LMMS not loading Synth1, not indicating why

[DefenestrationDude]

I just found something looking around: my vsts are all showing up as effects that i can add to other vsts or the effects rack; they will show their control panel if i do this, but they still won't actually load in vestige properly.

ATM you need to remember where you have your VST-instruments. Then after you clicked the folder-icon, browse to that folder and load the VST by name.
That must work..
LMMS will open it from that location on reload

No, after trying that (using the folder icon to add a vst to vestige and then closing and reopening lmms) it still didn't load the vst.

[musikbear]

No, after trying that (using the folder icon to add a vst to vestige and then closing and reopening lmms) it still didn't load the vst.

Did you actually make a proper install of Synth1, and not just copy the files?
Synt1 must be installed

When you browse to synth1.dll, and load it, does it look like this:

(Eg show "Synth1" as loaded -here enhanced with yellow-marker)
and does it then play notes?

Before you closed LMMS, did you save that project?