Update PT 2020.9 to 2021.7 on Windows 10 Pro

[Jack63]

Hello,
I'm new to the forum and this is my first post.
I need help with the update from PT version 2020.9.1 Native to 2021.7. Native I've already researched the forum and the Avid documentation, but I'm still unsure.

I am still on windows 10 Pro version 20H2 - and will perform a windows 10 update to 21H1, because this should be the prerequisite for the update to PT 2021.7 according to the Avid documentation.

I have read that the old (previous) version of Pro Tools is to be de-installed on Windows and here I have doubts what exactly and how to uninstall.

I have currently installed the following programs from avid:
1) Avid Cloud client services
2) Avid Codex LE
3) Avid Effects
4) Avid Eleven Effects
5) Avid HD Driver (x64)
6) Avid Link
7) Avid Pro Tools

I have currently installed the following plugins and Instruments from Air:
Air expand2, First Air Effects, First Air Instruments
Then I have AAX plugins from other providers (UAD, Izotope etc.).

Please, I don't know what should be uninstalled and in which order.

Can someone please explain / describe this point by point?

That would be great!

Best regrads

[The Weed]

In Control Panel>Programs & Features, find the Pro Tools, highlight it and choose uninstall. A dialogue Window will come up. Choose the bottom choice so the HD driver is included. Let the uninstaller work. When finished, reboot. Now install whatever version of Pro Tools you want. Let the installer do its thing installing to the default location. Reboot and then open Pro Tools.

All the stock plug-ins that come with Pro Tools will be installed along with the HD driver, Cloud Collaboration and Avid Link. Everything else will - or should - remain in place. I've never had an issue.

If you have changed any Preferences from default these will be deleted. Save your Preferences file and copy it back to the new install. I use guitardom's handy Trasher app to do it.

Personally, I use CCleaner's Registry Cleaner after the uninstall reboot to clean up anything left over from the uninstall, running the Cleaner several times until it doesn't find anything.

On a side note, have you done all the recommended optimizations? If they include making your onboard soundcard the default for Windows Sounds/Audio and making sure USB Power Management is off in Device Manager, you should always check these changes after any Windows update as sometimes they can be defaulted back.

[Jack63]

Thank you The Weed for the quick and detailed answer and the hint with the optimization of Windows after the Windows update.
I would like to make sure that I have understood you correctly regarding Pro Tools, so I still have a few questions (Sorry for the maybe stupid questions):

1) So it is enough that I only uninstall Avid Pro Tools (previous version) - No. 7 in my first post - and not all / another Avid programs? So a complete deinstallation of all Avid programs is not necessary?

2) Is the "Plug-Ins" folder under "C: \ Program Files \ Common Files \ Avid \ Audio \ Plug-Ins" not removed during the uninstallation and the third-party plugins (Waves, UAD etc.) remain there?

3) Is the step with CC cleaner absolutely necessary?

4) Is it possible to use a windows restore point to go back to the "old world" (before Pro Tools update) in case something goes wrong?

5) Regarding the Trasher: Do you use the Trasher 3 for Windows users?

Thank you and best regards!

[The Weed]

1) Yes, but as I said, choose the "complete option", the one including the HD driver. If you don't have Ultimate, you don't need it, but it doesn't harm anything if you do install it. However, if you don't uninstall, when you go to install Pro Tools, the installer thinks a version of Pro Tools is still installed - at least it did. Many PT users uninstall the Cloud Collaboration and Avid Link after each new install. Personally, I use CCleaner to prevent Avid Link from starting at boot as occasionally I still use it, but don't want it taking up any system resources.

2) Not in my experience. I have a lot of Avid plug-ins not part of the stock one and lots of third-party plug-ins and I've removed and reinstalled Pro Tools any number of times and never lost any of them.

3) No

4) I've never used Windows Restore, have never set a Restore Point and, in fact, have System Protection turned off. I've always used a cloning/imaging program instead. Presently I use Macrium Reflect and recommend it. Saved me a lot of grief. I image my OS and Session Drives nightly, keeping a rolling three nights of images and before any update/upgrade/install/uninstall. Also makes it very easy to upgrade drives.

5) Whatever version is the latest (sorry, not at my audio computer).

[Jack63]

Today I successfully updated Windows 10 to version 21H1 and Pro Tools to 2021.7.0.
At Pro Tools, I uninstalled everything except the Effects and Instruments from the previous version, then restarted the PC and installed the new version 2021.7.0.
The third-party plugins and the preferences in Pro Tolls remained untouched.
Thank you The Weed for your support.

Best regards!

[The Weed]

No problem.

[EGS]

Originally Posted by The Weed

1) Yes, but as I said, choose the "complete option", the one including the HD driver. If you don't have Ultimate, you don't need it, but it doesn't harm anything if you do install it. However, if you don't uninstall, when you go to install Pro Tools, the installer thinks a version of Pro Tools is still installed - at least it did. Many PT users uninstall the Cloud Collaboration and Avid Link after each new install. Personally, I use CCleaner to prevent Avid Link from starting at boot as occasionally I still use it, but don't want it taking up any system resources.

2) Not in my experience. I have a lot of Avid plug-ins not part of the stock one and lots of third-party plug-ins and I've removed and reinstalled Pro Tools any number of times and never lost any of them.

3) No

4) I've never used Windows Restore, have never set a Restore Point and, in fact, have System Protection turned off. I've always used a cloning/imaging program instead. Presently I use Macrium Reflect and recommend it. Saved me a lot of grief. I image my OS and Session Drives nightly, keeping a rolling three nights of images and before any update/upgrade/install/uninstall. Also makes it very easy to upgrade drives.

5) Whatever version is the latest (sorry, not at my audio computer).

CCleaner (free) & Macrium Reflect (free) work for me

[The Weed]

I bought licenses for Macrium for two main reasons 1) email notification of success, failure or warning; and 2) Image Guardian, which locks the image so no Ransomware can lock it.