# Kontakt 4.1 on 64 bit PC - how to view how much RAM it's using, and how to force it to load to RAM?



## Farkle (Sep 22, 2010)

Hi, guys!

So, for reasons both personal and professional, I'm contemplating moving back to 64-bit PC (He's turned away from the Mac SIDE!). 

So, I've been spec'ing out a 64-bit Win7 x64 system. I'm going to be trying to run all my libs through it (LASS, Sam Brass, VSL Winds, Spitfire Perc), so I'm doing the whole 980X and 24 GB RAM solution.

Sean Beeson loves this setup, he's running his entire template on one PC, which I'm using as a model for mine.

Here's the scoop. I'll be running 64 bit end-to-end, with Kontakt 4.1 I'll only be installing the 64-bit version of Kontakt.

My 2 questions are.

1. How do I detect how much RAM is being used by Kontakt (64 bit, PC) as I load up instances? In mac, it had the nice memory server readout in upper right. Maybe there's a Win7 memory app widget; basically, I want to be able to look up, and see just how much RAM Kontakt is grabbing, as I load multiple VST's into Sonar or Cubase.

2. How do I tweak Kontakt's settings to optimize RAM loading? I would like to force Kontakt 4.1 to load most, if not all, samples into RAM. With 24 GB, it's a pretty easy sell. Are there controls or settings in the 64-bit Kontakt Options window to "force load to RAM"?

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks, everyone!

All the best,

Mike


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## EvilDragon (Sep 22, 2010)

1. There's no such widget on W7. My suggestion would be running separate standalone instances of Kontakt 4, then ReWiring them to Bidule as a host, and then sending that to your sequencer. Like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBB4Txnpl78
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyT045poiSE

This is done on Mac but it also works on PC.

2. This is done using DFD settings. If you set a big DFD buffer, a bigger part of each loaded sample will be loaded in RAM, and less will be streamed from hard disk. If you press Edit All Groups and switch them to Sampler mode, then DFD is not used at all, and all samples are FULLY loaded into RAM. You have an option called "Override instrument's preload size" in Options->Memory. Use it so you ò‰   çá©‰   çáª‰   çá«‰   çá¬‰   çá­‰   çá®‰   çá¯‰   çá°


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## Farkle (Sep 22, 2010)

Hey, thank you for the quick turnaround!

1. That's cool, I can always ctrl-alt-delete and check out task manager for a quick memory update. I may do the bidule thing (did it with DP on mac), but I do like the idea of all instances running natively as 64-bit VST's (allows for off-line bouncing). I'll try it both ways.

2. This makes a ton of sense. I just tried switching my LASS file from DFD to sampler, it reswitches the loading and loads everything into RAM. Sweet!

Regarding "set the big DFD" buffer. I saw the DFD buffer in instrument settings, works great. As you said, if I check the "override inst. buffer" that will affect ALL loaded NKI's, correct? Seems like the best way to do that.

BTW, switching the LASS ensemble LP from DFD to Sampler changes the memory load from 120 mb to 350 mb! Who-HOO!! Epic RAM! 

Mike


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## EvilDragon (Sep 22, 2010)

1. Only if your host is completely 64-bit. And then again, it's MUCH better to have a template loaded in Bidule, and you won't have to reload the samples when you switch projects!


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## chimuelo (Sep 22, 2010)

Indeed. And once ReWire gets their 64bit drivers together I can have Kontakt 4.1.1 inside of x64 Bidule VST's hosted by Reaper w/ ReaInserts and hardware... :D


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## Farkle (Sep 22, 2010)

Right! 

Right now, I'm planning for 64 bit end-to end.

1. Win 7 x64
2. Cubase 5 (64 bit), Sonar 8.5 (64 bit)
3. Kontakt 4.1 (64 bit).

Look out RAM, here I come!

I agree with your point, it makes changing projects take time. But, I usually like to take 5 minutes when I'm switching between cues. Clears the brain. 

Mike


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## Andrew Aversa (Sep 28, 2010)

EvilDragon @ Wed Sep 22 said:


> 1. Only if your host is completely 64-bit. And then again, it's MUCH better to have a template loaded in Bidule, and you won't have to reload the samples when you switch projects!



Well, don't forget about jBridge! That's what I'm using now on a 64bit OS and 32bit host. I bridge the 64bit Kontakt and enjoy unlimited RAM usage that way (plus, I can then see what each individual instance is using) not to mention I get the benefit of offline bouncing.


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## futur2 (Sep 28, 2010)

zircon_st @ Tue Sep 28 said:


> EvilDragon @ Wed Sep 22 said:
> 
> 
> > 1. Only if your host is completely 64-bit. And then again, it's MUCH better to have a template loaded in Bidule, and you won't have to reload the samples when you switch projects!
> ...



yep. exactly like that =o


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