How to uninstall some of the IK Multimedia plugins?

[Lophophora]

Hi,

I am on Windows 10, working with Reaper.

Earlier this year I installed ARC System 3 and probably a bunch of other plugins that came in the bundle, but never used them.

Now as I was re-arranging my plugins folder I noticed that I have a bunch of IK Multimedia plugins installed but not activated. When I tried to activate them I realized that I had to buy them. Why IK Multimedia made me install them in the first place if I didn't have the licenses doesn't make sense to me, but anyway... I don't want to keep plugins that I can't use (and don't want to purchase the licenses either).

I can't find a way to uninstall them. They don't appear in the Control Panel along with the other programs and installed plugins. They don't appear in the Product Manager program either. How do I get rid of them?

[garfy]

There is an uninstaller in each of the individual program downloads.

On the website go to Support>User Area>My Products. Click on the Past Releases button against whichever software you want to uninstall, download and unzip the installer and you'll find an uninstaller in the resulting folder.

Hope that helps.

[Lophophora]

Thanks, that works indeed.

I find it very confusing that IK Multimedia provided me with a serial number if I can't use the product anyway. What is this serial number for?

Having to download the program a second time just to uninstall it is cumbersome too. Honestly the whole process alone is enough to drive me away from IK Multimedia products altogether, it is by far the less user-friendly installation/authorization process I had to go through (and I have a lot of different plugins from 20 other companies). I' not saying this just to vent, I'm hoping that this could be read by someone at IK Multimedia as constructive user feedback.

[garfy]

I find it very confusing that IK Multimedia provided me with a serial number if I can't use the product anyway. What is this serial number for?

You didn't say that in your first post. I suspect you're talking about the Custom Shop versions of some of the apps then? Sampletank 4CS, T-RackS 5CS etc?

If you have a serial number then it will be for the free versions of the larger apps. The serial number unlocks the CS versions for unrestricted access (no white noise) of the included content and to trial and buy modules, sound banks etc 'a la carte' if you don't want to buy the whole package.

Hope that helps.

[Lophophora]

Yes I didn't mention it because I didn't know... I only realized that when I went to the website as you suggested.

I tried one plugin to see if it worked but I get a warning message that says it is not activated, and when I click OK it redirects me to a "custom shop", where the only thing I can do is purchase the product... I really don't get how this all works. Can I actually use this free version I have? How? If I select Cancel instead of Ok I can use the plugin but it generates white noise every 10 seconds or so, that makes it useless.

[DarkStar]

It would help us help you if you could let us know exactly which plug-ins you have installed and not activated and which ones you wanted to try. Which ones came with the ARC 3 bundle?

When I installed various IK Multimedia products, an uninstaller was installed at the same time. As you have installed some, you should also have the uninstallers (in the Windows Start >. All programs >> IK Multimedia menus here).

The Product Manager is a new product and does not (yet?) support all IK Multimedia products.

The Custom Shop program allows you to buy new plug-ins or gear models or to Try them out for a limited time, before deciding whether to purchase them.

Free editions of all IK Multimedia products can used used, once they have been Authorized.

[Lophophora]

It would help us help you if you could let us know exactly which plug-ins you have installed and not activated and which ones you wanted to try. Which ones came with the ARC 3 bundle?

I don't remember which one came in the bundle, but here is what I currently have listed in My Products:

ARC System 3
SampleTank Custom Shop
Miroslav Philharmonik 2 Classik Edition
T-RackS 5 Custom Shop
AmpliTube Custom Shop
Syntronik Free

The Custom Shop program allows you to buy new plug-ins or gear models or to Try them out for a limited time, before deciding whether to purchase them.

Does this mean that all the plugins in my list with "custom shop" in their name will stop (or have already stopped) working once this period expires?

[garfy]

Does this mean that all the plugins in my list with "custom shop" in their name will stop (or have already stopped) working once this period expires?

Nope. Once you have authorised the CS versions they will work unrestricted. For example, the CS version of AmpliTube 4 (soon to be AmpliTube 5) gives you 9 stomps, 4 amps, 5 cabs, 2 speakers, 3 mics, 2 rack processors and 6 room simulations which will all work without the white noise.

You may also have noticed that the Custom Shop app has been installed as well (literally a virtual shop). If you wanted to trial a piece of gear that you don't already have, you can do that for 72 hours unrestricted by going to the Custom Shop and clicking Try on the piece(s) of gear or module you want to demo. This was what DarkStar was referring to. You have to stay online during the trial time, but that is the only restriction (no white noise).

So, in your My Products list you should also be able to see serial numbers alongside each of your CS/Free versions. Authorise whichever ones you want to use and you'll be good to go. I think there is some additional content to download for the sample based apps, STCS and MP2CE, but I think the rest are all self-contained.

Let us know how you get on.

[DarkStar]

Regarding those products with "Custom Shop" in the title:

That is the name given to a bundle of 3 products:
-- the software product itself, standalone program and plug-in(s)
-- the Custom Shop standalone program,
-- the Authorization Manager standalone program.
Each bundle also has a Serial Number. This enables you to use it with a limited set of sounds (in SampleTank) or gear models (in AmpliTube) or FX (in T-RackS).

Same goes for Syntronik Free.

As garfy said, all the Serial Numbers are in your User Area / My products section. You should be Authorize them by using the new IK Product Manager, or, if not, then by using the older Authorization Manager.

[Lophophora]

Ok I have entered all the serial numbers into IK Multimedia Authorization Manager and got a green confirmation for all of them.

Side question: why does every single install or update of an IK Multimedia re-installs the Authorization Manager? Can't it just detect that it's already there? It's been a bit cumbersome to have to re-install the same piece of software 8 times in a row.

Anyway, I have made little progress because I still have a bunch of IK Multimedia plugins showing in Reaper and none of them can be used, I still get "this product hasn't been activated, do you want to enter the Custom Shop to purchase it".

Where do these plugins come from? I don't even remember installing them. I suppose they were part of some kind of bundle but why would they be installed if I can't use them anyway? These are the plugins I'm referring to:

TR5 Black 76
TR5 Brickwall limiter
TR5 British Channel
TR5 Bus compressor
TR5 Classic clipper
TR5 De esser
TR5 Saturator X
TR5 White channel

And if I can't use them, how do I uninstall them since they do not appear in "My Products" or in the Product Manager, or in the Authorization manager?

edit: after restarting Reaper a whole bunch of new IK Multimedia plugins appeared! All starting with TR5 in their names. There are now 46 of these, no less! EQs, delays, tape machines and whatnot.

Why does IK Multimedia keeps installing stuff I can't use, without even telling me? And more importantly: how do I get rid of these and make sure they never come back?? This is so frustrating.

[Lophophora]

Apart from these 46 "TR5" plugins I also have a few that seem to work:

Philarmonik
Sample Tank
AmpliTube
ARC 3

I also have Syntronik free, which I'd like to try, but it says I don't have any sounds. How do I get the sound libraries?

[garfy]

I also have Syntronik free, which I'd like to try, but it says I don't have any sounds. How do I get the sound libraries?

I can't quite remember what comes with Syntronik Free, but if you have any software that requires additional content there should be a button that says Sounds Download next to the instrument in your User Area>My Products. Maybe another Syntronik Free user will chime in with some more help.

edit: after restarting Reaper a whole bunch of new IK Multimedia plugins appeared! All starting with TR5 in their names. There are now 46 of these, no less! EQs, delays, tape machines and whatnot.

Why does IK Multimedia keeps installing stuff I can't use, without even telling me? And more importantly: how do I get rid of these and make sure they never come back?? This is so frustrating.

The installation for T-RackS 5 is a single package and then the serial number unlocks the modules that you own. You will get the Classic EQ and basic metering once you have authorised the TR5 CS serial number shown in your User Area.

The remainder of the install is for the rest of the modules that you can then demo, without restriction for 72 hours, by clicking Try in the Custom Shop.

If you don't want these plugins on your system, you can go into the plugins folder(s) in your OS and manually delete them. However, this is not official IK guidance as, if you then go to buy or demo one of the modules, the process will not work as expected.

Hope that helps

[Lophophora]

if you have any software that requires additional content there should be a button that says Sounds Download next to the instrument in your User Area>My Products.

There is a Download button but it only leads to th user manual, I have explored all menus and there is no sound library there.

If you don't want these plugins on your system, you can go into the plugins folder(s) in your OS and manually delete them. However, this is not official IK guidance as, if you then go to buy or demo one of the modules, the process will not work as expected.

So if I understand this right, once these plugins are installed you can either purchase them, or hack your way into removing them but there is no way to cleanly uninstall them?

Thanks for your help anyway. I guess I'll contact support to sort out these issues. I feel stupid for having to go through Support for things that should be so simple to do...

[DarkStar]

why does every single install or update of an IK Multimedia re-installs the Authorization Manager?

If you already have it installed you can skip that state (same goes for the Custom Shop).

The Syntronik Free installer also installed the free Syntronik instruments. To use them you need to point to the sounds library in Syntronik's Settings > Library > Disk Path. It should be the same path is used in SampleTank 3. Check the size of the Syntronik Free download file - a GB or so; and you get 50 instruments.

In Reaper, you can hide the unwanted plug-ins by:
-- using Rename FX in the Reaper FX Browser and adding a leading # to reach name
-- unticking "Plug-ins that start with # in the FX Browser's "Show in FX list" menu
-- the advantages are that they are there if you want to Try them and they do not re-appear after a future install.

[Lophophora]

Well I don't have that library on my hard drive so I guess I overlooked to download it in the first place. Looks like there is no other way than to purchase it now.

I also tried to contact support but you actually can't, all you can do is scroll the FAQ, which didn't answer my questions.

Maybe I'm unlucky or dumb... but my whole experience with IK Multimedia has been incredibly unpleasant. The weird thing is, I never had any such problems with other brands.

Thanks for trying to help though, I appreciate it.