN THE PAST BUT NOW I'M READY TO UPGRADE TO WINDOWS 10. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?</span></h3>
You have a few different options depending on how you've used GWX Control Panel and how you'd like to perform your upgrade.<br />
<br />
<i>If you've only used GWX Control Panel to <b>Disable the 'Get Windows 10' app</b> and <b>Prevent Automatic Windows 10 Upgrades</b>:<br /> </i><br />
Both of these features are easily reversible. Just click <b>Enable 'Get Windows 10' app</b> to bring the icon back and click <b>Allow Windows 10 Upgrades</b> to enable Windows 10 services in Windows Update. (You might also want to click <b>Enable Non-critical Windows 10 Settings</b> if that is available.) Now you can click the Get Windows 10 app to begin the upgrade process. Alternatively, if you do a fresh <b>Check for updates</b> in Windows Update after re-enabling these features, you might find the <b>Upgrade to Windows 10</b> patch available as an installable option (not everyone sees this option; I don't know why).<br />
<br />
<i>If you have already used the </i><b><i>Delete Windows 10 Download Folders</i></b><i> or <b>Delete Windows 10 Programs</b> features:<br /> </i><br />
Since these features delete files, you need to take an extra step or two to upgrade to Windows 10. First, make sure to click <b>Allow Windows 10 Upgrades</b> in GWX Control Panel to enable Windows 10 services in Windows Update. After that you have two options:<br />
<ol>
<li>Use Microsoft's <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10" target="_blank">Windows 10 Media Creation Tool</a> to download and install Windows 10. (Please see that linked page for instructions.)<br />-or-</li>
<li>Open the <b>Programs and Features</b> control panel and click <b>View installed updates</b>. In the search box in the upper-right of the window, enter: <b>kb3035583 </b>It might take Windows a few seconds to perform the search. Eventually you should see an entry labeled "<b>Update for Microsoft Windows (KB3035583)</b>". Select this entry and then click <b>Uninstall</b>. (See screenshot below.) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r0rAbeH1emc/VpqsjR_z9LI/AAAAAAAACWI/sBGtjMmIgCM/s1600/uninstalling%2Bkb3035583.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r0rAbeH1emc/VpqsjR_z9LI/AAAAAAAACWI/sBGtjMmIgCM/s400/uninstalling%2Bkb3035583.png" width="400" /></a></div>
After Windows uninstalls the update, open up your <b>Windows Update</b> control panel and click <b>Check for updates</b>. Wait for Windows Update to check for new updates. This can take a while depending on your computer and how busy Microsoft's update servers are. Once the search is complete, Windows should return with a message like "<b>Install updates for your computer</b>," and will probably also say at least <b>1 important update is available</b>. Click the "<b>important update available</b>" link to confirm KB3035583 is one of the available updates. (If you don't see KB3035583 listed, you might have to go back to the main Windows Update screen and click Restore hidden updates to un-hide KB3035583. Once you're able to see and select that update, click <b>OK </b>or <b>Install updates</b>, depending on which screen you're on. Once the update is complete, if you don't see Microsoft's Get Windows 10 icon right away, try restarting Windows. If it still doesn't appear make sure you don't have it disabled in GWX Control Panel. Once you can see the icon you can follow the instructions in the first part of this answer.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">5. WHY DOES WINDOWS ASK ME IF I WANT TO ALLOW GWX CONTROL PANEL TO MAKE CHANGES TO MY COMPUTER?</span></h3>
When
you attempt to perform an action in GWX Control Panel that changes Windows settings, you might see a dialog box that says, “Do
you want to allow the following program to make changes to this
computer?” This is a function of the User Account Control feature of
Windows. GWX Control Panel requires so-called “Administrator privileges”
in order to perform some of its tasks, so if you see
this dialog box, you must click <b>Yes </b>in order to continue loading the program. You will only be prompted to do this once per GWX Control Panel session.<br />
<br />
If Windows doesn't ask this question, it probably means the User Account Control feature is disabled.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">6. WILL GWX CONTROL PANEL PREVENT MICROSOFT FROM UPGRADING MY COMPUTER TO WINDOWS 10?</span></h3>
Yes, it appears to- if you use it early enough! (See the next couple of questions for more info.)<br />
<br />
First off, according to a Microsoft employee I know and trust, <b>Microsoft will not (yet) intentionally upgrade your Windows 7 or Windows 8 computer to Windows 10 without your consent</b>. (The purpose of the Get Windows 10 app is to annoy you into giving your consent!) You give your consent by clicking the <b>Reserve your free upgrade</b>
button in the Get Windows 10 app, which you will only see if you click
the notification icon or one of its notification pop-ups. You only have
to click this once to get the ball rolling, and there is no "Are you
sure?" confirmation.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WNQVaQxBOno/Ve4AxDB8FII/AAAAAAAABzw/4yTCXK-9f_M/s1600/gwxux%2Breserve%2Byour%2Bfree%2Bcopy.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WNQVaQxBOno/Ve4AxDB8FII/AAAAAAAABzw/4yTCXK-9f_M/s400/gwxux%2Breserve%2Byour%2Bfree%2Bcopy.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>By clicking this button, you give your consent to install Windows 10.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Even
though it's possible to cancel your Windows 10 upgrade reservation in
the Get Windows 10 app, doing so appears to put your computer in a state
where it can actually download Windows 10 as a Windows Update. (I
tested reserving and canceling on one of my Windows 7 computers, and
afterward my Windows Update control panel always defaulted to a "<b>Upgrade to Windows 10</b>" screen and I had to click <b>Show all available updates</b> and then <i>deselect </i><b>Upgrade to Windows 10 Pro</b>
in order to install regular Windows updates.) So if you really don't
want Windows 10 yet, it's best not to click that "Reserve" button to
begin with!<br />
<br />
Anyway,
I've done several months of testing on eight computers running Windows 7
and Windows 8, and the full Windows 10 installer has not downloaded on any computers where I had used the "Disable Operating System Upgrades in Windows Update" feature of the program.<br />
<br />
As an update, in early October
Microsoft issued a patch to the Windows Update system which reset some
settings GWX Control Panel looks for, related to OS upgrades. Running
the latest version of GWX Control Panel on my test systems returned them
all to "disabled" status. To date I still haven't seen the 'Get Windows
10' icon re-appear on any of my computers where I disabled it with GWX
Control Panel, only the "OS Upgrades" settings.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">7. WILL GWX CONTROL PANEL PREVENT MICROSOFT FROM PUSHING THE WINDOWS 10 INSTALLER ONTO MY PC?</span></h3>
Yes, it appears to- again, if you use it early enough. (See next question for details.)<br />
<br />
Beginning with version 1.3, the <b>Disable Operating System Upgrades in Windows Update</b>
feature of GWX Control Panel attempts to block the secret download of
the Windows 10 installer onto your PC. If the folder already exists, GWX
Control Panel won't delete it- but if you apply the "disable operating
system upgrades" feature and restart your computer, Windows shouldn't
download any more of the installer until you re-enable upgrades and
restart again.<br />
<br />
There are two reasons I have to say that GWX Control Panel <i>appears to</i>
work here: First, Microsoft has their own formulas for determining who
gets the download files and when, so it's not something that's easy to
test. I basically just have to leave my test computers running and wait.
Second, in light of <a href="http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2425381/microsoft-is-downloading-windows-10-to-your-machine-just-in-case" target="_blank">recent rumors that Microsoft is pushing the secret download</a>
to PCs, whether users have requested an upgrade or not, I don't know
whether Microsoft is doing something new to force the downloads that GWX
Control Panel doesn't know about yet.<br />
<br />
All I can say is
that on the eight or so computers where I have run GWX Control Panel,
the only one that has downloaded the installer was one where I had
explicitly requested the upgrade. (And this was before I had implemented
the "disable operating system upgrades" feature.) I am still watching
to see if things change.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">8. WINDOWS IS
ONLY GIVING ME THE OPTIONS OF RESCHEDULING OR IMMEDIATELY STARTING THE
WINDOWS 10 UPGRADE: WILL GWX CONTROL PANEL HELP ME?</span></h3>
Yes! After weeks of research and experimentation, versions from 1.4 on include
some logic specifically intended to address the following behavior: If
you are seeing either of the following screens, it means that Microsoft
has pushed your PC into a state that the first few versions of GWX
Control Panel were not designed to reverse:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j0vXxMjhYNI/Vh6TyZWKwmI/AAAAAAAAB8A/4s5iRFucnHk/s1600/Windows%2BUpdate%2BReschedule%2BStart.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j0vXxMjhYNI/Vh6TyZWKwmI/AAAAAAAAB8A/4s5iRFucnHk/s640/Windows%2BUpdate%2BReschedule%2BStart.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>This dialog says "It's
almost time for your upgrade" and only gives you the options of "Let's
Reschedule" or "Start the upgrade now." (Thanks to Bill M. for the
screenshot.)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mfpt5DQTDCo/Vh6TyM3pWXI/AAAAAAAAB78/94u4mo9P-PI/s1600/Upgrade%2Bto%2BWindows%2B10%2BIs%2BReady.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mfpt5DQTDCo/Vh6TyM3pWXI/AAAAAAAAB78/94u4mo9P-PI/s640/Upgrade%2Bto%2BWindows%2B10%2BIs%2BReady.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>This Windows Update screen
says "Your upgrade to Windows 10 is ready" and only gives you the
option to "Restart now." (Thanks to David R. for the screenshot.) This
is different from the problem where Windows Update defaults to saying
"Upgrade to Windows 10" but you can click a link to view your current OS
updates.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If you are seeing either of the above two screens,
exactly as they appear here, current versions of GWX Control Panel
should finally be able to help you, but I am still looking for
confirmation from users experiencing this specific problem. It has been
an especially tough problem to work on since I've never been able to
reproduce it on my own systems, and don't have access to any computers
that were experiencing the issue.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>OTHER PROBLEMS THAT GWX CONTROL PANEL <u>DOES</u> FIX: </b></span><br />
<br />
To
be perfectly clear, if you're seeing either of these following screens,
these are things GWX Control Panel also can and does fix.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F7w6jAK5hnw/Vh6b27E_KMI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/Vw2Q7HJ8fKI/s1600/gwx%2Balert%2Bsmall.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F7w6jAK5hnw/Vh6b27E_KMI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/Vw2Q7HJ8fKI/s1600/gwx%2Balert%2Bsmall.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>All versions of GWX Control Panel eliminate the Get Windows 10 App icon and its pop-up messages.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ay3HC19xxDg/Vh6cM0SbcsI/AAAAAAAAB8g/NYZ4l02Dw7M/s1600/upgrade%2Bto%2Bwindows%2B10%2Bcropped.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="385" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ay3HC19xxDg/Vh6cM0SbcsI/AAAAAAAAB8g/NYZ4l02Dw7M/s640/upgrade%2Bto%2Bwindows%2B10%2Bcropped.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Beginning with version
1.2, GWX Control Panel can fix the problem where Windows Update says
"Upgrade to Windows 10" and makes you click an extra "Show all available
updates" link in order to see your current updates.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Additionally, GWX Control Panel will keep Microsoft
from downloading the hidden 6GB Windows 10 install folder onto your
Windows 7 or Windows 8 PC- again, if you use it early enough.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">9. DOES GWX CONTROL PANEL RUN IN THE BACKGROUND AND MONITOR CHANGES MICROSOFT MAKES TO MY UPDATE SETTINGS?</span></h3>
Beginning with version 1.6, the optional "Monitor Mode" feature does exactly this (<a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">see the user guide</a> for details). If you don't enable Monitor Mode, the GWX Control Panel only runs when you launch it, and
while it actively monitors your Windows upgrade settings while it's
running, it doesn't/can't watch your settings after you quit the
program. (I am considering that functionality as an optional feature,
but not promising anything yet.)<br />
<br />
I have noticed that
Microsoft occasionally re-pushes some of the Windows 10-related updates,
even if you already installed them before. (For example, on October 5,
my Windows Update told me I had an "important update" waiting that
turned out to be the original "Get Windows 10 app" update, KB3035583,
even though my Windows Update logs clearly show that update was already
installed on my PC on August 21.)<br />
<br />
It is possible that
when Microsoft does this, they might overwrite some of the GWX Control
Panel settings, meaning you might want to run GWX Control Panel after
performing Windows Update to double-check that Microsoft didn't
re-enable features you had previously disabled. I recommend restarting
Windows before re-running GWX Control Panel, because some of these
Windows 10-related updates don't "kick in" until after you restart
Windows, and GWX Control Panel might not recognize they're in place
until that time.<br />
<br />
On some of my Windows 7 systems, I noticed that a recent Windows Update (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3083710" target="_blank">probably this one</a>)
reset the "Windows Update OS upgrades enabled" setting, which can
potentially open you up to an accidental Windows 10 upgrade. I actually
don't think this was a malicious change on Microsoft's part (the update
in question was actually for Windows Update itself, and I think it just
cleared out ALL update-related settings, not just those related to
Windows 10), but it is our first evidence that Microsoft <i>can </i>change
some of these settings via updates, so you will need to be vigilant and
run GWX Control Panel after they're installed. (Or disable automatic
updates, but I'm still not comfortable doing that personally.)<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">10. CAN GWX CONTROL PANEL DELETE THE HIDDEN WINDOWS 10 DOWNLOAD FOLDERS?</span></h3>
Yes (beginning with version 1.5).<br />
<br />
An
original design goal of GWX Control Panel was to only make changes to
your system that could easily be reversed, so I tried to avoid any
features that involved permanently removing files. But the fact is that
manually removing the $Windows.~BT and $Windows.~WS files is a hassle.
There are scripts and tutorials online to help you do it, but I received
a lot of requests to add this feature to the program, and it made
sense. I also saw it as a personal challenge, since the work required to
delete some of these hidden files programmatically is, in my opinion,
some of the hardest programming you can do in Windows.<br />
<br />
There
are probably some performance and UI optimizations I can do while the
process is underway, but for now it works and at least gives you a
ballpark indication of where in the process you are.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">11. WHO ARE YOU? </span></h3>
Professionally, I've worked
as a software engineer for 20 years, with the most recent 16 years of
that in the Tech industry. I have developed software for every version
of Windows from 3.1 through Windows 10, and have recently begun working
in embedded Linux.<br />
<br />
In my spare time I write and record
music, although I've devoted the past 3 or 4 years almost exclusively to
developing my recording and mixing skills so that my original
compositions sound more professional. As I acquire knowledge and develop
my own skills, I also maintain the Ultimate Outsider blog, which is
primarily focused on music production.<br />
<br />
And of course I also sometimes write and publish free software.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">12. WHY DID YOU WRITE THIS PROGRAM?</span></h3>
I use <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/06/building-new-computer-for-music.html" target="_blank">my main desktop PC</a> for music production, and at the moment some applications and hardware that are critical to my work either have <a href="http://amzn.to/1O21elL" target="_blank">known compatibility issues</a> with, or <a href="http://amzn.to/1KwbTpL" target="_blank">flat-out don't work</a>
in Windows 10- so I'm sticking with Windows 7 until I'm reasonably
confident my stuff will still function correctly after I upgrade. While I
don't have any general negative opinions on Microsoft or Windows 10, I
found the Get Windows 10 app's relentless upgrade reminders absolutely
infuriating because there was no obvious way to stop them. Of course I
found some solutions online (of wildly varying complexity and efficacy),
but I had a bigger problem...<br />
<br />
You see, I also had a
lot of friends and family with Windows 7 and Windows 8 on their
computers who were also continually pestered by the Get Windows 10 app-
and I wanted to give them a solution that was literally so easy my mom
could do it. None of the tutorials I'd seen about how to deal with the
app are what I'd consider novice-friendly, whereas GWX Control Panel is a
one-click solution.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">13. DO YOU SHARE YOUR SOURCE CODE?</span></h3>
Like the
majority of Windows developers, I do not publish my source code. While I
wrote GWX Control Panel (and every other free tool I've published) on
my own time, with my own OS and developer tool licenses (thank you,
Microsoft, for the <a href="https://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/products/visual-studio-community-vs.aspx" target="_blank">Visual Studio Community Edition</a>!)
and while I distribute the programs for free, the knowledge and
experience that goes into my programs is my most valuable personal asset
in terms of my career and livelihood. It's the reason people pay me to
code for them, and I protect it.<br />
<br />
Although the core
logic behind GWX Control Panel's ability to control and configure the
Get Windows 10 app is what I consider somewhat trivial, the GWX Control
Panel application consumes my personal class library, which is a 100%
original code base of elegant, efficient utility functions covering many
aspects of working in Windows. I use it for everything I write in my
free time, and to share GWX Control Panel's code would be to share my
private library code- and I just won't do that.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">14. WHY SHOULD I TRUST YOUR SOFTWARE?</span></h3>
That's a fair question, and here's what I can offer in response:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>I have a track record</b>. I've been publishing free tools for
developers, system admins, (and more recently, music producers) since
the late 90s. Some of the <a href="http://inky.50megs.com/myprograms.html" target="_blank">tools at my old site</a>
have been downloaded tens of thousands of times. (I'm as surprised as
anyone about that, by the way. I don't think I've
even touched that site for over a decade, but every time I consider
pulling the plug on it I check the stats only to find that thousands of
people are still going there every month.) The only complaints I've
ever gotten about those tools were from people using my 16-year-old
programs on brand new computers with much more RAM and storage space
than a couple of my tools were originally written to account for. Also,
my more recent programs, <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2012/12/nexus-preset-organizer-for-refx-nexus2.html" target="_blank">Nexus Preset Organizer</a> and <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/01/coming-soon.html" target="_blank">UltimatePluginTool</a>
have been downloaded thousands of times each, and I've only ever gotten
positive feedback... except for a few Mac users unhappy about the fact
that I haven't ported anything to OS X.</li>
<li><b>My recent programs are digitally signed</b>. A digital signature
serves two important purposes: First, it proves that the copy of the
file you received is an authentic, unmodified binary that the author
intended. If anyone attempts to tamper with the binary, doing so
violates the digital signature. (More on this in the next question.)
Second, the signature ties a real-world developer (as well as the
developer's web domain) to the binary file. I had to go through an
excruciating three-week process to get approval for my digital
signature, because of the lengths that the signing authorities go to in
order to ensure that certificates are awarded to legitimate individuals
and businesses. Developers who write sketchy software don't sign their
binaries, because doing so leaves a paper trail.</li>
<li><b>My web site has been white-listed by the Microsoft SmartScreen filter</b>. Windows 8 and Windows 10 have a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_SmartScreen" target="_blank">SmartScreen feature</a>
that checks downloads against a list of known malware sites, and when
you attempt to launch a downloaded program from either a known malicious
site or simply a site whose provenance is not yet known, they display a
warning before letting you proceed with the file. (This is different
from the User Account Control warnings I describe elsewhere.) When I
first started distributing software from the ultimateoutsider.com
domain, my downloads triggered SmartScreen warnings simply because
Microsoft had no record of my reputation one way or the other, but after
a couple of weeks of consistent safe downloads from my site, I built up
a positive reputation in the SmartScreen system and my downloads no
longer trigger SmartScreen notifications.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">15. HOW CAN I TELL IF MY COPY OF GWX CONTROL PANEL IS AUTHENTIC?</span></h3>
Within
a day of publishing GWX Control Panel it was showing up
on third-party sites for download. (It's even showing up on torrent
sites, for some reason?) While I can only vouch for software
that you download from <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">my own downloads page</a>, here are some ways you can prove the file you downloaded is authentic.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>GWX Control Panel and the official GWX Control Panel setup program are digitally signed</b>. If someone tampers
with my file, its digital signature will be invalidated. Here's how you
can check that the signature is still intact: Locate the copy of <b>GWX_control_panel.exe</b> (or <b>GwxControlPanelSetup.exe</b>) you downloaded in Windows Explorer. Right-click the file and then click <b>Properties</b>. You should see a tab called <b>Digital Signatures</b>. If you don't see the <b>Digital Signatures</b> tab, then the file is not authentic! If you <i>do </i>see the <b>Digital Signatures</b> tab, there should be only a single "<b>sha1</b>" signature listed, with my real name listed as the signer. If you select the signature and click <b>Details</b>, you'll see that the signature is tied to both my real name and the <b>ultimateoutsider.com</b> domain. If you see anything other than an ultimateoutsider.com email address, then this file did not come from me!</li>
<li><b>The official GWX Control Panel setup program does not install any additional software!</b> If you received GWX Control Panel via some installer that had ads or installed third-party software, that was not a legitimate installer. </li>
<li><b>Your copy should match my published MD5 and SHA-1 checksums</b>. I have updated <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">the downloads page</a>
with the MD5 and SHA-1 checksum values for GWX Control Panel. Here's
how to confirm that your copy matches the one that I published: Get the <a href="http://download.cnet.com/MD5-SHA-Checksum-Utility/3000-2092_4-10911445.html" target="_blank">MD5 & SHA Checksum Utility</a> and launch it. When the program opens, click <b>Browse </b>to locate your downloaded copy of <b>GWX_control_panel.exe</b> or <b>GwxControlPanelSetup.exe</b>. The MD5 and SHA-1 values that appear should match the values I published for GWX Control Panel on <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">my downloads page</a>.
The published values reflect the version that's currently available for
download. Checksum values for previous versions are listed in the Release Notes section of <a href="http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html" target="_blank">the user guide</a>.</li>
<li><b>The only official distribution point for GWX Control Panel is ultimateoutsider.com</b>.
I am the only person who controls what gets published here, and while I
don't have any evidence that third parties have tampered with my files in the wild,
better safe than sorry. I stand behind everything I write, but only if
you <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/" target="_blank">get it from here</a>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">16. DOES GWX CONTROL PANEL DO ANYTHING THAT HASN'T BEEN DESCRIBED IN VARIOUS TUTORIALS OR MESSAGE BOARD THREADS?</span></h3>
There
are lots of blog posts and message board threads discussing how to get
rid of the Get Windows 10 app, but aside from frequently being too
advanced for truly novice users, I've also observed the following:<br />
<ul>
<li>Some methods are only temporary fixes. They make the app go away
until you restart Windows, or maybe until you do another Windows Update,
but they don't truly stop the Get Windows 10 app from bothering you-
they just postpone it.</li>
<li>Some methods are what I'd consider unsafe (especially the ones that involve you disabling Windows Update).</li>
<li>Some methods have potential to result in unexpected or undesired
behavior if you're not completely sure what you're doing or if you apply
a change to the wrong files or folders.</li>
<li>Some were more permanent/final solutions than I liked. I didn't want
to delete or permanently break the application; I wanted to be able to
re-enable the Get Windows 10 app when I was ready to use it.</li>
<li>And some just went way beyond what was truly necessary to keep the Get Windows 10 app from bothering you.</li>
</ul>
GWX Control Panel doesn't do anything particularly special
(well, the early versions didn't anyway). It's just simple and safe, reversible (except for the features that delete files), and
it works.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">17. WHY DID YOU RENAME THE PROGRAM?</span></h3>
A
few days after publishing this program under its original name, I discovered an online video about another, somewhat mysterious
program with the same name. While this other program appeared to have
the same ostensible purpose as mine- to dismiss the 'Get Windows 10'
icon- the video left me with a lot of questions. For one thing, I cannot
find any information about this other program on the website of the
apparent developer, although the direct download link in the video's
description goes to their site. I haven't used or downloaded the other
program, so I won't speculate on how it works or what it does. I can
only say that based on what I saw in that video, even if I had known
about that other program's existence beforehand I still would have
written mine. I'd have just named it something else.<br />
<br />
So
anyway, I renamed my program to eliminate any confusion between the two
utilities. The funny thing is, when I was writing my tool, it was
originally called "GWX Closer." I decided I didn't like that name,
though, because it implied that the program only closed a running
instance of the Get Windows 10 app, rather than permanently disabling
it. I'm embarrassed for not having web-searched the name before I
published the tool. "GWX Control Panel" appears to be safe for now,
though!<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">18. ANYTHING ELSE?</span></h3>
Why
yes, thank you for asking, imaginary reader! As I mentioned earlier, I
am neither anti-Microsoft nor anti-Windows 10, but I am absolutely
opposed to the design and methodology of the Get Windows 10 App.<br />
<br />
The Get Windows 10 app has many traits that are usually associated with malware:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>It's non-essential software that's deceptively bundled with other, legitimate software via the Windows Update process</b>.
Even if you're the type to pick and choose Windows updates
individually, the summary information about the update that installs the
app makes the patch sound like a bug fix rather than a nagware
installer: "Install this update to resolve issues in Windows." In
computer security circles, software that claims to be something it's not
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_horse_%28computing%29" target="_blank">is called a Trojan</a>. You will only know what the patch actually installs if you click the <b>More information</b> link, which brings you to the <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3035583" target="_blank">KB3035583 Knowledge Base article</a>.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6BbxjVRe10k/VeOJpit4CMI/AAAAAAAABxk/3xTlmHWG1Hw/s1600/Get%2BWindows%2B10%2BKB%2BUpdate.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="473" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6BbxjVRe10k/VeOJpit4CMI/AAAAAAAABxk/3xTlmHWG1Hw/s640/Get%2BWindows%2B10%2BKB%2BUpdate.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The misleading description of the update that installs the Get Windows 10 nagware.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
<li><b>It repeatedly and frequently interrupts your day-to-day work</b>.
Once the Get Windows 10 App is installed on your computer, it will pop
up unexpected reminders to upgrade, and it won't stop bugging you until
you relent and move on to Windows 10. This behavior basically turns your
legitimately licensed copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8 into <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagware" target="_blank">nagware</a>.</li>
<li><b>It cannot be disabled or configured via normal means</b>. Just
about any other legitimate system tray ("notification area") application
these days offers a right-click menu with the ability to disable
notifications or prevent the tool from starting with Windows. Not doing
so is in direct opposition to <a href="https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn742495.aspx" target="_blank">Microsoft's own guidelines</a> on how to develop applications that display icons in the notification area.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xnzle5c9uZg/VeOOu848NDI/AAAAAAAABx4/8XykePJ0jyk/s1600/microsoft%2Bnotification%2Barea%2Bguidelines.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xnzle5c9uZg/VeOOu848NDI/AAAAAAAABx4/8XykePJ0jyk/s640/microsoft%2Bnotification%2Barea%2Bguidelines.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>These are only SOME of Microsoft's design guidelines the Get Windows 10 app ignores.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
<li><b>It is difficult for novice users to locate and remove</b>. Just
like most modern viruses and malware, the Get Windows 10 app installs in
a location where most users would not know to look, and uses
non-descriptive file and folder names to obscure its identity. The app
lives in a folder named GWX ("Get Windows 10"- get it?) under the
System32 folder of your Windows directory. The files are locked down
with special permissions, meaning they are very difficult to rename or
remove- although it is possible with the right system permissions and
procedures. Of course most users look in the <b>Programs and Features</b>
control panel when they want to remove software- and although you can
use the control panel to remove the KB3035583 update, you obviously have
to know that it's where the GWX app came from. But even if you manage
to do that, it will also re-install automatically in future Windows
updates.</li>
<li><b>It can break user expectations</b>. After some experimentation
with the Get Windows 10 experience, I've discovered that if you reserve
your Windows 10 upgrade via the 'Get Windows 10' app, but then decide
you don't wish to upgrade and cancel your reservation, Windows can still
automatically upgrade your computer to Windows 10 by selecting and
installing an optional 'Upgrade to Windows 10' update that becomes
available some time after you reserve your copy. This probably explains
various reports I've heard of people receiving unexpected operating
system upgrades. When a user says "no" to something you can't break your
contract with the user and proceed anyway. </li>
</ul>
<br />
I have legitimate reasons for wanting to stick with
Windows 7 for the moment since several tools I rely on simply aren't
Windows 10-compatible yet, but Microsoft is literally trying to annoy me
into upgrading to a new operating system that I'm just not ready for.
The Get Windows 10 app is <i>evil software</i>, and I don't like the
precedent that it sets, particularly given how successful it's
apparently been at accomplishing Microsoft's objectives. GWX Control
Panel is my humble protest against the app, and hopefully a way to help
other Windows 7 and Windows 8 users regain control over their computing
experience.
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">19. HOW CAN I SUPPORT GWX CONTROL PANEL? </span></h2>
I develop and maintain free software on my own time. I don't charge a fee because I want everyone to have equal access to my programs- and unlike a lot of developers of "free" software, I don't bundle any annoying third-party programs, spyware, or advertising with my tools. However, if something I wrote helped you and you'd like to express your thanks in a concrete way, you can send a donation of any amount via PayPal. Support from my visitors covers my hosting and licensing costs, and gives me incentive to keep putting out cool new utilities.<br />
<br />
If you wish to help out, you can enter a donation amount below and then click on the <b>Donate</b> button. You do <i>not </i>need a PayPal account in
order to donate! Just click the "<b>Don't have a PayPal account</b>" option on the page that comes up after you click the <b>Donate</b> button. The
donation amount is in U.S. Dollars (USD).
<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3LERuaWFcFk/VpSWM3XekjI/AAAAAAAACT4/CE9UxtKfoYs/s1600/PayPal%2BNot%2BA%2BMember.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3LERuaWFcFk/VpSWM3XekjI/AAAAAAAACT4/CE9UxtKfoYs/s400/PayPal%2BNot%2BA%2BMember.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Click here on the PayPal page if you don't have a PayPal account.</i></td></tr>
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<br />Ultimate Outsiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09004247608053632633noreply@blogger.com59