Total Studio 3.5 MAX installation guide (boxed + digital)

[Metallica93]

I'm making this unofficial guide with the intention of assisting users in installing the behemoth that is Total Studio 3.5 MAX with as little headache as possible while answering as many questions as I can. After receiving a corrupt flash drive from IK Multimedia (i.e., the boxed version) and then discovering that IK Product Manager was actually missing files (i.e., the digital download version), I decided this was necessary to help anyone else struggling with whether or not they had all of the content installed (and backed up) that they paid for, particularly as the support team was not as helpful as I was hoping.

Total Studio 3.5 MAX (boxed version)

Note: if you paid for the boxed version, please be especially cautious as there is a possibility that the flash drive is corrupt. IK Multimedia should be able to replace it, but do not plan on using the flash drive as a long-term backup solution. Install Total Studio 3.5 MAX on your drive of choice and then keep the .zip files or copy everything to a backup drive. You will save yourself a ton of headache in the future. If the drive is corrupt in some fashion, we'll walk through the digital download installation process, as well, to make sure you have everything, regardless.

Note: your flash drive should have two folders ("Install Total Studio 3.5 MAX" and "Sound Content"), two hidden folders (".fseventsd" and ".Spotlight-V100"), and one .pdf file ("Getting Started - Total Studio 3.5 MAX"). For the most part, you can follow the .pdf file and you should be fine, but I'll include any extra steps along the way that the guide doesn't provide.

1) Open the "Install Total Studio 3.5 MAX" folder and run the installer for your operating system (e.g., "Windows Total Studio 3.5 MAX Installer.exe" for Windows). This will install all of the programs from the "Installer Data" folder, but all at once instead of you having to do it piecemeal. Each program will allow you to choose where you want your A.A.X./V.S.T./V.S.T. 3 (and sound content, for MODO Drum) folders located, as well. The IK Product Manager should open at the very end of this process.

Note: at this point, the IK Product Manager should tell you that you have 13 installed software products and 9 installed sounds. Those 9 installed sounds are the files for MODO Drum. However, as soon as you update MODO Drum, you might notice that your "Installed Sound" number goes back down to 0 (or the drum kits no longer have the green check mark) once you refresh the page. You do not need to redownload these files. You may need to simply point MODO Drum back to your sound content folder once you open it. The IK Product Manager said that all 9 MODO Drum sounds were installed after I started playing with the standalone program for a little bit, so it might also just need some time to refresh. You can see here for more information: https://www.ikmultimedia.com/faq/index. ... MmamZsMz0=

2) Once all of those are installed and the IK Product Manager launches, sign in and register your serial number (I'm unsure if the Authorization Manager is still used), then update all of the programs. Do not install any sound content during this step. If asked, simply cancel or close out of those prompts. Once finished updating everything, you can remove or back up all of the installers as they take up 9+ GB of space (located here: Documents\IK Multimedia\IK Product Manager). Read 2a and 2b in regard to Miroslav Philharmonik 2 and MODO Bass 2.

2a) This may only apply to people who download Miroslav Philharmonik 2 directly from the IK Product Manager, but I'll include it here, just in case. If you open Miroslav Philharmonik 2 and receive a .vpa error, you'll need to head to the IK Multimedia website, click on the little silhouette in the top-right corner, click on "My Products", search for/scroll down to Miroslav Philharmonik 2, and download the previous version, 2.0.5., under "Past Releases". Once that's downloaded, you can then update to version 2.0.6 in the IK Product Manager.

My old flash drive installed version 2.0.5 and I just updated and it opened without issue. The replacement flash drive installed version 2.0.6, however, but it still opened without issue. Again, this might just be a problem with the IK Product Manager download missing a file that version 2.0.5 has, but that's the solution, if you need it.

2b) You don't actually need MODO Bass any longer. If you'd like, you can go ahead and download MODO Bass 2 (version 2.0.2 is the latest) and just uninstall MODO Bass. MODO Bass 2 will allow you to access all of your basses as well as show you the (currently 8) locked/newer ones that are a part of MODO Bass 2, which wasn't included in Total Studio 3.5 MAX. You can also just keep MODO Bass installed if you don't plan on buying the extra MODO Bass 2 content.

Note: this applies to other older programs, as well. If you have, for example, AmpliTube 5 and Syntronik 2 installed, then you do not need to install AmpliTube 4 or Syntronik.

3) Open the "Sound Content" folder on the flash drive and run the "Install [program] Sound Content" .exe for each program. You can do this in any order you want, but I installed SampleTank 4, then SampleTank 3, then Syntronik 2, then SampleTron 2. Make sure you set the file path for where you want the sound content installed, as well, if you don't want to use the default location. Note that you may sometimes get a warning that states the Instruments failed to copy over. Simply click on the respective "Sound Content" folder and copy just the "Instruments" folder over (i.e., don't run the .exe again) and you should be all set afterward.

4) The main question I had was "But how do I know I have everything installed?", which was almost impossible to answer without additional reference material. I hope that listing the file numbers/sizes here will help answer that for others. Just note that some of you may have legacy software found in the SampleTank 3 sound content folder (i.e., "Effects Presets", "Exported Patterns", "Imported Instruments", and "Imported Samples"). All four of those folders were empty, for me, and the following numbers reflect that:

- Total Studio 3.5 MAX\MODO Drum (1.5.0)\Sound Content: 10.6 GB, 0 folders, 3 files (anyone who downloaded MODO Drum version 1.5.0 directly instead of needing to update may see 8.11 GB, 0 folders, 10 files, instead)

- Total Studio 3.5 MAX\SampleTank 4 (4.2.3)\Sound Content: 220 GB, 3,886 folders, 8,067 files

- Total Studio 3.5 MAX\SampleTank 4 (4.2.3)\Sound Content (SampleTank 3): 112 GB, 1,456 folders, 16,545 files

- Total Studio 3.5 MAX\SampleTron (2.0.4)\Sound Content: 7.8 GB, 420 folders, 852 files

- Total Studio 3.5 MAX\Syntronik 2 (2.1.1)\Sound Content: 78.7 GB, 578 folders, 6,005 files

Note: if you have more files/folders than I do, check to see if your flash drive installed Miroslav Philharmonik 2 CE. Miroslav Philharmonik 2 should already include everything that's in the less comprehensive CE version, so you should be able to delete the separate CE folders (that start with "51", I believe, as the full Miroslav Philharmonik 2 suite has folders that start with "50").

If you have any files/folders that are off, please let me know! I'll try my best to confirm what you do/do not have so you're getting (and backing up) everything you paid for.


Total Studio 3.5 MAX (digital version)

The digital download is the larger pain in the ass given that the IK Product Manager does not have everything as nice and tidy as the flash drive, but the process is still the same with some notable caveats:

1) You do not need to install the cheaper/less comprehensive versions of software. For example, SampleTank 4 has SampleTank 4 CS, SampleTank 4 SE, SampleTank 4 ("regular"), and SampleTank 4 MAX. If you want to have all of the SampleTank 4 content installed, simply download the MAX version. It comes with everything that the lower tiers do. You can also skip Miroslav Philharmonik 2 CE (just download the full/regular version) and Syntronik 2 CS and Syntronik Deluxe (just download Syntronik 2 as it should come with all of the Syntronik synthesizers, their updates, and the Syntronik 2 synthesizers).

2) As stated in the boxed version section, you do not need older versions of programs, if you have them (e.g., AmpliTube 4, MODO Bass, and Syntronik). Just download the latest versions (e.g., AmpliTube 5, MODO Bass 2, and Syntronik 2). Please see section 2a in the boxed version section for Miroslav Philharmonik 2 if you receive a .vpa error, though.

So, go ahead and follow the same steps above, downloading the programs first, selecting your V.S.T. directories, updating the software, and lastly downloading the sound content for each program.

2a) Before downloading any sound content, run the stand-alone program for each product and select the desired folder for the library (e.g., X:\Libraries\IK Multimedia\SampleTank 4\) in its Preference Settings. The IK Product Manager should then pick up that location when installing the sounds.

Warning: when I found the original flash drive was corrupt, I spent the $10 ($7, after JamPoints) to purchase the digital download token as the six-month timer had expired. I found that the IK Product Manager was actually missing files that, apparently, can only be found on the IK Multimedia website under "My Products". They are as follows for:

SampleTank4 MAX:
- "SampleTank 3, Part 5"
- "SampleTank 3, Part 6"

Syntronik 2:
- "Synths - Memory V, Part 1"
- "Synths - M-Poly, Part 1"
- "Synth - SAM Bonus Sound Content"
- "Synths - SH-V, Part 2"
- "Synth - T-03, Part 3"
- "Synth - T-03 Bonus Sound Content"
- "Synths - VCF3"
- "Synth 2 - Bully"

I have no idea why those files are missing from the IK Product Manager, but I assume they're all still needed.

[doray]

Fantastic information! I ended up using the digital IK Product Manager, but had many of the same questions. I have a few older versions and wanted to know if they were needed any longer. Additionally, I noticed my MixBox doesn't allow (grayed out) Sunset Studio verb content even though the Mix box version is 1.5. A little disappointing. I have the ModoBass and Drums that came with this version for the time being, so they are not the most current...oh well LOL.

Thanks for your insight. If you know anything about the Mixbox let me know.

Many thanks,
Ray

[Metallica93]

Fantastic information! I ended up using the digital IK Product Manager, but had many of the same questions. I have a few older versions and wanted to know if they were needed any longer. Additionally, I noticed my MixBox doesn't allow (grayed out) Sunset Studio verb content even though the Mix box version is 1.5. A little disappointing. I have the ModoBass and Drums that came with this version for the time being, so they are not the most current...oh well LOL.

Thanks for your insight. If you know anything about the Mixbox let me know.

Many thanks,
Ray

I consider the time I took to make this guide absolutely worth it if it helped just one person, so I appreciate the feedback!

As for MixBox, the 5 Sunset Studio reverb modules are a separate expansion pack that does not come with Total Studio 3.5 MAX. You can compare the versions here: https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/m ... p=versions

Yeah, you don't technically need MODO Bass 2 if you're just using the MODO Bass suite. The former is only really necessary if you either want to see what you're missing (the interface is almost exactly the same) or if you plan on buying the new basses to use (which do require MODO Bass 2).

With the update to MODO Drum, it looks like a big change was separating the original three .pak files into their respective drum kits. Unsure what else happened behind the scenes there.

[doray]

Great thanks, you've been a big help.

[Warren P]

This is very useful stuff.

I have just completed a Total Studio 3.5 MAX full install on a machine which did not have enough room on drive C (windows). It took a bit of doing, but I managed to get all the libraries on a secondary hard drive (internal to my workstation PC).

If there's any interest I can edit this reply and add details on how to reorganize and use multiple drives. If you covered that above, sorry I missed that bit.

I was able to install all the Syntronik 2 content FROM THE IK installer, didn't need to mess about.

[jhall123]

^^^
Good work! I went the lazy route and used a 2tb SSD instead. I still have 972 GB free after the installs!
I also have an internal secondary 1TB SSD and three USB-3.0 1TB SSDs I also cloned my main programs and OS image on another 1TB SSD that I have on a shelf. I'll boot of up it every three months to do any windows updates and to prevent any "electron tunneling" which can degrade the integrity of the files over time if it isn't powered up from time to time.

[Metallica93]

This is very useful stuff.

I have just completed a Total Studio 3.5 MAX full install on a machine which did not have enough room on drive C (windows). It took a bit of doing, but I managed to get all the libraries on a secondary hard drive (internal to my workstation PC).

If there's any interest I can edit this reply and add details on how to reorganize and use multiple drives. If you covered that above, sorry I missed that bit.

I was able to install all the Syntronik 2 content FROM THE IK installer, didn't need to mess about.

I don't believe you'll be able to edit your post. I think the forum prevents this shortly after you submit it, which I find annoying.

And you confirmed that you have all of the Syntronik and Syntronik 2 files just from the IK Product Manager (i.e., you didn't install the 8 missing files)? What about parts 5 and 6 for SampleTank 3?

[ChrisHeinen]

^^^
Good work! I went the lazy route and used a 2tb SSD instead. I still have 972 GB free after the installs!
I also have an internal secondary 1TB SSD and three USB-3.0 1TB SSDs I also cloned my main programs and OS image on another 1TB SSD that I have on a shelf. I'll boot of up it every three months to do any windows updates and to prevent any "electron tunneling" which can degrade the integrity of the files over time if it isn't powered up from time to time.

Lucky dog! Question - I'm not up to speed on the care and feeding of SSD's. Why is it necessary to boot them up periodically? Is there a link for numbskulls like me that can learn? TIA...

[jhall123]

^^^^
I'm not entirely sure if it is needed. That said I read a thread about long term storage on SSD's and one of the "engineering types" posted that there is a phenomenon called electron tunneling that will degrade the integrity of the stored files over time and will make them unusable after about five years if the drives are simply stored. I took this to mean it would be a good idea to "power them up" every once in a while to "re-glue" the data to the matrix!

[ChrisHeinen]

Good to know. In 5 years I'll be at the old folks home with applesauce dribbling down my chin, not remembering what SSD stands for, so, I've got that going for me...

[AlMoon13]

First of all thank you Metallica93 for this excellent guide.
Secondary - Warren P - yes it would be really useful to have a guide on using external drives for storage.

I am very interested in getting Total Studio, but somewhat cautious, as the process seems a bit of a pain.

I have one question - how much space is taken on the C drive for files that have to be located there? Does anyone have a rough estimate on this?

[ChrisHeinen]

I am very interested in getting Total Studio, but somewhat cautious, as the process seems a bit of a pain.

I hate to be critical of it, since several of the apps/instruments sound very good, so a charitable thing for me to say about it is that the install process is "doable" especially if you have a nerd/tech background and don't mind some troubleshooting of the process as you go.

TS 3.5 MAX, as I understand it, is basically a bundle of existing apps, each with their own installers that were developed as each of those products came to market (some several years ago), and the "Product Manager" app then drives (loads and waits) as you select what apps/sounds you want installed. I'm about half done installing it as I don't have a lot of time to spare, and I've prioritized which bits interest me and am focusing on them first.

Some cautions that I'd be aware of - the FAQ's on installation seem to have been developed over the years as the individual products came out, and were probably correct as far as they went, however, they haven't (probably can't) be changed at this point, and so they don't sync up with the individual product instruction manuals and the current "state of affairs" when taking into account trying to install *all* the products to date. This caused me (and others) to start asking questions of each other and tech support. Also, specifically when installing the SampleTron 2 product, even though I told the Product Manager to put the content on an external drive, it did not, and rather, put it on the C: drive so I had to manually move it and touch up the path info in the app/VST3i Settings. I probably should have contacted support, but, well, didn't...

DarkStar and Metallica93 get major cudos for keeping me on track during the installs, so read their threads for sure.

Best of luck, and keep us updated on your progress....

[Metallica93]

First of all thank you Metallica93 for this excellent guide.
Secondary - Warren P - yes it would be really useful to have a guide on using external drives for storage.

I am very interested in getting Total Studio, but somewhat cautious, as the process seems a bit of a pain.

I have one question - how much space is taken on the C drive for files that have to be located there? Does anyone have a rough estimate on this?

Abso-positively! I went through the pain so fewer folks would have to. Apologies for the length, though.

Were you able to follow my post well enough? As mentioned above, it's entirely doable, but with this many files, there are some things that need addressing to ensure you have everything done in one fell swoop. I'm fine with a one-time pain in the ass. It's a pain in the ass many times over that I couldn't abide by, which is why I'm pleased enough with my purchase.

For the C: drive, I have the following locations:

- Documents\IK Multimedia: ~172 MB

- Program Files\IK Multimedia: ~15.3 GB

- Program Files (x86)\IK Multimedia: ~51.3 MB

Total (including ToneX, which is a separate download and not part of Total Studio 3.5 MAX), you're looking at less than 20 GB of space for just the programs, some presets, and all associated files.

It's the sound content that's the biggie. Those numbers are posted in the first message and you can store all of those on another drive provided you keep the file structure intact and point the programs to those new locations.

Any other questions, just let me know in here!

[AlMoon13]

Thanks for the reply - this is the simple answer I wanted from support.
I got quite frustrated by all of this and posted my frustrations - which got my post deleted.
I had decided to not purchase it at all - but your post has given me the clarity I was looking for.

Since getting into the whole vst buying obsession - my C drive is choked. But, I could just manage 20 GIg. One trick I have picked up is to reallocate folders on the C Drive, and leave a link to where they now reside. I did this with my Documents folder - and it seems to work.

I bought a huge external drive, so no problems with finding space for the sound content.

Also, my main reason for buying would be to get all the instruments for Modo Bass and Drum. Those two alone justify the price. So, there is a lot in the whole package that I would not install anyhow.

So, I am sitting on the fence again!

Again, thanks for the reply, you are doing heroic work here.

[Metallica93]

Thanks for the reply - this is the simple answer I wanted from support.
I got quite frustrated by all of this and posted my frustrations - which got my post deleted.
I had decided to not purchase it at all - but your post has given me the clarity I was looking for.

Since getting into the whole vst buying obsession - my C drive is choked. But, I could just manage 20 GIg. One trick I have picked up is to reallocate folders on the C Drive, and leave a link to where they now reside. I did this with my Documents folder - and it seems to work.

I bought a huge external drive, so no problems with finding space for the sound content.

Also, my main reason for buying would be to get all the instruments for Modo Bass and Drum. Those two alone justify the price. So, there is a lot in the whole package that I would not install anyhow.

So, I am sitting on the fence again!

Again, thanks for the reply, you are doing heroic work here.

I hear ya. Support gets a big +1 for supplying the replacement flash drive, but no other questions I had were answered. Had to figure all of this out on my own or by reading posts here. Bleh :/

And I was about to ask if you did because I swore I saw something the other day. Sorry about that, but that's why I made the post. Too much frustration for no reason. I wouldn't blame ya for not pulling the trigger, but at least you'd be more informed beforehand! Best I could hope for with this post.