I had a nightmare crash, loading one distortion plugin whilst playing crashed Cubase 14, I wanted to restart my pc to start new, result Windows got corrupt and nothing could fix it.
Had to go through a massive reinstall ..
So the Feature Request is this :
Can we once and for all NOT store preferences on the C Drive any more ?!
Or can we just have an OPTION to finally let users decide where they want stuff?
We’ve had external drives for ages and it kills me that Cubase preferences, and lots of other software preferences still go in the Documents folder under User !!
If I could set up to have all my presets, preferences etc to go on my External Drive, then a system crash would have less impact.
I WISH all manufacturers ALWAYS ask users to setup their preferences for what is installed and where. No random BS with Windows stuff all over in Users, ProgramData etc.. Nuts to manage and backup.
Rant over, cheers all, back to work with my new install (and a big reason to cull and crush GAS..)
EG, the Cubase preferences go in this folder :
C:/Users/username/AppData/Roaming/Steinberg/Cubase%2014_64/Presets/Configurations/MyDefaults.xml
I really would MUCH prefer to consolidate ALL preferences (key commands, strips settings, etc etc..) into a user-defined location eg on an external drive, makes for easier management and easier backup to prevent wasting a ton of time for a system overhaul / reinstall.
Same gripe with most audio software manufacturers, all those software storing stuff automatically in Documents, appdata etc is outdated and unfair.
LET users define their paths !
“Outdated”??? That’s not outdated, that is the current Windows standard. And standards are a good thing, else everything would be all over the place (like e.g. with VST2, where no standard location existed and some installers put them someplace where you didn’t find them afterwards…).
Standardized directories usually make backup easier, as everything is (roughly) in one place, and it most likely means less support issues for developers, so I really don’t think you will be successful with your request… and nothing prevents you to use symlinks/junction points to move directories to another location.
The best way to mitigate system crashes and data losses is imho still a proper backup concept.
That being said, it could be really helpful if Cubase e.g. included some kind of internal settings backup system, e.g. for easy transfer between computers. The profiles are a good idea, but just don’t include everything.
Yes I agree with you ! A centralised system for all preferences would be convenient to save and backup one’s data.
What I meant by outdated is the way Windows throws all kinds of files in all kinds of places, this is archaic and messy, and definitely not easy for an average not-so-geeky user to manage. Navigating Appdata and symlinks isn’t what an average musician or producer wants to be worrying about.
Also the file structure for presets etc is all defined by Steinberg so they can very well consolidate this and offer a setup on first load where users DECIDE where they want their preferences.. For me it would never be on C, but on an external drive in one location for easy backup.
And in case of reinstall, one can just go load that folder on first run of Cubase and it would pick up all those preferences, templates, settings, shortcuts, colors, etc..
Example of good practise : Arturia
Upon reinstalling ASC, I am presented with an option to set my own folder location for instruments libraries, presets etc.. So I move it from ProgramData to my external Drive for music, sorted, thanks Arturia.
I believe Steinberg can implement a similar or even better feature for solid profile data management.
PS this issue is bigger than Cubase of course, as I have lost all my favourites in every VST plugin, lost most custom presets, etc…
There are issues with pretty much every plugin manager, NI does not offer automatic loading of all existing libraries on external drive for example.
Moving forward I’m taking this as a major lesson :
no more GAS, I will work with as little plugins as possible
I may only buy plugins that really care about the data UX so I can save and backup my data conveniently
time to setup a fully-fledged backup system that encompasses every corner of the Windows mess where files are stored
I do not care about getting new plugins in C15 but I really wish for an overhaul of the entire user data experience so all these things are centralised and easy to manage and backup.
That must have been some crash! To take out Windows with it.
My “Documents” folder is on a separate HDD, so I wish Steinberg would save it’s data (ALL of it) in the default [set by the user!] Documents folder. So I’d be happy with that. As it is, I copy as much of the settings as I can find to that documents folder as backup. And I backup to external HDDs, as well.
I learned my lesson 'way back.
I know it’s too late by now. However, a proper backup system on at least one additional drive/cloud is a must no matter if all presets reside in one single location of your choice or not. Systems will always be at risk to get corrupted. You probably gonna hate me for pointing that out but that’s just the way it is.
Presets, not only Cubase presets, are rather easy to save - even most 3rd party plugins. Find out where they are saved and do your backup routine based on some sort of schedule. That’s what I’ve been doing for years now.
Ratings and tags are another beast. I have tried - but it’s a wonky business. So I decided to better stay off of it and not rely on them. But that’s my personal choice.
Again, I am really sorry to hear that you lost all your presets. However, it’s rather simple to do a proper backup. If I were you I wouldn’t wait for a solution that includes all 3rd party plugins and a location of your choice. To be honest - I wouldn’t be too optimistic that this will happen - ever.
I was actually thinking it was a “Windows” crash that took “Cubase” with it, but that’s neither here nor there at this point.
In addition to @Reco29’s advice for full and incremental backups, I would also suggest creating a simple batch file to copy required source configuration files into a zip file located on a cloud-enabled folder (e.g. OneDrive) so you always have copies through time of each config file. This is trivial on a Mac where all (most) the preferences files are in one folder hierarchy, but it should be rather simple to do on Windows as well. I know hindsight is 20/20, but if you automate this (like with Windows Scheduler or just a logon startup script) it makes all the difference.
Hahaha…
We have come a long way already!
Cubase now copies all this stuff automatically during install and setup! Big improvement!
Certain features have become detached from individual Cubase directories into the global Steinberg directory, ergo is accessible to ANY Cubase version.
I agree more could be done..
Drum Machine - Not sure why all these settings got dumped into the Appdata/Roaming/Steinberg folder. In the end DM kits are not compatible with Mediabay previewer. I guess DM is not technically a vst plugin.
Got it, fully agree, thanks for the encouragements I will do just that, build a new routine.
Thanks man, much appreciated !
Yes that is now my plan, thanks Thor ! Windows is a bit messy but I’ll manage. Time to get things straight with my setup, especially I now have a dual boot with an OS just for music. This is the year of upgrades and with a new release approaching …
Yes, Windows can be, and though it’s not my personal OS of choice, it can be made to be a solid, reliable platform with the right hardware, drivers, and config.
Just to add to my above post, when I said “copy required source configuration files into a zip file located on a cloud-enabled folder (e.g. OneDrive) so you always have copies through time of each config file” I specifically meant choosing a separate folder you create that is NOT being used by the application, like “C:|MyConfigs\Backup” or something like that which you’ll then enable in OneDrive as a “Backup” folder to the cloud. I didn’t mean trying to make OneDrive actually backup your “active” production folders which are in use by the OS or app directly. Just figured I’d clear that up
Yes I got that no worries, thanks for clarifying
I’ll see if FreeFileSync can do it, used it a lot before on Windows, I want an efficient system as automatic as possible. But ideally Steinberg listened and will plan upgrades to make it easier for us !
One more Layer of request for Steinberg Download Assistant.
It would be better to make 2 paths as there can be a difference between downloaded installers for apps (location defined as slower large drive) and downloaded sample libraries (location as faster SSD).
They can be the same by default of course so that won’t change anything for users who don’t mind it. But for us who like to tidy things our way, this matters.
And PLEASE REMOVE this Win64 extra path that is automatically added ! Absolutely not necessary and an annoying extra subfolder.
A week of reinstallations after my Cubase and OS crash and most companies including Steinberg do not offer a complete solid solution to :
choose full paths for everything
differentiate between downloading an installer and downloading installed content such as libraries
recognize and integrate already existing content on users drives (have to redownload huge assets so that the plugin can see it..)
I like U-HE for offering to select where data goes, so not in Users\Documents but out on a non-OS drive.
I would love for Steinberg to really improve on UX for installations and reinstallations, not major stuff but could save hours. Especially the ability to point to a folder where downloaded libraries are already there and have the system automatically recognise, authorize etc..
Cheers
The Steinberg Library Manager already does this - you can simply double-click on a .vstsound file wherever it is and the SLM will automatically parse the library and update the MediaBay database. You can select 100 such files and do them all at once, or batches at a time, etc. And of course you manage the library location granularly (by library, anyway).
You still have to authorize them in SAM, but the entires are already in SAM from when you purchased it. So that bit is already handled, and vastly superior (IMO) to products like Native Access.
I’m not sure I understand this - “installed content such as libraries” still has to be processed and parsed by the SLM during install if you’re doing a “fresh” installation, and “libraries” can mean different things depending on instrument type and purpose (“apps” vs .vstsounds vs presets vs loops) so the dependencies for the product are downloaded to your download/install folder. Is this just to save hard drive space and differentiate between when downloading HALion at 1gig vs a HALion instrument’s samples (e.g. Etude) at 20gig?
I didn’t know that one, very useful I know I love you for many reasons man !
Already a step forward ~ if SLM had a scan all function to parse within a main folder then it would make the whole reinstall process even faster.
It is mostly for speed. I save my libraries on my faster SSD for disk access.
And my installers are on another drive, slower speed, rarely needed.
I tend to tidy everything, here is a screenshot of my VST3 folder, if I had left it as each installer did, it would be a huge mess making it harder to find stuff. As it is I have my instruments at the top and FX below all by categories.
When your drive is set up how you like it, use 3rd party software to clone the disc image and save it to an external drive. I do this every three or four days, and keep three sequential updates at all time. It saves a load of time if the disc goes down or windows gets corrupt.
Ah, I see. I do something similarly on the Mac side, though I don’t create subfolders for vendors/classes like you’re doing there. I think SB is right to leave the file structure to the vendor, and to provide organizational features to you with the Plug-In Manager and your customer sets of plugin folders in Cubendo itself rather than mucking about at the file-system level. But I see what you’re doing there
It’s hard to do. I’ve create a new primary workstation with my recently purchased Mac Studio rig and I’m doing the same thing. I’ve been really good about not loading the tons of software I’ve accumulated over the years and am trying to stay mostly within the SB product line (with synths anyway) thought that’s tough to do. I still have my MBP fully operational on what is now the second workstation behind me. I got a new RME interface for my primary and moved one of my UAD x8’s to the secondary, but still have an x8 on the primary for both DSP and UAD-specific equipment like my Sphere DLX, etc. RME is pretty amazing
As others have said, I think it’s worth your while to get a fully features backup application that allows you to boot into the restore environment, and not have to fully rebuild and re-install to get to the point you can then access the backups. Not sure what the state of that art is on Windows, but I’m sure other folks can help you out there
I know I love you for many reasons man ! 
