I have Kontakt 5.5.2 on Win 8.1
I did not go to v. 5.6.5 for fear of losing the older libraries, afraid of keygen and afraid to go off all the Library Tab.
So I did a test: I copied the .exe and .dll files of Kontakt 5.6.5 (No installation), and I found that both versions work perfectly and independently from each other! So now I can use the 5.5.2 version normally and 5.6.5 version only for libraries that do not work with previous versions. Maybe I was just lucky...

 

Last edited: Dec 15, 2016

That´s a good new. Can you explain us the whole process step by step if you don´t mind? Many thanks in advance.

 

It's easy indeed:
- copy Kontakt.exe to c:\program files\Native Instruments\Kontakt\ as Kontakt_5.6.exe
- copy kontakt.dll's to VST folder renamed or in subfolder Kontakt_5.6\

 

But you have to extract these from the setup or what? And how?

 

take the .dll and .exe from "Native Instruments Kontakt 5.6.5 (FIXED, NO KEYGEN) STANDALONE, VSTi, AAX x86 x64 (NO INSTALL, SymLink Installer)"...

 

you didn't get lucky, it really works! This is gold man

 

Thanks Ellin & nikon. I´ll try it.

 

Yeah u basically extracted .dll and .exe from installer and now running side by side installation.
Re-naming .dll the important bit like nikon mentioned for similar revisions etc.
Same process works for similar 'versions' of Kontakt.
Is useful indeed
However they are not running independently of each other.
Both versions will share resources i.e utilise several common files and locations such as factory presets like NKP etc or even libraries if desired.
Is just that the locations similar and Kontakt looks in the same place.
NI could easily address this issue if they chose too but they don't for their own very good reasons I guess.
Is a useful process and works well
Has for a long time.

 

If you have iso file with installer, there is a hidden folder DATA, and in that folder you have planty of other strange folders, like A8B123213, A31SSCCC, etc.... Each folder holds some part of installation, for example, in one folder you can find kontakt.dll and kontakt_16.dll etc... in other folder you can find Kontakt.exe, but keep in mind that installer holds x64 and x86 versions of plugin. If you right click on kontakt.dll on advanced / information tab you will see info like I64 or I32.

 

Like I said, take the .dll and .exe from "Native Instruments Kontakt 5.6.5 (FIXED, NO KEYGEN) STANDALONE, VSTi, AAX x86 x64 (NO INSTALL, SymLink Installer)"... there isn't iso file, only folders, you can easily find the right files here...

 

Just tried this with Kontakt 5.5.1 and got the message "The program can't start because MSVCP140.dll is missing from your computer". Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit.

 

I had the same problem on another pc ... the file is not missing, it is in the SO, but it is in the wrong folder. I've solved searching the file and making a copy in the correct folder (now can not remember if System or System32). The problem is the same with a number of files, so when you move the first, remember to transfer all the others ... In my pc worked, I wish you well on your.

 

Sounds great and I'm just about to try it. One question: will the DAWs recognise both Kontakts and how can you tell them apart? Will the new one sit side by side with the other one or will it overwrite the other? In the DAW this is?

 

I did as Ellin said: copy the dll in your plugins folder and the new will be named Kontakt 5 (2). Now you have both, and drop the exe anywhere and open it from there. It automaticaly scan for all your installed libraries like magic. I´m on Windows 7 32 and Kontakt 5.5.2

 

OK I did the above and so far v5.6.5 works as standalone but in FLStudio it shows up as 5_3 in the 64-bit FLStudio and no change to the GUI, still the same as v5.2 and in the 32-bit FLStudio it shows up as 5_4 and no change in GUI. I'm now going to try to add some libraries that only work in v5.6.

 

Well only libraries that work in v5.6 will work in the standalone using this method. not working in FLStudio 12. Is there anything else I can do to make v5.6 work in the DAW?

 

Sorry, I´ve never tried FL. In Cubase 5 , my main DAW , it works flawlessly. Try move the older dll to the desktop and rescan the plugins then refresh the libraries.

 

By the way, there´s no new library yet that attracts me. i´ve deleted all and backup the rar file by now. Cheers.

 

If you've not already try renaming the .dll and .exe like side by side installation.
I've Never used 5.6R2R etc and don't use any unlocked etc but the basic process the same.
GUI change of course is the important bit in 5.6 etc. That might cause problems. You kan even keep the .dll and .exe in the same locations

example try something along the lines of change older revision from

Kontakt 5.dll -> Kotakt.5dll

remember to change .exe in the same way i.e Kotakt 5.exe then just put renamed .dll in with the other and scan
Then u have two exe. on your desktop.
When you scan VST folder it should pick up Kotakt.dll as just that

Don't know if it works properly for 5.6 etc and above because of GUI etc but it worth a shot

Used to work every time for side by side installations of say legit and unlocked or even different revisions.
Can rename it several times or could
Worth a try as only takes seconds.