Just got an email from NI about the latest version of Kontakt, a pint release, v5.7; it says it adds some guitar FX and some instrument-building tools (neither of which are too important for me) but also "fixes some bugs" -- that matters, potentially.

I'm still on v5.5, the version before they introduced that thankfully short-lived new way of colouring keys. I would have updated once they got rid of that, but then I've read so much online about very unwelcome hassles, confusion and generally un-NI-like chaos with various 5.6 point updates. Libraries disappearing and / or having to be redownloaded, etc. Last I checked, the new library manager or whatever they call the thing they've rolled out actually requires some kind of deliberate hack to work properly.

As my current version of Kontakt ain't broke, and by temperment I am a scaredy-cat who shys away from the bleeding edge, updates-wise (I still have deep scars from Sonar and Waves), I've stayed with 5.5. Which is a drag as most new libraries require 5.6. Kontakt has been pretty much my main "VI",

Anyway, can any of you who have experienced unusual / disruptive problems with 5.6, or know what I'm talking about, tell me whether 5.7 fixes these things? Without introducing any new bugs?

I haven't tried it yet, but I did have a bugaboo of getting Kontakt 5.6.8 to even launch on one of my computers (hint, it required starting over with the operating system after months of back and forth between me and NI). I will make sure I have a good system image before I try 5.7, just in case. I'll try to remember to let you know once I have tried it.

And interestingly, I was able to get 5.5 to run fine on my computer, but 5.6 wouldn't run (it does now after the rebuild, but that meant re-installing everything, and on my computer it's several week's worth of work). Don't want to do that again. And it was just the one computer; 5.6.8 worked fine on my other two.

FYI
I just did the 5.7 update - no issues: It installed and worked in a few minutes

Good Luck

Larry

I am also on 5.5 and I have the same reservations as you. I'm going to wait and see what happens. It seems as NI took a perfectly good program and messed it all up. When and if I do upgrade I will make a backup image first like I do for all upgrades, even Sonar.

FWIW PGMusic's upgrades are the only ones that have not cause me any problem, at least to date.

Thanks guys. This is approaching a crisis point for me. Too many people here and on other forums reporting major trauma. I might be approaching the end of my useful NI life. Very disappointed with them. This could sabotage scores of existing projects. If they are going to force users along a certain path, make it seamless. Horrible startegy from an engineering standpoint.

I'll try the upgrade this weekend.

I would probably just take an image of my boot drive, try the install of 5.7 and see if it works, then roll back using the image if it doesn't. Even with the problems I've had, I'll still give 5.7 a try.

Yes John do an image backup prior to updating Kontakt.

FWIW- according to their site a new update is coming very soon. Many problems with 5.7 have been reported. I am still on 5.5 and maybe that will be it, don't know.

Like John and you I usually do an image (Acronis) before OS updates, MAJOR SW updates, new HW installs (e.g., graphics cards), or updates to what I deem to be COMPLEX software (SW that takes forever to install and re-config and make play nice with all the other apps).

But Kontakt is a "no brainier" to uninstall, delete left over "crap," and re-install from scratch - takes maybe 15+ minutes? (save scripts and don't delete libs) so I don't run Acronis when I do Kontakt updates - but I run incrementals every night anyway.

Of course you need to have KEPT the actual older update executable file to get you back to 5.3, or 5.5, or 5.6 - whatever your safe version was. I keep ALL updates for all apps - "just in case".

If you didn't keep them I guess you are stuck with a image recovery if things do go awry for you.

Note no Kontakt update files (the actual executable that contains the update) are any longer available from NI site, so...

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For what it's worth: 5.7 installed without any issue and works without issue (so far on both Win 7 and Win 10) but we may not use it the same, have the same libs, scripts, configs, etc. My poor Win XP's machines are stuck back at 5.3. But then again I'm not an exclusive, or even heavy, Kontakt user. Also I know I am in the minority because I do not really like Kontakt anyway. Not becasue of its sounds - they are good, but becasue I do not like its interface and mechanics.

Good Luck
Larry

You can capture the executable using NI Native Access, but what you have to do is watch it carefully to grab it right after it downloads and while it is installing. Some folks keep task manager running and stop the Native Access process from running right after the download finishes to capture the new executables from Native Access. I have all my older versions from Komplete 10, however, which used Service Center rather than Native Access.

Seems like such a major risk / lottery... For every post I've read somewhere recently about no problems, there's another about third party libraries lost... I am majorly invested in them. This is a real problem!

The new Kontakt seemed to install and work just fine for me.