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So I went to Local Disk(C:) > Program Files(x86) > BFD and copied the file

Then went to Local Disk(C:) > Program Files > Steinberg > Cubase 10.5 > VSTPlugins and pasted BFD

I am trying to get BFD to play in Cubase.

When I go to Cubase
Project>Add Track>Instrument, BFD does not show up. Where did I mess up?

in the installation.
you often can't just copy folders, not if there are registry entries that specify a location for files.

i would start over with the installation. it should NOT be so complicated. did you read the installation instructions?

BFD is trying to install to C:\Program Files(x86)\Cakewalk\Vstplugins

The thing is, I am running Steinberg Cubase 10.5

There was an old Cakewalk by bandlab on there before I uninstalled it. I've gone in and deleted any/all files that say Cakewalk.

Yet it keeps trying to install BFD to Cakewalk!!!

in the dropdown of Destination Folder I selected c:\Progrtam Files(x86) and C:\Program Files(x86)\Vstplugins came up. Good?

I want install this only one more time...LOL

Or, C:\Program Files(x86)\Steinberg\Vstplugins?

Or, C:\Program Files(x86)\Cubase\Vstplugins?

does the folder have anything to do with how it loads up??

First off, on 64bit versions of windows, you'll find 2 program files directories:

C:\Program Files\ << This is for 64bit (memory addressing range) binaries
C:\Program Files(x86)\ << This is for 32bit (memory addressing range) binaries

We're going to assume you're on 64bit Windows 10. Unfortunately, there's no 100% standard for installing VST plugins. In years past, you would install them to your steinberg plugin folder (assuming you had a steinberg app installed) and then copy the ones that worked in other programs to that application's subfolder for vstplugins (Ableton Live, Renoise, Sonar etc). Then companies improved in terms of stability/compatibility with 3rd party VST plugins (there's many! lots to debug) and most added a feature to let you 'point to' an additional VST plugins directory.

At that point, it became common to 'look up' the plugin folder location in the registry at the key that Steinberg was setting. If this key didn't exist, it was created by most apps (including Sonar as you mentioned). Since companies presume you've already installed a bunch of content, when you come along later and now install some other DAW/Sequencer, it tends to continue to try to use that same registry key.

Ok so, now we know we can define a registry key and most installers MAY pick that up. However you'll note the path that your installer is finding is just a 'default' location, that might be because there ARE plugins there, which you should check on. However if there's nothing in that location (C:\Program Files(x86)\Vstplugin) then perhaps we will want to change the install path to be the correct location for Cubase, which is (hold onto your hat, there's 4):

VST3 64bit
C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3

VST3 32bit
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\VST3

VST2 64bit
C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VstPlugins

VST2 32bit
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steinberg\VstPlugins

-------------

So, the install of BFD that you're using seems to be a 32bit binary (you stated Local Disk(C:) > Program Files(x86) > BFD in your first post) which means you'd put that in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steinberg\VstPlugins, however you note that Cubase 10.5 as installed on your system is currently 64bit (you stated Local Disk(C:) > Program Files > Steinberg > Cubase 10.5 > VSTPlugins ).

Now, Steinberg includes their own 32bit to 64bit VST bridge in Cubase (to bridge old 32bit binary plugins to work in 64bit Cubase), and also has a documentation page here that discusses the issue and your options. That page instructs "In all cases mentioned above, a logic and clean folder organization will allow you to reliably bridge where needed and get rid of the additional software when the need for a bridge no longer exists."

Properly organizing this requires understanding what Program Files folder structures are 64bit (as stated), which are 32bit (the ones that add (x86) to the path), and where you are putting your plugins as well as which type of plugin you are installing (32bit and 64bit). Steinberg have also added some guidance in that last part, as they next link to a page (via "Read more...") called Instructions on how to organise 32- and 64-bit plug-ins separately .

In regards to BFD, FXPansion states:

Does BFD2 support 64-bit or other >4GB addressing schemes?
BFD2 versions 2.3.x and later are supplied in native 64-bit and 32-bit versions for Windows 7 and Mac OSX 10.5.8 or later.
All versions prior to 2.3.x are 32-bit only.

So presuming you have a version of BFD later than 2.3, you should be able to install it as 64bit directly without any complex workarounds.

Lastly, and this requires registry experience so I only mention it for others who may find this post later, I personally manually define the following registry keys on any Windows DAW before installing ANY software, so my plugin installations are consistent across all of my applications on that machine:
It's possible to enter this manually into the registry, but for this thread I am NOT going to recommend this now, as it will overwrite your existing plugin locations for all future installers! Know your paths, your binaries and your setup before using and use at your own risk if you choose to sort this out, I'll create a different thread where I'll explain most of this information in a nonspecific way for other users and include a zipped version of the registry key for whoever wants to use at their own risk.

So, I recommend:

• uninstall BFD completely.
• Remove any BFD plugin directories you may have copied, wherever they may be (it's wasting disk space now that you've uninstalled).
• Locate your Cubase installation folder, which is likely C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Cubase <version#>\
• Locate your VSTPlugins folder installed NEXT to your Cubase folder, which is likely C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VstPlugins\ AND your VST folder, which is likely C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3
• When installing BFD, check and see if you're installing a version higher than 2.3.x, and if so, install to the above folder(s) when prompted (I don't recall if it supports VST3 yet, so only use that folder if prompted for a VST3 folder during install).
• Let Cubase 10.x scan the plugin when relaunching, and use the supplied mechanism in Cubase to locate and enable your VSTPlugins folder (if necessary).

I'm not current on Cubase 10.5, so I'll defer to users who are on that version at this point. Do your best to read the post above this one, and use a search engine for anything you don't understand (64bit memory addressing? 32bit plugins? etc).

that about covers it.

basically, if you want to hack things, you can make a version of BFD which is not confortable in win10, you can probably get it to work, but this is why they charge for upgrades, sometimes.

if you decide to hack at it, you need to read all this documentation, and it may take a few tries. in the past, Cubase will use any vstplugins folder that it finds through scans. you may also be able to specify a vst plugins folder to look in, if there is still a vst plugin manager in Cubase 10.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTz1ielHyQg

Thank you gentlemen