I have approximately 200 plugins installed on my Windows 11 Lenovo Thinkcentre Tiny, with two 2TB internal SSDs and one USB 4TB SSD. These SSDs are 90% full, mostly with sample folders. The PC is only used for playing with my MIDI controller. All of the plugins are accessible under a master set list on Cantabile Performer.
About 8 years ago when I had far fewer installed products, I had a hard disk crash and my backups weren’t adequate for restoration onto a new PC so I found myself reinstalling everything over a period of months.
I’m trying to prepare properly in advance this time. I have a 20TB subscription to iDrive and have cloned my C/D/H (the three SSDs previously mentioned) onto an Express drive they’ve sent me. I’m also taking online iDrive backups of any folder which I’ve identifed as having ‘config’ data for a plugin product (VST2/VST3/Appdata/Cantabile folders).
I also use Arcserve Shadowprotect SPX to take weekly full image backups of the three drives, with twice/week incremental backups. These go to an attached USB which I periodically swap out and store in a fireproof safe.
In the event of a disaster, my plan would be to restore the drives onto a new PC of comparable or greater horsepower, hoping that windows would handle driver inconsistenties. Of course, if the D: or H: (non-C:) drives failed, I would just replace those drives and expect to be able to copy over the contents of the backup without any difficulties.
I’ve had motherboards and SSDs fail without any warnings and I’ve become paranoid about the amount of time it would take to get everything I own reinstalled to a new PC.
I’d like to hear other members’ experiences and strategies for effective backups whether there have been successful migrations to a new PC after a catastrophic failure (including licensing, drivers, etc.).
This is a really difficult question to answer because your success will largely depend on how well Windows is restored and as you mentioned drivers re-installed.
For Cantabile itself, it should restore fine but you’ll probably need to re-active it… because the Window serial number will probably change as I think it’s tied to the hardware now.
As for plugins… that’s really an open-ended questions and depends on the plugins themselves.
eg: plugins that use PACE and other such licensing mechanisms might depend on where you’ve activated those licenses - on an external key, or specific to the machine etc…
Personally, my recommendation would be make sure you’ve got your data backed up and to just clean re-install everything… but when you’ve got 200+ plugins that’s definitely a daunting task.
Thanks for the response Brad. Yes, reinstalling all of my plugins would probably take a few months and it’s something I’m determined to try to prevent.
I was in IT for 35 years, designing and building database systems. We would periodically migrate to new hardware without disruption or reinstallation of applications. In the later years, this was accomplished by use of virtual machine technology, where images could easily be migrated to a VM living on new hardware. We also had disaster recovery installations of identical software installed on servers in a different location. The licenses all stipulated that the software could be legally used for business recovery testing.
In the case of enterprise software, software vendors understand the need for hardware migrations and accomodate. Businesses are also very careful to abide by licensing and internally audit to prevent violations. While I realize plugin vendors and their customers are in a different space, I’m still hoping to find someone who’s successfully migrated a large number of plugins from various vendors. I’m currently going with image backups from two different vendors but would consider a VM approach if someone has experience running this software under one. There’s also software for transfering apps from one PC to another (Microsoft is currently working on one for Windows 11), but I’m skeptical that solution would work here and I also don’t want to assume my ‘old’ PC would be in a working state when I needed the migration.
To put a finer point on my problem, I’ve included Cantabile set list output of my installed plugins. A lot of these are different instruments from the same vendor, but I think it’s obvious that reinstallation would be a mighty chore. (Sorry, I couldn’t figure out how to upload this as a file so please delete before replying).
Master Set List
2.59 8Dio 1928 Steinway
2.66 8Dio Plucked Piano
1.122 Alicia’s Keys
44 Bechstein Digital Grand Player
1.125 Boz MK Chicago Upright 1927
1.126 Boz MK Ningbo Upright 2021
1.127 Boz MK New York L 1926
1.128 Boz MK New York L 1991
1.108 Boz New York L 1926 - Original
1.109 Boz New York L 1991 - Original
2.12 Boz Vienna 170
57 CineSamples CinePiano
58 CineSamples Piano in Blue
1.31 Embertone Walker 1955 Concert D
2.48 Experience - Austrian Concert B290
2.45 Experience - Carbon P212
2.46 Experience - Clementi Fortepiano 1808
2.49 Experience - Italian Concert 308
2.47 Experience - Japanese Y212
2.44 Experience - Mason&Hamlin A174
2.43 Experience New York SS211
39 EW Bechstein 280 Master DYN
40 EW Bosendorfer Master 88 DYN
1 EW Steinway D Master DYN
41 EW Yamaha Master
47 Galaxy Steinway
48 Galaxy Vienna Grand
49 Galaxy Vintage D
43 Garritan CFX
1.102 Hammer and Waves Modern Grand
1.103 Hammer and Waves Relic Upright
1.104 Hammer and Waves UX Upright
46 Hammersmith Pro
2 Ivory American D
1.25 Ivory Bosendorfer 225
1.105 Ivory Bosendorfer 290 Imperial
1.101 Ivory German D
2.13 Ivory 3 American D
1.107 Ivory 3 German D
1.120 Ivory 3 German D - Alt
42 Ivory Italian
1.24 Ivory Steinway B
1.106 Ivory Yamaha C7
2.7 Ivory Modern Upright
2.8 Ivory Vintage Upright
2.9 Ivory Bar Room Upright
2.10 Ivory Upright Tack Piano
55 Keyscape Custom C7 Studio
1.97 Keyscape Double Felt Grand
1.99 Keyscape Tack Piano
1.98 Keyscape Wing Upright
1.111 Meldway Grand
2.11 Modern D
1.33 Modern U
62 Neo Baby
60 Neo Bechstein
59 Neo Blue Grand
61 Neo Cinema Grand
65 Neo Fazioli Rose
64 Neo Imperial Grand
66 Neo Ruby Grand
63 Neo Thor
2.77 NI Claire
1.26 NI Gentleman Upright Piano
1.27 NI Grandeur Piano
1.28 NI Maverick Piano
1.30 NI Noire Felt
1.29 NI Noire Pure
2.31 Oeser Felted
2.33 Oeser Felted Snapshot
2.30 Oeser Muted
2.35 Oeser Muted Snapshot
2.29 Oeser Picked
2.34 Oeser Picked Snapshot
2.28 Oeser Pure
2.32 Oeser Pure Snapshot
82 Pianoteq Steinway B
88 Pianoteq Steinway D
89 Pianoteq HB Steinway D
90 Pianoteq Bechstein
2.6 Pianoteq Bosendorfer VC
91 Pianoteq Petrof
92 Pianoteq Petrof Mistral
2.14 Pianoteq Shigeru Kawai SK-EX
93 Pianoteq Steingraeber
94 Pianoteq Grotrian
95 Pianoteq Bluthner
96 Pianoteq YC5
97 Pianoteq K2
98 Pianoteq U4
2.19 Pianoverse Concert Grand YF3
2.20 Pianoverse Royal Upright Y5
2.21 Pianoverse NY Grand S274
2.22 Pianoverse Black Diamond B280
2.23 Pianoverse Gran Concerto 278
2.24 Pianoverse Hamburg Grand S274
2.25 Pianoverse Liberty Upright Relic
2.26 Pianoverse Liberty Upright Fine-Tuned
2.27 Pianoverse Black Pearl B200
2.16 PSF Kawai Legend
1.113 PV 300 Grand
6 PV Production Grand Modern Gold Yamaha C7
1.110 PV Production Grand Vintage Gold Yamaha C7
2.58 Production Voices Estate Grand Piano
1.123 Ravel Grand Piano
3 Ravenscroft 275
2.36 Roland Earth Piano Classic Grand
2.37 Roland Earth Piano Session Grand
2.38 Roland Earth Piano Artist Grand
2.39 Roland Earth Piano Silver Grand
2.40 Roland Earth Piano Natural Upright
2.41 Roland Earth Piano Natural Felt Upright
2.42 Roland Earth Piano Toy Piano
2.68 Sampletekk Black Grand MkII
2.69 Sampletekk ST TVBO
2.70 Sampletekk ST WG2 MkII
1.34 Simple Sam Signature Grand
1.35 Simple Sam Vintage Upright
56 Spitfire Hans Zimmer Piano
51 True Keys American
52 True Keys German
53 True Keys Italian
1.121 UVI Aurora
1.36 UVI Austrian Grand
1.37 UVI Baby Grand
1.38 UVI F Grand
1.39 UVI Custom Hybrid
1.40 UVI Japanese C7
1.41 UVI Model D
1.42 UVI German Upright
1.43 UVI Grand Upright
1.44 UVI Honkey Tonk Upright
1.45 UVI Tack Upright
1.46 UVI Tender Upright
1.47 UVI Compact Upright
1.119 Vienna Bluthner 1895
1.116 Vienna Bosendorfer 130 Upright
1.115 Vienna Bosendorfer 280VC
2.4 Vienna Bosendorfer Imperial
1.117 Vienna CFX
1.32 Vienna D-274
1.118 Vienna Fazioli F212
2.15 Vienna Fazioli F212 (alternate)
2.1 Vienna Fazioli F308
2.5 Vienna German Upright 1904
45 Vienna Imperial
2.79 Vienna Studio Imperial
54 Waves Grand Rhapsody
68 Cine Harpsichord
69 Conservatoire French Harpsichord
70 Conservatoire Flemish Harpsichord
102 Pianoteq Ruckers II Harpsichord
103 Pianoteq Salodiensis Virginal (1600)
104 Pianoteq Giusti Harpsichord (1680)
105 Pianoteq Schmidt Square (1780)
106 Pianoteq Weimes Pianoforte (1808)
107 Pianoteq NY Steinway Square (1858)
108 Pianoteq Dohnal Fortepiano (1795)
109 Pianoteq Broadwood (1796)
110 Pianoteq Besendorfer (1829)
111 Pianoteq Pleyel (1835)
112 Pianoteq Frenzel (1841)
113 Pianoteq Erard (1849)
114 Pianoteq Streicher (1852)
115 Pianoteq Bechstein (1899)
5 RS Austrian Harpsichord 1671 4’ 8’
21 RS Dutch Harpsichord 1628 Tutti Complete
22 RS Dutch Harpsichord 1755 All Stops
23 RS Early Pianoforte 1793
24 RS English Harpsichord 1766 2x8’ + 4’
25 RS English Spinet 1 1718
26 English Spinet II 1705
27 RS French Harpsichord 1771 Tutti
28 RS French Harpsichord 1787 all stops
29 RS German Harpsichord 1738 2 x 8’
30 RS German Harpsichord 1741 tutti
2.3 RS German Harpsichord 1782 Lautenzug
2.2 RS German Harpsichord 1782 Tutti
31 RS German Lautenwerck
32 RS German Theorbo Harpsichord
33 RS Grand Piano Erard 1837
34 RS Italian Harpsichord 1540
35 RS Italian Harpsichord 1579
36 RS Italian Harpsichord 1590
37 RS Pianofort 1848
38 RS Swiss Grand 1860
2.78 Sigal Collection Volume 1
67 Spitfire Harpsichord
1.48 UVI Blanchet Cembalo
1.49 UVI Clavichord
1.50 UVI Harpsichord
1.51 UVI Spinet
1.22 All Saints Organ
80 Garritan Pipe Organ
81 Organteq
2.17 Vienna Great Rieger Organ
2.18 Vienna Molzer Organ
72 GSi VB3 II Hammond Organ
77 Lounge Lizard EP-4
116 Pianoteq Vintage Tines MKII
117 Pianoteq Vintage Tines MK1
118 Pianoteq Vintage Reeds
119 Pianoteq Hohner Planet N
120 Pianoteq Hohner Planet T
121 Pianoteq Electra-Piano
122 Pianoteq Clavinet D6
78 SonicCouture EP73
79 SonicCouture Vibraphone
73 Waves Clavinet
74 Waves Electric88
75 Waves Electric200
76 Waves Electric Grand 80
7 Ample Bass Acoustic
8 Ample Bass J
9 Ample Bass P
10 Ample Bass Upright
11 Ample Guitar Luthier
12 Ample Guitar Les Paul
13 Ample Guitar Martin
20 Ample Guitar Metal Eclipse
14 Ample Guitar PRS
15 Ample Guitar Stratocaster
16 Ample Guitar Semi-Hollow
17 Ample Guitar Taylor
18 Ample Guitar Telecaster
19 Ample Guitar Twelve String
1.16 Conservatoire Baroque Guitar and Theorbo
71 Impact Soundworks Archtop
99 Pianoteq Classical Guitar
86 Trillian Bass
2.60 8Dio Century Brass Lite
2.61 8Dio Century Brass Mix
2.62 8Dio Deep Quintet Strings
2.63 8Dio Ostinato Strings
2.65 8Dio Intimate Studio Brass, Winds, Strings Mix
2.67 8Dio Century Strings
2.71 8Dio Majestica Pro Brass
2.72 8Dio Majestica Pro Winds
2.73 8Dio Majestica Pro Percussion
2.74 8Dio Majestica Pro Strings
1.114 Fluffy Trio Broz
83 EW Hollywood Orchestral Mix
1.112 Garritan Instant Orchestra
84 Garritan Personal Orchestra 5 Mix
1.100 IK Miroslav Philharmonik 2
2.50 Spitfire BBC Symphony Orchestra
2.57 Spitfire Brass, Woodwinds, String Mix
2.55 Spitfire Epic Brass
2.52 Spitfire Intimate Strings
2.53 Spitfire Tutti
87 Vienna Smart Orchestra Mix
1.18 VSL Big Bang Orchestra
2.64 8Dio 10 Analog Synths
2.80 Diva Synth
1.15 Keyscape Electric Pianos
2.76 KeyScape with Valhalla Supermassive
85 Omnisphere
2.81 Omnisphere Nylon Sky Guitar
2.75 Omnisphere with Valhalla Supermassive
1.124 PolyMAX Synth
1.57 UVI Falcon Analog Synth
100 Pianoteq Harp
101 Pianoteq Celtic Harp
123 Pianoteq Vibraphone V-B
124 Pianoteq Vibraphone V-N
125 Pianoteq Celesta
126 Pianoteq Glockenspiel
127 Pianoteq Toy Piano
128 Pianoteq Kalimba
1.1 Pianoteq Marimba
1.2 Pianoteq Xylophone
1.3 Pianoteq Steel Drums
1.4 Pianoteq Spacedrum
1.5 Pianoteq Hand Pan
1.6 Pianoteq Tank Drum
1.52 UVI Celesta
1.53 UVI Dulcitone
1.54 UVI J-Celeste
1.55 UVI Keyboard Glockenspiel
1.56 UVI Papageno Bells
1.7 E-Z Drummer
1.9 Bowed Gamelan
1.10 Music Boxes
1.11 Rocksichord
1.12 Grand Toy Piano
1.23 All Saints Choir
1.13 Tape Choir
1.14 Choir
2.51 Spitfire Epic Choir
2.54 Vienna Angelic Choir
1.17 Waves Pianocentric Experimentation
1.8 Waves Plugins Experimentation
1.19 TDR Plugin Experimentation
1.20 TDR Plugin Rack Test
1.21 Pianoverb Test
1.58 UVI EP Italian
1.59 UVI EP Japanese
1.60 UVI EP Mk1 1975
1.61 UVI EP Mk1 1978
1.62 UVI EP MkII 88 Keys
1.63 UVI EP MkV
1.64 UVI EP Mk7
1.65 UVI EP Student Gold
1.66 UVI EP Student Green
1.67 UVI W 140B
1.68 UVI W 145 Tubes
1.69 UVI W 200
1.70 UVI W 200 Studio
1.71 UVI W 270 Butterfly 1
1.72 UVI W 270 Butterfly 2
1.73 UVI CPiano 60M
1.74 UVI CPiano 70
1.75 UVI KP300
1.76 UVI KP600
1.77 UVI KP700M
1.78 UVI Roadmaster 64
1.79 UVI Model C
1.80 UVI Clav D6
1.81 UVI Clav E7
1.82 UVI Clav I
1.83 UVI Clav L1
1.84 UVI Clav L2
1.85 UVI Clav Viba
1.86 UVI Cembalet
1.87 UVI Cembalino
1.88 UVI Claviset
1.89 UVI Electra Piano 1
1.90 UVI Electra Piano 2
1.91 UVI Electra Piano T
1.92 UVI Planet Clav Duo
1.93 UVI Planet M
1.94 UVI Planet N
1.95 UVI Sanza Keys
1.96 UVI AP16