Warez and mainstreaming

I humbly intro this topic because I think it's hard to bring up and have a discussion without sounding like it's advocating, but if it might help troubleshoot some probz for the kids I think it might help.
 
Long long ago when I first started working with music I bought myself a copy of Cake Pro Audio 5. When VSTs came out I didn't have the scratch and did what most sassy teens did: I downloaded a crap-ton of cracked software.
 
Now, a billion years later, I've "gone legit" and purchased all my software. Eventually I found not only did it help me ethically as I grew up, but as I depended on my rig for projects and gigs it was simply worth the investment to have the cleanest and most fully functioning (and tech support eligible) software. 
 
Except, older projects I've been dragging along for some time used some versions of certain plugs that didn't seem to appreciate transferring over. As a result, I've had a few versions of Komplete sitting around my studio (the most recent for me was v9) that I've never installed because of the delicate DAW ecosystem I have that is currently fully functional. 
 
I've seen similar setups with folks who didn't want to use iLok. They would buy Waves bundles and then install the cracked versions to avoid the mishaps with iLok technology (which seems to have righted itself over the years).
 
Anyhow, now I'm trying to figure out the best scenario for gutting the older cracked copies and installing my legally purchased copies (because, lets face it, I need to get my greedy little hands on all those new Kontakt sounds!!). But, I don't want to bring my DAW down and have to rollback to a backup image or any of that crap. 
 
This is one of the many reasons why I've always been feature requesting better asset mgmt tools. Imagine being able to tell SONAR to save all the patch ID info, and when using Replace Synth have a checkbox that tries to push that info out in case the replaced synth is a more recent version of the same synth (for example). 
 
But I figured I'd throw this out there in case anyone else has had this experience and anything to share about it. 
 

+1 on removing all contraband. At one point I dabbled in warez and if anything I learned that the method of cracking software varied from tricking computer to thinking a dongle is present to simply figuring out the  serial algorithm.  Who knows what oddities are still lurking in your registry and hidden files. A clean start i much easier to navigate and if any old project files don't  work, tracing the problem involves less variables.

...wicked
 
 
Except, older projects I've been dragging along for some time used some versions of certain plugs that didn't seem to appreciate transferring over. As a result, I've had a few versions of Komplete sitting around my studio (the most recent for me was v9) that I've never installed because of the delicate DAW ecosystem I have that is currently fully functional. 
 >>>>>>>
I've seen similar setups with folks who didn't want to use iLok. They would buy Waves bundles and then install the cracked versions to avoid the mishaps with iLok technology (which seems to have righted itself over the years).
 >>>>>>>
Anyhow, now I'm trying to figure out the best scenario for gutting the older cracked copies and installing my legally purchased copies (because, lets face it, I need to get my greedy little hands on all those new Kontakt sounds!!). But, I don't want to bring my DAW down and have to rollback to a backup image or any of that crap. 
 
 

If you ask me, you abandon ANY old project, especially if it contains "versions of certain plugs...." and MOVE FORWARD.  No time like the present to have a clean, up to date system and software and working on NEW material.  If the older stuff was produced using "version of certain plugs....."... why would you want to continue on.  That stuff imo had a "bad" start anyway.
 
Start a fresh slate and call it a day.  BTW, like Craig mentioned, I'd wipe the drive and start fresh as well.  Get that "stuff" out of your drives.  Better yet, let StudioCat build you a new system and treat yourself for starting fresh.

Good luck.  

Hey thanks for the replies folks!
 
I guess relevant info from what I've read is:
Yups, I plan on a new DAW build with a nice hardware upgrade when Win10 comes out. I'm thinking it's time for an i7 and some more RAM, I think this time I'm even gonna get a new case! This beige rectangle I've been looking at for years is a little grody. Anyhow, a "fresh start" on all things and a full move to 64bit for my main stuff going forward is a given...already started actually (hence this topic). The last DAW rebuild, which was a bit of a fiasco, I culled a LOT of VSTs, both old cracked junk and freebies that I never use. It was a massive change in the "fueng shui" of my DAW world. Light and clean. Except of course as I went through old projects that would only work (caveat: I didn't test this terribly thoroughly) with the version of the crack that it was made with I installed those from archives. The NI stuff is the only remaining suite that I've bought but haven't installed.
 
As for the old projects, a while back I went through most of them and bounced audio down in case I ever wanted to pick them back up. I have an ongoing history of partial projects that just have riffs or partials I often go back to in order "crate dig" for cool things to build. There are hundreds of these, which is why without some kind of bulk utility I'm not really into the idea of manually updating each one. 
 
I just wonder if anyone else who might have a similar story handled their projects OR whether they learned anything in the uninstall/install process that was worth noting.
 
 
 
 

OldTimerNewComer
Get rid of the warez.
 

I think that was kind of stated in the original post. What I'm interested in is the process for doing so. Or, perhaps more importantly, the consequences for projects.

Congrats on going legit as well. For the cracked versions I would try to save an fxp file of the plugin settings and then load the fxp into a legit instance in a new project. http://www.cakewalk.com/D...mp;help=Mixing.27.html

Honestly with a crap ton of pirated software I'd say you're getting off pretty easy. Road to hell... Good intentions. ;)

Not only do you sleep better at night after going legit, but your work improves. One of the horrible thing about warez is it typically is accompanied by the dreaded Gear Acquisition Syndrome. G.A.S. sufferers often have so many plugins that they never get proficient with any of them. Being limited to what you have purchased forces you to get the most out of what you have and has the added benefit of giving you a better idea of what third party plugs you need. I find with Sonar (and any DAW) comes with enough to do most ( and for some, all) of what one needs. I could mix and master a song with just Sonitus plugs. Yes I have other preferences but I now choose other plugs forreasons other than simply wanting to throw in the new toy.

How many unfinished songs do you actually have? It sucks to have to bounce them all, but small price to pay considering.

Looks like ye need to spit shine up 'n start bouncin' tracks me hearty

Alas! Looks like a lot of toil

Arrrr....

2nd if you'd be a pirate me hearty... Arrr...

Yeah, that's another legit thing that happens, you use a random (or not) VST and it goes belly up and then it doesn't work a few OS hops later. I think Phatmatik was like that for me once upon a time.
 
Seriously though, everyone on here bounces ALL their softsynths in every little project they do? I can certainly adopt that method going forward but sheesh what a giant nightmare if you've been making music with sequencers for...well crap I guess it's been about twenty years I've been using Cakewalk products? holy crap I'm old!
 
I'm surprised more people aren't currently in or have been in this situation though, hauling older projects now and again kicking, screaming, and crashing into the present. Okee, I'll spend some time in the archives trying to future proof things and get ready for another big DAW build. Can't wait to get access to all those dang Kontakt libraries..I'm sick of looking at the box with all the pretty pictures! :-)

...wicked
I'm surprised more people aren't currently in or have been in this situation though, hauling older projects now and again kicking, screaming, and crashing into the present.

You're still being a bit vague about what your actual problems are, though. :)
 
I have been using Sonar - and before it, Cakewalk Pro Audio, or whatever it was called - for something like 15 years, maybe longer if we go back to the MIDI only versions. And migrating projects is not something that ever really required much thought.

1. Open project in new version of Sonar.
2. Note every plugin that it reports as missing. Think about how important that plugin is, and decide either to:
   1. obtain and install that plugin, then go back to (1)
   2. or, replace it with a different plugin.
3. Note any missing samples, libraries or patches that your plugins report. Decide whether to:
   1. relocate samples/libs/patches that have moved
   2. obtain and install missing samples/libs/patches
   3. replace missing samples/libs/patches
4. Work with the project

There's not much more to it than that - either you have the data it needs, or you don't, and if you don't, you can either find it, or replace it.