5. Custom VST plugin paths

On Windows 10 the path scanned for VST2 is     

C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins & C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VSTPlugins 

and for VST3 is 

C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3

If you cannot move your plugin in the standard VST2 folder then you can do the following easily with a folder junction on Windows.

A junction is like a shortcut, but Windows sees it as a real folder, without consuming extra space. It is like having a virtual clone of the original folder. When you delete, add or edit a file in that junction folder is like you are doing it in the original folder.

Creating a Junction via Symlinker

You can download Symlinker from here

Create the junction with the following. The Destination Folder should be the folder you currently have your VST2 plugins.

If C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins exists you have to rename it or delete it so it can be recreated as a junction folder. 

You should see the C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins in your file explorer after you create it.

After you create the junction folder run "Quick Scan" in the MP Host to find the VST2 plugins.

Creating a Junction via the command line

Use /J to create a hard link pointing to a directory, also known as a directory junction:

mklink /J Link Target

mklink /J C:\LinkToFolder C:\Users\Name\OriginalFolder

This links the 2 folders (link and your vst folder) and behave as one.

The LinkToFolder should be inside C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins

i.e. mklink /J C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins\myplugins D:\Plugins\

Think of it like a shortcut of a folder but it will behave like a folder duplicate, while not taking any space.

Here is an example:

Right click on cmd and choose to run it as an administrator.

You want your plugins in D:\Plugins\ to appear in C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VSTPlugins

The syntax is:

mklink /J Link Target

Keep in mind that the Link folder must not exist. 

So, if the C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VSTPlugins exists you will need to delete it and it will be recreated.

Paste in CMD: 

mklink /J "C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VSTPlugins" "D:\Plugins\"

Now if you navigate to C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VSTPlugins in Windows explorer you will see there all your plugin files that exist in D:\Plugins\

You can now scan with the MP Host and it will find all plugins that exist there.