Backbone 1.5 - blacklisted by all inst. Cubase versions (older CPU, Win10)

Hi,

this is the first time that I’m having massive problems with one of Steinberg’s own VST plugins, in this case it’s the newly updated Backbone v1.5 (which is being licensed via the Absolute Collection 5 package license on my USB dongle).

On one machine (Laptop, Windows 11 Pro), I can use Backbone 1.5 - as updated yesterday - in any version of Cubase installed (Pro 11, Elements 11, LE 12, Pro 8.5, Pro 10.5), as well as in Nuendo 12.0.30 (Trial). Only as long as the USB dongle is connected, of course, since the Absolute Coll. 5 package license must be “on”.
The eLCC is version 6.12.8.3311, also all other Steinberg utilities are at their latest version.

On another machine (an older PC, Windows 10 Pro) Backbone 1.5 is being rejected as a VST3 plugin, in any installed version of Cubase and Nuendo 12 (Trial) - and blacklisted. Re-activation (button below) failed every time I tried it.
As above, the eLCC is version 6.12.8.3311, also all other Steinberg utilities are at their latest version.

Only after rolling back to v1.1.10, Backbone worked again on this specific PC.

I’d installed the Backbone 1.5 update with admin rights, without admin rights.
I even deleted all older blacklist related XMLs.
Made no difference.

Also I made sure to check (by comparison with the working laptop installation) if all relevant files weren’t broken by comparing file sizes and if all the files were correctly installed in:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\Steinberg\Backbone.vst3\

Just if anyone might ask:
(1) did I also update the components during install? YES
(2) did I replace / re-register the 6 updated vstsound content files manually? YES
(3) did I re-download the update package (v1.5) via SDA? YES

Perhaps any idea, anyone?

Regards,
Markus

[edited: headline, June 28, 2022, 14:57 and 18:02]

Is the Steinberg Activation Manager in this computer up to date? I believe the latest version is currently 1.3.1 (shown in-app as 1.3.1.698).

There have been cases where the SAM is unable to be updated properly. This is generally caused by registry issues.

1 Like

here, on windows 11 all up to date, and blacklisted too

Hi @Romantique_Tp,

thanks for responding.
As I’d written above, “all other Steinberg utilities are at their latest version”.

Nevertheless, I did re-download and re-install SAM and it still shows the latest available version / build number.
All local license registrations are working, dongle is connected.
That scenario you mention really doesn’t seem to be the reason for VST plugin scanner’s faulty behavior. Were you referring to Windows Registry issues, or to any XML registration issues?

I also temporarily renamed the XML presets folder of Cubase Pro 11.0.41.
(C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg)
After restarting CP11, I even removed all manually entered VST plugin search paths, re-scanned multiple times, restarted CP11 again, restarted the PC, temporarily deactivated Windows Defender, etc. etc.

Result:
No change. Backbone still blacklisted.

All installed Steinberg VSTs, presets and content had been working perfectly before, and the Media Bay had always been configured carefully enough so everything relevant was accessible.
Backbone is being marked (twice) under VST Sound in Media Bay, all content is visible, yet just doesn’t play, since the corresponding VST plugin is being blacklisted.
Although I had de-registered and newly “registered in place” (manually) all six vstsound files within Library Manager (multiple times, and of course the updated versions v8 and v2, not the older ones).

Only positive change on that same machine:
last night I could finally update the (temporary) eLCC build .2300 by updating to build .3311, at least this time the eLCC installer didn’t “kill” the existing eLicenser software container.

Anyway, that whole thing is getting very annoying.

Regards,
Markus

1 Like

i read this in other forum :
It’s the GetDPIForMonitor function that is failing because the VST3 is looking for API-MS-WIN-SHCORE-SCALING-L1-1-1.DLL.

(api not avalible on windows 11)

1 Like

Hi @Fingertips,

sorry that you have this too.

And thanks for that interesting info.
Just read something about that on Microsoft’s support pages.

Yet the PC in question isn’t using Win11, but Win10.
The file api-ms-win-shcore-scaling-l1-1-1.dll wasn’t present (Win10Pro - 21H2 - Build 19044.1766), so I found and copied a Windows 8.1. version to both relevant places (System32, SysWOW64), but this changed nothing.

Just to sum things up:
until now, I’ve never ever had so many problems with any Steinberg product - with Backbone 1.5 being the sad exception.

Addendum:
also, after deinstalling Backbone 1.5. and my roll back to version 1.1.10, all strange side effects like all Cubase versions starting with weird errors (licensing “old” and “new”), or Cubase not starting at all, don’t happen any more.

Conclusion:
Backbone 1.5. won’t work or is unreliable “on some machines”, for no easily understandable reason.

Cheers,
Markus

Just for the record:

GetDpiForMonitor function (shellscalingapi.h) - Win32 apps | Microsoft Learn

i was copyng that file too, and reg with regserv32 (admin mode) and system give errors about the dll.
I think is not only copy and register the dll . . .

I only find good information in not steinberg forums, and this is very sad

1 Like

Just a thought, are all of you having the blacklist issues running a non AVX cpu? Could be that the new drumgan sony part needs AVX or is not coded properly to work on non AVX cpu’s.

2 Likes

Hi @vinark,

thanks for your idea, you really may be on to something.

As far as I’m concerned, the answer is yes! My older machine uses a Xeon W3550 (Q3, 2009), which is comparable to a (1st gen.) 900 series Core i7 (Bloomfield). No AVX, which was first introduced with Sandy Bridge CPUs in Q1, 2011.

[Addendum]
Whereas on my (also a bit older) Laptop the updated version 1.5 of Backbone runs fine, that machine is from 2013 and uses an Ivy Bridge Core i5 3320M (Q2, 2012).

Also, I’d done a short experiment in between. After the rollback to Backbone 1.1., I’d copied the GAN resource file (ca. 172 MB in size) into the folder next to the VST3 file. After this, Cubase (Pro 11) didn’t start up. After having removed the file, everything went back to normal. Of course such an experiment is rather “esoteric”, without any planful measurements and memory dump of what really happens while Cubase is starting up.

So, I still hope we can collect even more ideas. Thanks again!

Cheers,
Markus

Again, for the record:

Advanced Vector Extensions - Wikipedia

1 Like

not avx cpu here
:frowning:

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Steinberg can probably fix it, if AVX is the issue here, if they want. UVI the plate was AVX only on release and after a lot of protest UVI fixed it, AFAIR, the avx plate version uses 10% cpu and the non AVX 30%. But since it is probably the drumgan/sony part that needs AVX, that is a non real time process anyway.
BTW NI Massive X is also AVX only and was never fixed (and they told they would not make it AVX from the beginning).
I am still very happy with my X5470 running at 4ghz (on a P5Q, this xeon CPU is modded to run on s775).

1 Like

Any updates on this so far? I have the same issue with backbone not showing up on my windows 11 64 bit laptop… it’s so sad :sleepy:

Btw I’m using reaper and ableton, and not cubase….

Where can download the last version of Backbone please? It would be better than nothing!

Hi @vinark,

haven’t forgotten our discussion.
As soon as the Steinberg support people have returned from holiday after Jan. 8th, I’ll phone them to ask if someone can confirm if AVX is definitively needed for Backbone 1.5 and GAN.

If they confirm, I’d mark your respective post as the solution.

Best wishes and hopefully a Happy New Year,
Markus

Hi @Mathew47,

sadly not, but as I already wrote, I’ll phone Steinberg after their holidays.

Best wishes, also a Happy New Year,
Markus

It’s running on my main system which supports avx, windows 10 though…

Hope that info helps, cheers :beers:

Hi @Mathew47,

sadly, I have no idea what the exact cause for BB 1.5 not showing up on your PC is.

Perhaps as a short check list:

[ - 1 - ]

the following is all that needs to be installed (v1.5), plus 6 registered .vstsound files, including a few more resource files:

[ v.1.1.10: June 30, 2021 - 107,491 MB ] (this is the version I can only run due to no AVX)

[ - 2- ]

  • Backbone.vst3
    [ v.1.5: June 08, 2022 - 97,501 MB ] <------ (file date on my PC)

  • drumgan.component
    [ June 08, 2022 - 172,327 MB ] <------ (file date on my PC)

  • Windows path, Backbone resource file Drum GAN:

  • C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\Steinberg\Backbone.vst3\Contents\x86_64-win

  • Windows path, Backbone resource file Backbone.srf:

  • C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\Steinberg\Backbone.vst3\Contents\Resources

[ - 3- ]

  • FCP_SMT_800_Backbone_MP.vstsound [ 64,553 MB ]
    (file date on my PC is Nov 25, 2021)
  • Windows path, Backbone resource file Backbone MP:
  • C:\ProgramData\Steinberg\Content\Backbone\VST Sound
  • (in case there are also 4 link files about 2 KB in size, they should be left untouched, this is the case if the six larger content files were registered on another partition either by using the Move command in Steinberg Library Manager, or by double clicking a .vstsound file within its folder and then using “Register in place” in Steinberg Library Manager)

[ - 4- ]

The six container files, as they should appear as registered in Library Manager:

[Content Folder “Backbone”, named like the 7th possible register card in Lib. Man.]

[Backbone] in Library Manager under “Backbone”
FCP_SMT_801_Backbone_Presets.vstsound [ 9,561 MB ] [v8] [ my file dates: Nov 25, 2021]
FCP_SMT_802_Backbone_Samples.vstsound [ 1,386,887 MB ] [v8]
FCP_SMT_803_Backbone_Layer_Presets.vstsound [ 20,863 MB ] [v8]

[Backbone 1.1] in Library Manager under “Backbone”
FCP_SMT_806_Backbone_Presets.vstsound [ 4,321 MB ] [v2]
FCP_SMT_807_Backbone_Samples.vstsound [ 345,707 MB ] [v2]
FCP_SMT_808_Backbone_Layer_Presets.vstsound [ 9,825 MB ] [v2]

Cheers,
Markus
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Screenshots:
[ 1 ] Backbone.vst3 - drumgan.component - Backbone.srf


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[ 2 ] FCP_SMT_800_Backbone_MP.vstsound

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[ 3 ] the 6 .vstsound content files

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[ 4 ] how things should look in Steinberg Library Manager