HI, i want ti install plugin on my new mac mini, but i have the internal ssd full and i don't know how to install them on a external drive. Help me please

 

Plugins only run on the boot drive. Unless you have a certain type of Symlink to the external drive.

 

how i can make a sym link ?

 

Install Symbolic Linker 2.2. It is for free. Follow the instructions and add it into your Services Folder. Then just right click on the folder on the SSD and choose from Service menu, to create the symlink folder. Copy the Symlink folder on the Mac drive where it should be and modify its name, deleting the "symlink" from the title. That's it!

If you already install the plugins like Arturia, Softube, Nexus etc, you can copy the big data folders on the SSD, create the symlink folders for them, then you delete the folders from your Mac, replacing with the Symlinks.

 

Yelling doesn't help!

 

You do not need to use symlinks for audio plugins and their content. Just make an Alias of the target folder and put it where the plugin is looking for content.

right click or control+click. select Make Alias in the contextual menu that opens. Drag that file to the default content location of the plugin and you are done.

 

The aliases don't always work! At least with my external SSD from Western Digital, they don't.Some do, but Arturia, Softube, Ableton racks didn't work for me.

 

Yes, there are some plugins which don't like just an alias. But with a symlink they generally work.

To create a symlink type in Terminal:
ln -s /original/path /external ssd/path

The fastest way is to just enter "ln -s " and after the space drag the orginal folder inside terminal, so it fills out the right path, then space again and drag the external ssd folder inside terminal and hit enter.

 

Last edited: Mar 4, 2025

does osx automatically give a static device ID for a unique external drive? if so then couldn't you simply add the plugin location to that drive to your DAW?

 

you are probably trying to install the actual plugin on the external. you put the plugin on the system disk, and the content on the external.

I have over 600 plugins, no Waves atm; and they take up just over 15 gig on the system disk. While all the plugins' actual content on my external is about 500 GB.

Here's why:

Spoiler

do my AU audio plugins perform better when located on my macOS system disk?
ChatGPT said:


Yes, placing your AU (Audio Unit) plugins on your macOS system disk (typically the internal SSD) can improve performance. Here’s why:

1. Faster Read/Write Speeds – The system SSD in modern Macs (especially Apple Silicon models) is extremely fast compared to external drives. Plugins load faster and access samples or data more quickly.
   
   
2. Lower Latency – When plugins are stored externally, macOS needs to read them over a potentially slower connection (USB, Thunderbolt, etc.), which can introduce latency.
   
   
3. Better Stability – Some plugins, especially those that require deep system integration (like those using iLok or other DRM systems), may not function properly or may cause crashes if run from an external drive.
   
   
4. macOS Permissions & Security – macOS may block or limit execution of AU plugins on external drives due to security settings (like Gatekeeper and System Integrity Protection).
   
   
5. Logic Pro X Compatibility – Since Logic Pro X looks for AU plugins in specific system directories (/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/), having them on an external disk may cause recognition issues or require workarounds.

When to Consider an External Drive:

• If you're dealing with huge sample libraries (like Kontakt, Omnisphere, etc.), storing them externally can save internal SSD space while keeping the AU plugin itself on the system disk.
• If you have an extremely limited internal SSD, you might move less essential plugins or libraries externally, but keep frequently used ones on the system disk.

And this does not even address patching plugins directly. Most patches are written to install [k] plugins with them in /Components or /VST3.

 

Last edited: Mar 4, 2025

ive also encountered issues with using aliases for plugin content. it works for most of them, but have encountered a few where symlink was necessary.

 

Which ones? Right now, the major ones I have are Omnisphere, Serum, Falcon3, and probably some other smaller ones I am forgetting.

One that I remember you do need to symlink is the Acustica ir/vector files. But I concluded that the better place for them was the Trashcan.

 

Last edited: Mar 6, 2025

i forget honestly. I want to say the cradle stuff was a culprit, but there were a few more as well.

 

Let me know if you remember and I'll check. None I have done for library content has not worked. There are some things that can cause it to not work. Permissions r-w-x, code signatures, "ignore permissions" on the disk are some.

 

Last edited: Mar 6, 2025