Freeing Up RAM

As it comes from the factory, the original Kronos is pretty tight on available sample RAM. After the all the standard libraries are loaded you have little left for new samples. Since OS version 1.5 you’ve been able to add an additional stick of RAM, which is highly recommended, but you can also go about managing your RAM in a pragmatic fashion, unloading samples libraries for which you have little use. Outside of 320MB of base “ROM” everything else, every sample, program, combi can be replaced with your own. We’re talking tens of GBs of samples and thousands of programs.

FREEING UP RAM BY CHANGING PRELOAD.KSC

When the Kronos boots, it loads 320MB of base "ROM" and a large file called PRELOAD.KSC. PRELOAD.KSC contains the large piano and drum libraries, the EXs3 Brass/Winds, etc. On disk it takes up 12GB and 814MB of RAM. You can mange this file and remove libraries and even specific samples from loading.

As an example, if you primarily use your Kronos for gigging and never use the large stereo drum libraries, why not just remove them from PRELOAD.KSC? You can use the RAM you recovered for something more useful.

Do the following:

• Go to GLOBAL==>BASIC==>SAMPLE MANAGE.
• Click on the drop-down menu (very top right corner) and select UNLOAD ALL IN BANK...
• In the dialog box change the selection to EXs8 (these are the Rock Ambience Drums) and click OK
• Repeat these steps but change the selection to EXs9 (Jazz Ambience Drums)
• If you were paying attention to the Memory use scale at the top you should find yourself with more available RAM

A few more steps:

• Go to DISK==>FILE==SAVE.
• Click on the drop-down menu (again very top right corner) and select SAVE SAMPLING DATA
• In the text box at the top give it a name, e.g. "PRELOAD (no drums)"
• Make sure LINKS TO EXs & USER SAMPLE BAKS is selected (this creates a small pointer file vs. re-saving 11GB of samples)
• Make sure ALL is selected (in the Sampling Mode Data Options section) and click on OK.
• Now go to GLOBAL==>BASIC==KSC/AUTOLOAD.
• Near the bottom-left click on the ADD KSC button.
• Find the file you just saved (PRELOAD (no drums)) and click on ADD.
• Now click on the red button next to PRELOAD.KSC in order to deselect it and click on the same button next to PRELOAD (no drums).KSC to select it.
• Click on the AUTO-LOAD NOW button near the bottom-right

Now you've freed up RAM for more user samples and your Kronos will boot without the drums until you change it back.