Removing VST Plugins

tkingen

tkingen

Djembes Rock
After downloading a ton of free vst plugins I've found that many of them aren't very useful for my purposes. So I've been excluding them in the Cakewalk Plugin Manager. However, this doesn't remove them from your computer.
Since most vst's don't seem to have an uninstaller like the dx plugs do, I've been going into the VST folder and deleting the .dll files to remove them. Is this a safe way to uninstall vst's?

Thanks in advance
Terry
 
As they're DLL files, you may want to remove their references from your registry as well. If you don't remove the registry reference, Windows still looks for the file. It's no big deal if the file is not found since you deleted it, but you won't lose 0,0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 second with your Windows looking for the file anymore. :D

If you're afraid of making changes in the registry use one of those free programs like RegClean to get it done.
 
BloodShark said:
As they're DLL files, you may want to remove their references from your registry as well. If you don't remove the registry reference, Windows still looks for the file. It's no big deal if the file is not found since you deleted it, but you won't lose 0,0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 second with your Windows looking for the file anymore. :D

If you're afraid of making changes in the registry use one of those free programs like RegClean to get it done.
Click to expand...

Ignore this post... when you run the VST adapter, there is an option somewhere there to remove all the old ones.. do that then re-scan.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO EDIT THE REGISTRY.

Porter
 
Porter said:
Ignore this post... when you run the VST adapter, there is an option somewhere there to remove all the old ones.. do that then re-scan.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO EDIT THE REGISTRY.

Porter
Click to expand...

Your "ignore this post" was very polite, thank you very much. Just want to remember you that they were talking about deleting the DLL files manually, and for that case my post is very valid.

tkingen said:
I've been going into the VST folder and deleting the .dll files to remove them.
Click to expand...

Maybe you should read the entire post before being so arrogant.
 
Bzzzt. Actually he is right and you are wrong. And Porter might be many things, but 'arrogant' certainly isn't one of them...

A .DLL file will only be referenced from the registry if an installation program writes a specific registry entry for that .DLL. Most VST plugins simply extract and lump themselves into the vstplugins directory which is read and processed by the sequencer. There is no information written to the registry in the first place.

Obviously, this situation is different for something with an installation procedure -- say BFD. But even in that scenario, it is the program files and associated .DLL's referenced from the registry, not the VST .DLL components.

So, what Porter said is correct. Deleting the files and re-running the VST-DX wrapper is all that is necessary in this case.

Yes this is weird behaviour for the Windows platform, but you gotta remember this technology originates back in Mac land.

Ciao,

Q.
 
Thanks for your clarification Qwerty. I didn't know VST DLL's weren't registered, and your explanation was very clear. I thought they're regular DLL files, such as those games and softwares and I just tried to help, and a simple and nice explanation like yours is appreciated.

Cheers,
BShark
 
BloodShark said:
Thanks for your clarification Qwerty. I didn't know VST DLL's weren't registered, and your explanation was very clear. I thought they're regular DLL files, such as those games and softwares and I just tried to help, and a simple and nice explanation like yours is appreciated.

Cheers,
BShark
Click to expand...

BShark,

I didn't mean to sound arrogant, I work in IT and I know how easy it is for a person who doesn't know what they are doing to stuff up the registry. I also know how long it can take to fix it after someone stuffs it up!

Also, he said that he was deleting the .dll files.. hence the effects or instruments.. that's fine.. in Sonar when you try to insert the effect you will get an error however he was 'excluding' is using the Cakewalk Plug-in Manager. Re-running the VST Adapter and removing from there is probably what is considered the best practice.

Porter
 
Slightly OT comment, but nice job Porter, Blood Shark and Qwerty. I want to commend y'all for such an exemplary bout of civility instead of flaming each other. Nicely done and your mamas would all be proud.

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming...

Tio Ed in Texas
 
Porter said:
BShark,

I didn't mean to sound arrogant, I work in IT and I know how easy it is for a person who doesn't know what they are doing to stuff up the registry. I also know how long it can take to fix it after someone stuffs it up!

Also, he said that he was deleting the .dll files.. hence the effects or instruments.. that's fine.. in Sonar when you try to insert the effect you will get an error however he was 'excluding' is using the Cakewalk Plug-in Manager. Re-running the VST Adapter and removing from there is probably what is considered the best practice.

Porter
Click to expand...

Hey, no hard feelings! We're all trying to help here, and I appreciated your last input.

Cheers!
 
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