Hi folks,
as a lot of you contacted me at AudioZ the last few weeks asking me how to make actual NI-Software work in WinXP I now decided to write a small tutorial.

Situation is:
Before about half a year Native Instruments changed the installers of their actual products so they cant be installed at WinXP machines. The installer allows only Windows versions above Win7.
I dont know why they restrict their software this way..but due to developers information at their website its because they dont test compatibility with WinXP and so can not grant its working.

As long as R2R, Tracer or CHAOS arent able to avoid this System check you have to do it manually.

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How to install actual NI-Software at WinXP machines (explained by example of NI-Kontakt v5.3.1..but supposed to work for all NI-soft).

To follow this tutorial step by step you need following Software:
1. Native Instruments Kontakt 5 v5.1.0 UNLOCKED FIXED (22.12.2012)(You will probably already have this installed..If you have a version above this already installed it also will work)
2. Native.Instruments.Kontakt.5.v5.3.1.UNLOCKED.Update-R2R (21.03.2014)
3. PowerISO 5.1x (or other ISO extractor)
4. 7Zip (Freeware)

But everybody should be able to understand even when he/she is not redoing each of this steps. This is simply to show the method!

1. Search last version of the Software that is able to be installed on WinXP machines. In case of KONTAKT it was v5.1.0. Download a cracked version of the complete installer of this version (I would recommend always the R2R version..because I dont know if version of other teams uses the same cracking method)

2. Install it to your WinXP machine

3. to update simply search the last cracked update or full installer. In case of KONTAKT it was v5.3.1 by R2R.

4. Download it to your computer

5. Extract it (its usually an ISO-File) with any program that is able to extract ISO-files properly (PowerISO for example) IMPORTANT: WINRAR doesnt 100% properly extract it in some cases!

6. After extraction you will have a "setup.exe", "autorun.inf" and a folder "data".

7. In the folder "data" you will have another folder "data" and in it a folder called "OFFLINE"

8. Use Windows search function to search for "*.dll" (if you want to update your Plugin and/or "*.exe" to update your STANDALONE version of Kontakt.

9a. VSTi files: When search finished it found (only important ones are mentioned) "Kontakt 5.dll" within the path "\OFFLINE\81AF3A6A\7E8C5DA", another one in "\OFFLINE\DE7F2BE3\F1AE2BB9". These are the 32Bit and the 64Bit files for the Kontakt VSTi Plugins. The other files in the mentioned folders "Kontakt 5 8out.dll, Kontakt 5 16out.dll" are the Effect Plugins of Kontakt.

9b. STANDALONE files: When search finished it found (only important ones are mentioned) "Kontakt 5.exe" within the path "\OFFLINE\259A18AD\3F5A287F", another one in "\OFFLINE\BEF40B0E\A3EDC439" and another one in "\OFFLINE\F16EA59A\A3EDC439" (this one is the same as the one in "\OFFLINE\BEF40B0E\A3EDC439"...and can be ignored). These are the 32Bit and the 64Bit files for the Kontakt STANDALONE versions.

10. Now you have to find the correct version of the file you need (32 or 64Bit). To do so, simply right click at the files you found in step 9a/9b, choose "properties" --> "details" and take a look what is written at "product version". A "IA32" means 32Bit, a "x64" means 64Bit.

11. To update your existing cracked version of Kontakt simply copy the file you need (VSTi or STANDALONE or maybe both...also take care about 32 or 64Bit (see step 10.)) and overwrite them in your old Kontakt installation path. (For VSTi/Plugin version its usually "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steinberg\VstPlugins (or where ever your normally have your VST PlugIn folder)", For STANDALONE version its usually "C:\Program Files (x86)\Native Instruments\Kontakt\ or C:\Program Files\Native Instruments\Kontakt\)...IMPORTANT: If you are not sure..Make backup of the old files before overwriting them!!!)

12. Thats it...You now have the updated v5.3.1 of Kontakt.

13. (Optionally) You can also update the factory library that came with the full installer of your version 5.x. But thats really annoying because you have to click through every folder in this "\OFFLINE\" folder and find them manually and copy them to the folder where the v5.x installer put them.

This method should work for all other NI-Products too...you simply have to adapt it!

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How to install Kontakt Librarys made by Native Instruments?
The problem is same as above. They check operating system with their installer.

So you have to avoid this installer and extract the librarys manually as follows (discribed with Native Instruments RISE & HIT KONTAKT DVD SYNTHiC4TE):

1. Download --> Extract rar-files --> extract ISO (its usually an ISO-File) with any program that is able to extract ISO-files properly (PowerISO for example) IMPORTANT: WINRAR doesnt 100% properly extract it in some cases!

2. Extract
Rise and Hit Library Part 1.pkg
Rise and Hit Library Part 2.pkg
Rise and Hit Library Part 3.pkg
Rise and Hit Library Part 4.pkg
with 7Zip (each pkg file to a seperate directory) You have now 4 folders with a bunch of files in it. Only "Payload" file is important.

3. Extract these "Payload" files with 7Zip....You will have "Payload~" file. Now its time to delete everything exept these "Payload~" files.

4. Now extract these "Payload~" files...each one contains a folder named "." In this folder "." you will find a directory named "rise and hit"...when you look into this you will see all the library files.

5. Now (after you extracted all the "Payload" files like described in no.2-4) simply copy the folders (you should have 4 of it) named "rise and hit" to 1 single folder (merge them).

6. Now you have the complete library and can use it in KONTAKT..like you do usually.

Thats it.


EDIT!!!

There seems to be a more simple method! Look down at "sardoumichel" comment!

 

Great tutorial, I'm sure it'll benefit someone.
You can distinguish between x86 and x64 quite easily because x64 is a bit larger (dll and exe) *yes*

 

Yes..but better check it with file properties info!

 

Thanks lukehh,

awesome work, this is much appreciated.

 

Thanks lukehh, awesome of you to put this together for us.

 

Hehe...You know its only to protect my nerves! So nothing but selfishness

 

I think you not mean "Extract the setup-exe" but extract the ISO-file and use the "Kontakt 5 Setup.exe" that is in the folder "data"...arent you? The "setup.exe" has only a "system.dll" in it when you open it with 7Zip.

But nevertheless if this really works..its an amazing workaround! Me and Tracer we tried nearly everything to figure out how to modify the installer! ARGHHH!

 

I say we stop supporting XP it's time for those user to enjoy the optimization of Win 7 or even 8.2(pulling your leg )

 

Hi xp user fellas ;)

First Download Microsoft Application Verifier and install

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=20028

Now, let's install Kontakt:

You have two files .bin & .cue, mount the .bin (using Magic Iso here), go to the mounted image, there are: a Setup.exe file and a "data folder".

Go in the "data folder" , there is a "Kontakt 5 Setup Pc.exe" (not the msi one), this is the good installer!!!.

Now add this "Kontakt 5 Setup Pc.exe" in Appverifier, untick everything exept HiversionLie, SAVE !!!.

Now you can run the "Kontakt 5 Setup Pc.exe" and it will install on win xp.

The tip is not to use the Setup.exe file, but the "Kontakt 5 Setup Pc.exe" instead

It works for every NI product, you just have to mess with 7zip , an iso software and appverifier

For the new Kontakt libraries:
_extract iso

_extract all the payload files with 7zip (many times each) and you will have the complete library as said lukehh

 

Wonderful...It really works..I just tried it with my XP Virtual machine! @Sardoumichel..I'm thinking about posting a package (needed Software + eplaination) to AudioZ. Would that be OK for you?

Greetz Luke

 

For now let's put aside personal OS preferences but Win 7 and 8 both are RAM hogs by default, and there's very little one can do about it. You can turn off everything, superfetch, prefetch, background programs, services, yet your Win will still consume about 600MB (on 8GB systems) or 1.25GB (on 16GB systems)

That's why I'm running again. And this time, to XP 64bit - amazing OS. Non-optimized it had only 120MB idle RAM usage, I plan to finish the installation today.

Buying more RAM is not exactly solution, as some systems don't support more than specific amount.

I know, my leg is bleeding

 

Andrew that's because XP sucks and it's more than a decade old so of course it takes up less memory. Those extra processes running in the background like indexing make things better like not having to search for half an hour to find a file. Not to mention XP is INCREDIBLY insecure. I can never understand people's fascination with that piece of shit OS. Since I moved to Windows 8 it's been a dream. It was good in it's time, that time has long since gone.

 

@lukehh
Off course, i am ok
You are a great contributor to the community and a very nice person
And a big up to Andrew and Catalyst


Exept for RAM limitations (big Kontakt libraries, Bloatisphere), with my good old xp, the job is done. Freezing and Flattening are my friends, i like to make crucial decisions and not to have many many options and tracks, i like working with limitations, I am more focused.
For orchestral tracks, it's a big pain in the ass but it can be done, you have to be very methodic if you know what I mean ;)

I am scared to install a new system on a new machine with win 7 or 8, and spend days and weeks reinstalling programms, windows updates buggy drivers (Axiom pro, Motu) and encounter new problems and conflicts.

 

That's awesome of you sardoumichael, a great contribution and I'm sure tracer is jumping for joy right about now.

Also another case that proves it's better to work with limitations, I just said that to a member the other day.

 

Dont know why Tracer should jump around..But I'm doing it definetely (while laying in my bed)

@sardoumichael ... Big Thanks for the warm words! You are also a very kind person! .... Lets marry! Hehe, just kidding!

 

Hey guys. Sadly I'm on Win XP for my audio needs because my Midi controller is an old Alesis QS 61 which connects via serial output and Win 7 doesn't support that. This is among many reasons as well. Just too much software all over the place over years.

Anyhow. So I tried this method of getting Kontakt extracted and the copy and paste part was easy except that going from 5.03 to 5.4.1 doesn't show up in Cubase 5.

Perhaps if I find a lower version it may be possible but I'm trying to load Action Strikes and it won't let me load it unless I just use the samples from it which isn't quite the same flexibility.

I think getting the samples from the libraries is one thing but actually getting everything to work in Win XP 32-bit is another.

It also borked my original installation so I had to uninstall everything....the start at the Kontakt 5 original I had a apply a few updates.

Not all is lost but I'm back to square 1.

Any ideas?

 

Are you doing the appverifier method? Watch installer closely, you pick folder for vst click next, and folder is wrong. You must move the dlls after install finish.

Example: You pick C:\Program files\vstplugins\ and NI installer dumps dlls into C:\Program files\

Maybe this is why host doesnt see them, because they not in vstplugins folder.

 

I got 5.3.1 to show up because I copy and pasted the 3 dlls to my VST folder. I tried both methods actually and just copy/paste method worked for the plug in version.

I mainly did this only for action strikes. Now that it seems to work I "should" be ok. I have not messed around with it a lot though....I had an error loading 1 patch but the other patch worked....was strange.

The standalone I had trouble with because when you go to launch it says not valid win32 application. That's not important though because the plug-in worked. I saw all my old instruments and everything.

 

Hey guys,

Appverifier doesn't work anymore for the new Native Instruments installers.
Last Kontakt Working with Appverifier is 5.3.1.1.7 on Win xp.

And also, be carrefull updating your Native Instruments libraries wich requires a higher version of Kontakt, the GUIs could be broken.

 

Good for you...but I see a lot of the community members are still on XP...

so, you could make a good deal for them:

copy an exe/dll file(s) of installed Kontakt 5.4.2...etc on your PC and send it in audioz.info

Next: everybody who's on XP download it and replace with this new version(S) the older ones (Kontakt and library exe/dll).
I think, before this it's necessary to make a back up of those older files.

This method should work, we did it when we made a transition from 5.1 to 5.3:
one guy who had 5.3 installed on W7 did as said above and everything went ok.
Hope this will work again.