I'm using Sonar X3 Studio and purchased it (or, technically, upgraded to it) less than three years ago.  I have been away from using it for a while but am perplexed by what is going on now, as I don't remember ever having the kinds of problems I'm currently experiencing.  As an example, in Staff View, I try to copy something (MIDI) by selecting it and either pressing Ctrl + C or "edit/copy". Then I try to "paste special" to another track using either Ctrl+Alt+V or "edit/paste special".  I don't get a dialog box like I used to, asking what track to start with.  Nothing happens.  The data is not pasted.  But in "Edit/History" it shows a paste function performed.
 
In another example, I have an instrument defined, valid banks and patches selected (all showing up in the track view correctly) but the instrument will not play.  It's a Korg Kronos 88.  If the same track is routed to a Roland XV-5050, it works.  I don't think it's problem with the Korg.
 
In a third example, I tried to quantize a group of notes to some rather short duration (80 ticks when a quarter note = 960) using the "alter start times and durations" option and it would not work.  I was trying to to simulate a piano tremolo with alternating octaves and ended up entering individual notes and manually changing the starting time and length of each one.  It took about an hour to get 1-1/2 measures done.
 
As I said, I do not remember Sonar being so "difficult" and I suspect there is something wrong with my installation.  How would I be able to tell if that's the case?  I am in a situation where I have to get productive fast and this is grinding my progress to a crawl.

For the paste issue, it sounds like the dialog box might be opening offscreen. Look for LastX and LastY values in a registry path like the following, and change them to 0:
 
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Cakewalk Music Software\SONAR Studio\<version>\<paste dialog name>
 
For the silent hardware synth issue, you'll need to trace the whole path:
 
- MIDI events on expected channel and in the pitch range of the patch with durations long enough to get through the attack portion.
- Forced MIDI Out channel in the track header is correct if used.
- MIDI track Output port is correct.
- MIDI meter in the track is active during playback.
- If available, the MIDI activity indicator on the Korg is showing input.
- Korg's receive channel matches MIDI events or forced output channel in SONAR.
- Master Volume is up.
- You can hear a repsonse from the Korg headphone out.
- Audio track in SONAR is set to receive input from the correct interface channel, and has echo enabled
- etc. etc.
 
Quantize will just snap the existing note ends to the nearest grid line for the specified resolution. To set a specific duration, use the Event Inspector module in the Control Bar or Process > Find/Change.

Note ends?

If you check 'Note Durations' it quantizes note ends/offs as well as note starts/ons. But calling it 'Durations' is somewhat misleading because if you quantize  'Durations' without quantizing starts, the durations won't be quantized - only the note ends.

Interesting.
 
I've never really explored the different Quantize settings, this could help out on a certain project of mine.
 
Thanks for that!

To brundlefly,
 
Your answers solved most of my problems.  I cannot imagine how I would ever know to edit the registry but, indeed, that's what fixed the keyboard shortcut problem.  The MIDI playback is mostly solved but there is still something not quite right in the settings on a new USB audio interface that I bought (a FocusRite Scarlett 6i6).  I'm waiting for their technical support to respond to an email.
Thank you for your very spot-on assistance!
 
UCG Musician

Good to hear. Glad to help.