I'm running into an issue with Kontakt and my external drive T9 SSD setup. I have multiple K'd Kontakt libraries stored on an external drive, and every time I open Kontakt, some of them show up as "Library Not Found – Click to Locate the Content."

I have some on my internal SSD and some on my External T9 SSD, and its the T9 external that seems to be the problem rememebering them? on Kontakt 6.71

I want to port them all over to my External SSD in future, so just trying to get this part right

When I manually locate the content, the libraries load up just fine, and I can play them without issues.

However, as soon as I restart Kontakt or open a new session in my DAW, the same libraries go missing again, and I have to repeat the process.

This happens every time I launch Kontakt, and it's getting frustrating. I just want my libraries to stay recognized so I don’t have to keep relocating them.

As mentioned, when found, the K'd libraries play fine from the T9 SSD, but just vanish when re-loading?

Macbook Pro M1 64Gb 8TB Sequoia 15.2
Kontakt 6.71 (k'd)

I have Kontakt 7.3.0 but I found Kontakt 6.71 a bit snappier, and is fine for me. Also Kontakt 6.71 has the 'Locate Library' that the later versions got rid of!

EDIT : Although i realise now that i have some Libraries that don't show in Kontakt 6.71 and i do need 7.3.0 for these. These libraries are missing in 7.3.0, and not sure how to get them back in 7.3 as it only has the 'manage libraries' tab now, and not 'locate library' ?

Any help would be great!

 

Last edited: Feb 5, 2025

Ok so as a follow up, I have been able to get the couple of libraries working by launching Kontakt as stand-alone and adding the libraries there.
This is in 6.7.1

However a couple of NI libraries i have like Native instruments Valves, and Choir Omnia, which are Kontakt 7 only, don't show in 7.3.0?

I am sure they did and I have used them, so i dont think its the .xml or .ninct file?

But how do i add these newer libraries again? as 7.3 only has the 'manage libraries' tab now, and not 'locate library' ?
6.7.1 doesn't think these exist, as they need v7.0 or newer?

 

Search for “kontakt library utility” there’s a great tool for adding/removing libraries and I would recommend it highly, it’s free so you just have to search for the thread here and download the latest 2.4 version, just be warned you will have to type in your password every time you do something like add/remove a library

 

Thank you grrarrrgh!

I have downloaded this and looks useful in future. I also have the Kitty Scripts as a download from a couple of years back, so hopefully I should be sorted now.

However if it helps anyone else, i (think) i got round this by loading up Kontakt 5.6.0 with the Add Libraries and added them there.
Then when opening v7.3, they suddenly appear!

The kontakt library utility does look good though, even though my M1 Mac flagged it as a threat/virus... i'll just have to learn how to use it moving forward with any Kontakt issues

 

KLU 2.4 is great @ted2020 , read the whole thread and the faq's and whatnot to get it right and avoid gotcha's...

https://audiosex.pro/threads/klu-kontakt-library-utility-version-2.72857/

And get the official from the first post with the updated. It's more effective than the older Kittie Scripts etc, and I haven't tried "Add Library" but have heard good about that, but I have ~250+ Kontakt libraries added via KLU 2, and by following the instructions carefully, I have had no problems.

I'd also recommend using Kontakt 7.10.x from HCiSO, as solid, and you are gonna need it for libraries, and while there are libraries coming out more and more for Kontakt 8, its a bit problematic with these tools as they changed some underlying mechanisms, or rather what is looking for what where.

And you have Kontakt 5.6 working in Sequoia? I thought I installed that (I am still on latest Sonoma), and it wouldn't boot anymore (although I would sworn it did at one point) on my m chipped machine... I should look into that again.. but I really haven't had the need.

One thing that's important now for Kontakt is that libraries are installed in a particular place (drive), and it's not as fluid as it was with previous versions, and as you noticed, as those idiots took out the find/locate library search functionality, or neutered it, and it's far more a pita.

 

Thank you sisyphus. Yes I have downloaded the KLU 2.4 so i have it ready.
So this overtakes anything that Kitty Scripts did, and does it all in one in KLU 2.4?

I have Kontakt 7.3.0 which is higher than 7.10 so hoping this would still be ok?

I am on Sequoia 15.2, M1 Max 64GB, at the moment, and always had a copy of Kontakt 5.6.0 just to open as a stand-alone version (not within a DAW) and it seems to open fine to add libraries.
Try it again in standalone to add libraries and it should work? It doesn't show in DAW's like Ableton so I think that ship has sailed..

As mentioned, my Kontakt libraries are copied to a T9 SSD 4TB and on my internal 8TB drive.
These just work..

But obviously I did want to move them all to the T9 SSD so I can unplug away from Music, but a little scared if they all go t*ts up again!

I don't really want them in 2 places, so weighing up where to have these.

I can either have these on my internal 8TB which is neat but I fill this with other projects and day to day stuff. and I can return the SSD 4TB.

Or I can keep the 4TB and use this as my library and back up drive and keep my internal 8TB free-er

 

Last edited: Feb 6, 2025

I am a firm advocate for KLU 2 as it has worked fine for me closely following the faq's and instructions. Kitty Scripts, while I haven't used it, I ~believe~ is not as current, or has as many features. I'm certainly not saying it's bad, I'm just saying KLU 2 is solid, should have all the features of that, and the developer of it is active here on this site... so...

Ah, no lol, Kontakt 7.3.0 is a previous release, and it can get confusing, but Kontakt 7.10.x is newer... by a fair amount. Kontakt 7.3.0 came out in 2023, as you can tell by changelogs and release dates, and 7.10.x latest I believe right before the new years... Definitely roll with HCiSO's later releases on that for stability.

Yeah, I have the standalone, and I haven't tried to instantiate it in a daw, just as the utility function of adding libraries as you said, but I haven't needed it with KLU2, outside of perhaps some pre-nicnt libraries etc... The problem is I believe, especially if you go into Kontakt 8 land, (and I could be wrong, and welcome correction if so), is that how Kontakt 5 adds things, in where different files are updated etc, has changed a little fundamentally under the surface, and why I personally recommend with a stable working system, unless you really need anything from Kontakt 8, as FredBlogg's (KLU's creator corroborates), he is still trying to adjust to what is going on properly and hasn't released an update in awhile, and you see loads of problems from other users here.. not all... but I'm taking stability over being able to run some stupid play packs myself for now...

But others have had success, and some of that involves manually editing certain json or plist files etc... and I would research what they have to say in that regards, as people just jumping in tend to have more issues with previous libraries not appearing then they did before with it's release.

I have my libraries on a combination of ssd's and a few older ones that I don't use much on HDD spinners... it's a matter of assigning where they are via KLU2 if I want to move them. So if I take some Spitfire library installed for example, and I want to move it to another particular ssd from another hdd or another ssd, ... I go to KLU2 first and "remove it" so it removes dependancies or changes things in those files, then I move the Library, and then re add it via KLU2, as it then adds what it needs to those same files with updated information.

If you just move it and re add it from another location, you can run into problems with confusing location information in the dependency files Kontakt looks for this information on.

More steps, but more stable, and I like consistency even if it takes a little more time.

KLU 2 does have a bulk move/remove function, but I haven't tested it myself. If I was, (and I just ordered another 4tb ssd so I will be) moving stuff, I would take the time to remove and add manually myself. But I haven't heard people complaining that much about the batch functionality... I just measure thrice and cut once you know?

and I don't keep anything on my internal, as hell, I have 10'+ TB's of Kontakt assets (a lot of them from yesteryear and created myself, or imported from Akai/emu/samplecell/etc etc), and whatever.. I have not had a problem with the speed of loading them from a drive like the t9 or anything, sure, internal is gonna be faster I imagine (my drives are usb 3.2 running on an m3max, I haven't felt the need to sport for tb drives yet, as perhaps just cheap... as it would be faster and whatnot, but living in my fiscal reality....you know what I mean..)

You DO have an 8tb internal on the M1 Max though? that is a luxury I do NOT have, as only have 1tb... so your situation is different, and up to you... with that amount of space, I would probably think differently and have at least my more heavily used libraries and assets onboard the internal.... and it also depends on how much stuff you have and size of your projects etc...

and never ever forget to have this stuff backed up you know? I wouldn't return the 4tb ssd as I imagine it probably costs more then when you bought it now as sadly those prices aren't going down, and I'd rather have it than not... but everyone has a different calculus on that...

but you have a good wealth of internal ssd size on that, more then most of us macOS users for sure... as you are maxed out... which is great.

So it depends on your situation.

 

thanks for such a comprehensive answer!

apologies, I misread the Kontakt version and yes yours is 7.1x so it is above mine

What I might do is grab HCiSO's Kontakt 7.1x and put everything through this.
I have no real need to jump up to Kontakt 8 at the moment especially if it messes things up

Not sure if I can ask this but where can I find HCiSO's Kontakt 7.1x?

Also I think it’s time to move everything to stream from the 4TB and maybe this is the time to do it and then delete and reclaim the space on the internal 8TB

 

Sounds like you have figured out a plan that works best for you, and great. Just take your time once and do it right and carefully correctin the shift, and you should be fine on Kontakt 7. v8 I'm still eyeing with a little jaundice at the moment, but I hope it gets figured out, and I assume it will... but until I feel I can trust it... nah, lol, as again I like stability. I will pm you regarding sourcing of HCiSO's Kontakt v7 re: sister site adherent to rules here.

best of luck!

 

Thank you for your help and PM

My other thought is to get rid of the SSD external and go with Google Drive as a back up and streaming service?

so : put all my libraries on Google Drive 2TB or 5TB as a back up and download the libraries I need to the internal 8TB to use. (Maybe keep some very well used ones on the 8TB permanently)

I don’t use my libraries as much now but I don’t want to lose my collection.

also with Google Drive I could add other things like samples, tracks etc that follow me around and if I get a second PC they could all show up in that PC, or newer Mac in the future?

I do like the idea of having my backup in the cloud especially Google Drive instead of a cabled ext drive

but thoughts? I know it would be a monthly fee, but a bigger well known cloud solution like Google, and the ability to download to my internal drive and then remove and put back to the cloud sounds appealing!

 

no worries mate...

Yeah, I would keep that ssd myself, and ~also~ use the Google Drive if you want... The google drive isn't going to be fast enough for streaming Kontakt Libraries or anything like that (fine for other stuff, like movies and music and whatnot, but not something like a Kontakt library in general, or running a session/project off of kinda thing, regardless of your internet speed to my knowledge), but is a good backup and migration tool as you mentioned, and we have been talking about backup plans and whatnot over on this thread:

https://audiosex.pro/threads/long-term-storage-ssds-vs-hdd.78952/page-5

and having the stuff on the external, at least as a backup, and the google drive will help get you there if you care about it and want your stuff backed up as much as reasonably possible... (and that includes the tracks and samples etc you mentioned)..

If you aren't using a lot of libraries, and you've got that great big internal 8tb on your M1 Max (again jealous of that size internal! ), I would keep those drives internal just so you aren't always dependent on hooking something up...

But I don't know your situation, but with the price of ssd's these days, and with kinda no end in sight of reprieve on that or perhaps more escalation for many different reasons, I would just hold onto it if you can afford to, as you are always gonna need more space at some point, and it's for the time being and forecasted year or so or more, it's not getting cheaper you know?

 

Yes I understand that Google Drive isn’t fast enough to stream directly ( I wish it was)! But if the libraries sit on there as back up and a few are permanently on my main 8TB, then I can “download” the others from google drive to my Kontakt library folder on the 8TB SSD Internal to use a library.

when I’ve finished the project or rendered some library to audio I can “put back” to Google drive and remove it from 8TB to free up space again.

the link you sent is interesting as it says SSD’s can still die like HDDs do. I did have 8 drives at one time years ago on Fw800 which worked but was a pain!! Forever worried if one had errors or other problems associated with cabled external drives.

I’m just thinking of future proofing my set up and using the internal 8TB. And if I get a 2nd PC, I can access my samples, loops, tracks easily on a separate computer, via Google Drive

 

Not sure if its possible on mac but you could try symlinks (junctions), if these are a thing you could try. I use windwos, so it may be different, but if i use junctions (sort of redirect folders windows hardly notices is not real) i can move libraries around withotu hem going missing? Does it show where its expecting the libs?

 

Yeah, you could shuffle libraries back and forth to the google drive etc, but I'm not sure if that might cause issues with how Kontakt currently works.... as I said earlier, even moving libraries you have installed via KLU 2 etc, there is a process required or it breaks essentially... and even moving from one local drive to another, and I imagine even moving a folder into another might also cause that issue... so, I can't say for sure, but I'd test that before going all in you know?

and yup, ssd's die as well... fortunately the interal ssd's in the apple m series are pretty robust, and you don't want that going down, as you will be locked out of your system even if you have it cloned etc to an external (which they don't recommend, but can be done, and booted from, but the internal drive has to be functional and working). I've had so many drives over the years, and still do, but with larger drives more prevalent now, it was nice to collate a bunch of, hell, ranging from 1-9 gb scsi drives, to 200-250gb drives, to 8tb drives, to 20-22TB drives etc for convenience and more easier to move around etc... ! When an ssd drive dies, it tends to suddenly, at lower % as logged then hdd's, but you tend to get a heads up on your hdd's unless it's a single catastrophic event kinda thing....

But I do use carbon copy cloner etc to clone my internal, (but it's set to only clone the user data by design of apple intent as the system itself is locked down, so recovery can be fast, and I am getting more now why they do it, as much as for some things it can be a bit more of a challenge).