plug-in troubles

[ajj]

hello i'm new to reaper so please excuse my ignorance! I have been downloading and using a lot of free VST instruments and fx plugins and in the old version i had (5.983 ) every time i re-opened the app my VST tracks wouldn't play, i'd delete them and re-add them and then it would playback again fine. This was a bit of a nuisance that I thought might be solved by updating to V 6.1, but in this version all of my tracks are offline and this message comes up when I open it: "There were 636 media items in the project that were of a type that require an extension plug-in (the instance that saved the project had the extension plug-in). The following effects were in the project file and are not available. REAPER will keep their configurations, but things may not sound as desired." I've done clear cache and re-scan and that hasn't fixed it. I also tried to follow some advice on this forum but the files they tell you to move don't seem to even exist on my computer :/. Can anyone tell me whats going on? I am back to using 5.983 for now and deleting and re-adding the plugins every time i open i project

[ajj]

the forum advice i tried following:

https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=115745

"C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\REAPER \
move this file to your desktop "reaper-vstfxppath.ini"
C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\REAPER\
move this file to your desktop "reaper-vstplugins.ini"
Run Reaper goto options/preferences/VST
add this path :
C:\Program Files\Vstplugins
should be the default.
click clear cache and rescan"
Edit or delete this

[solger]

Welcome to the Reaper forums!

Originally Posted by ajj

Can anyone tell me whats going on? I am back to using 5.983 for now ...

Some general side notes:

• Latest 5.x version is 5.99: http://reaper.fm/download-old.php?ver=5x
• There's also the option to make portable installs (this way you can have, for instance, independent v5 and v6 installs side-by-side in separate folders): http://lacinato.com/cm/blog/25-reaperportable
• Configurations can be transferred between different Reaper installs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB4C3njFxRg

Something might have perhaps been corrupted or messed up during the update (in case you installed the update directly over the older version), as mentioned in this thread: https://forums.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=207186
In general, also double-check which Optional functionality boxes are checked in the components selection window when running the Reaper installer.


By the way:

• Are 5.983 and 6.x both of the same bit-version in this case (like, are both the 64-bit version)?
• What (built-in or external) audio device are you using for audio playback?
• And what Audio System and/or Driver is selected under Preferences > Audio > Device?

the forum advice i tried following:

https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=115745

Keep in mind that the 'The following effects were in the project file and are not available ...' (mentioned in your link) and 'There were 636 media items in the project that were of a type that require an extension plug-in' messages are usually referring to different things: missing (effects or instrument) plugin vs. missing (type) extension.

I am back to using 5.983 for now and deleting and re-adding the plugins every time i open i project

• Is there some kind of pattern identifiable when this happens? As example: does this issue perhaps only happen when opening specific projects? Or when using specific plugins?
• For testing purposes: I'd recommend to make a fresh portable install of the same Reaper version to a separate folder (side-by-side to your existing install) to check if the behavior is the same there.

[doddrum]

I'm having the same issue with the same message regarding unavailable plugins -but for different reasons from AJJ perhaps. I've just upgraded to windows 10 and all my songs appear to have lost most of their plugin effects. When I go in to check the effect the window shows a small black and white icon. I've tried adding new links to the folders but I still haven't succeeded in getting them back. I'm using version 4.731 of Reaper. Pretty sure I had a similar problem several years back when I had to change a hard drive. Anyone know what the best approach would be at this point. It seems to mainly be native instrument effects plugins that are affected.

[solger]

Originally Posted by doddrum

... I've just upgraded to windows 10 and all my songs appear to have lost most of their plugin effects. When I go in to check the effect the window shows a small black and white icon. I've tried adding new links to the folders but I still haven't succeeded in getting them back.

Have you also already tried doing a [Clear cache/re-scan] via Prefererences > Plug-ins > VST (which has a different effect than using the regular [Re-scan] button)?

Otherwise try this:

1. Go to the Reaper resource folder via Options > Show REAPER resource path in explorer/finder
2. Move all reaper-vstplugins config files ** to a different location outside of the Reaper resource folder
3. Restart Reaper afterwards
4. Just in case: try it with and without doing another [Clear cache/re-scan] after step 3

** These files are usually named reaper-vstplugins.ini (for 32-bit plugins) and reaper-vstplugins64.ini (for 64-bit plugins).

I'm using version 4.731 of Reaper.

As a general side note: the last 4.x version was 4.78: http://reaper.fm/download-old.php?ver=4x
For testing purposes: try making a fresh portable install (with 4.731, 4.78 or both) to a separate folder (side-by-side to your existing install) to check if the behavior is the same there: http://lacinato.com/cm/blog/25-reaperportable

...I've just upgraded to windows 10 ...
... It seems to mainly be native instrument effects plugins that are affected.

Are the NI instruments/effects still working fine in Standalone (for those available as both Standalone and plugin version)?
Just to check if the issue is only with the plugin version. Or if the issue is perhaps somehow related to the Windows 10 Upgrade (and requires perhaps a reinstall of the NI instruments/effects themselves).

When I go in to check the effect the window shows a small black and white icon.

In case the issue persists: can you post a screenshot of this?

[ajj]

Hey sorry its taken ages to reply and thanks for the advice!

I made sure that my installs were portable and that optional functionality was checked, all my reaper versions and plugins have been 64 bit. I'm using an M - Audio mobile pre for playback and that's selected as my audio device (I also record vocals and DI instruments through it). i've tried uninstalling and re-installing the problematic plugins to a new folder, re-scanned etc, and the issue is still there.
It it only downloaded plugins that are missing - none of the built in ones and none of my guitar / bass or vocal recordings. They are missing when i play through my internal speakers too. The issue happens every time I open reaper after i've quit it, and it isn't all of my downloaded plugins, just the ones I seem to use the most, being:

MT powerkit
VSC02 orchestra
Tunefish 4
Vintage drum elements

My next resolve is to replace the problematic plugins with new ones or to replace the tracks with live instruments, unless anyone knows better?

Thanks again!