Obsession 1.2 installer not installing

[MogwaiBoy]

This simply sounds sach us computer were configured with "Playtech", but then username has been changed.
Maybe that's why "Shorctut" step is appearing, because installer can't find the right folder.

Please then try the VST installation path (I suppose it's the one you want as final one):
D:\Music Production\VST\Synapse Audio

Then for the program's shortcut try to browse some folder for your programs,
not sure what is there, maybe if you manually select the folder from Browse,
then I think program's shortcut and path somehow will be found and accepted.

I think this is the issue here - the shortcut path, not plugin's (the initial error you got).

OK, I will try this!

What kind of shortcut is it? Uninstaller / standalone version? I'll try to find out where the default location for that should go - if you know, let me know

You are correct "D:\Music Production\VST\" is my preferred location, where all my other VST dll's are located, except some are VST3 only so need to go on C Drive Common Files.

[Marcin]

What kind of shortcut is it?

This is Start -> Programs -> Synapse Audio shortcut in general (here it's shortcut to the manual file).

This step in general should not appear and be automatic fully, so that's why it wonders me why it's here, so it seems probably the installer could not find the right path for it (due to some usernames mishmash on your computer) and finally the installer shows the step simply for the manual selection.

The path which is filled here is the default one for the Start -> Programs -> [Synapse Audio\Obsession]. So try to Browse the path from the "Browse" button and choose some path for the shortcut from the available locations at there.

Let us know if that's it.

[Christophe]

can you type in CMD :
cd C:\Users\playtech
tree > tree.txt
set > set.txt
doskey /m > doskey.txt

and upload the 3 files here

[MogwaiBoy]

What kind of shortcut is it?

This is Start -> Programs -> Synapse Audio shortcut in general (here it's shortcut to the manual file).

This step in general should not appear and be automatic fully, so that's why it wonders me why it's here, so it seems probably the installer could not find the right path for it (due to some usernames mishmash on your computer) and finally the installer shows the step simply for the manual selection.

The path which is filled here is the default one for the Start -> Programs -> [Synapse Audio\Obsession]. So try to Browse the path from the "Browse" button and choose some path for the shortcut from the available locations at there.

Let us know if that's it.

I hope you're on the right track. I bought both Obsession and The Legend in August last year when you had a big sale and I was saving them for my new PC - now hopefully soon I'll finally get to use them.

So, I found where the Dune 2 manual was installed:

dunemanual.png

Should I create an 'Obsession' folder here in the Synapse folder and point the Obsession shortcut to it when installing?

[Marcin]

No, just use the "Browse" button near the program's shorctut path in the installer.
Choose "Synapse Audio" (I see it's already there) and proceed installation.

[MogwaiBoy]

No, just use the "Browse" button near the program's shorctut path in the installer.
Choose "Synapse Audio" (I see it's already there) and proceed installation.

When I browse, I think it does take me to the Start folder. No matter where I click (even another developer's named folder) it wants to include "\Obsession" on the end of the filename.

If I browse to exactly where it already is, the path therefore stays "Synapse Audio/Obsession", the same as before I browsed - ie both the default and Browse To methods point to the same location. When I click Next/Install, I hit the error prompt again.

manual2.png

I have also tried by manually removing "Obsession" from the path, so it tries to put the manual in Start/Synapse Audio - but same error.

It's getting late here in New Zealand so I'm going to have to give up for another night, and try again tomorrow. Please let me know if there's any other methods you'd like me to try.

Do you have an installer that doesn't place a manual? I would be happy to just download the manual... manually

[MogwaiBoy]

I've tried more times in various ways and it's still not working.

Pretty bummed about it

[Richard]

Have you tried installing as administrator (i.e. from the administrator account)? It sounds to me as if there may be an issue with your user account(s). We have tried hard to reproduce your issue, but so far no luck.

[MogwaiBoy]

Have you tried installing as administrator (i.e. from the administrator account)? It sounds to me as if there may be an issue with your user account(s). We have tried hard to reproduce your issue, but so far no luck.

Yes I have tried Run As Administrator, infact I always routinely install everything via that method just incase - also my Windows user account is the Administrator, so I have full agency of this PC. Except I'm currently trying to sign out of my User and into a Local account, to see if that works - but there actually doesn't seem to be any easy way to do that in Windows 11. Any help online I can find is about "Sign into a local account instead" option from Windows 10, which doesn't exist in Windows 11 - typical.

I do think this is a Windows 11 user account issue that unfortunately only manifests with Synapse installation of the manuals, that blocks the whole installer from executing. I have no problem with dozens of other plugin installers installing anything wherever they like all over my C and D drives without issue. So although it may not be Synapses fault (I blame Microsoft ), per se, it is surely within your control to fix in a future installer I'm sure, if you make the automatic manual installation less strict, even optional (bypassable) to the user.

It's a bit of work just to make 1 single customer happy, so I understand why you're reluctant to mess with the installer. I'm an edgecase, I get it.

In the meantime I'll try messing with my User account and seeing if I can create or revert to a Local account. I've saved a restore point incase I go too far.

[MogwaiBoy]

OK, so the reason I didn't have the option to switch to a Local account was because I am already on the Local account, whoops

local1.png

I created another User as a Standard account, not Administrator - which ran through the Windows setup (Microsoft offering me 365 etc) - then once inside I tried to install Obsession - which didn't work and still has the same error prompt.

I don't think there's anything else I can do. Would running Windows in Safe Mode be something to try? What about changing my User name to "PLAYTECH" like how the PC came to me? I feel like I'm just going to mess up Windows if I go too deep.

I am running out of options except to sell my Synapse licenses

All this for a PDF manual I will probably read once......

[Kriminal]

Was it a new PC?

The whole thing is very confusing. Not sure why the start menu is involved, or the manual.

As I said, everything should go into My Docs, with the .dll going wherever you choose. No need for shortcuts etc.

Very strange.

[MogwaiBoy]

Was it a new PC?

The whole thing is very confusing. Not sure why the start menu is involved, or the manual.

As I said, everything should go into My Docs, with the .dll going wherever you choose. No need for shortcuts etc.

Very strange.

It's fairly new - had it for a couple of months now, and currently have tonnes of plugins installed by all sorts of devs such as Universal Audio, Native Instruments, Plugin Alliance, iZotope, U-He, Acustica Audio, GeForce, Fabfilter, Arturia, Softube, UVI, etc etc - without any issues in installation, activation, use or otherwise. No crashes, all drivers up to date, latest Windows updates and I am very careful futzing with any Windows settings.

Dune 1 and 2 do install for me, and I think that's because they are older installers with a different method of installing the manual. I haven't upgraded to Dune 3 but I'm sure the Dune 3 installer will be the same as Obsession.

When I bought the computer, the shop had named the User "PLAYTECH" - when I logged into my Microsoft Account, it now says my name and email, but my C:Users folder still says Playtech. As far as I know, that's totally fine and normal - renaming it is not easily possible and could cause major issues so I just left it and it hasn't caused any problems until these Synapse installers.

I know when you install some apps they ask you if you want to install the app for the current user or all users - I always say all users and I have never played around with different User accounts for different family members or uses - this is my personal audio workstation PC.

[Marcin]

@MogwaiBoy - I've sent you PM message. For a moment we will continue via PM due to some questions for more detailed data. Once the issue is solved, we'll write back here.