I've been using Sonar 7 for many years now, and I'm getting a bit anxious about what happens if my older Sony laptop croaks.  I have an S7 copy on another computer, but it's also old. 
 
My choices seem to be this:
- buy old Sonar CDs on ebay.  
- buy the newest Sonar version which is compatible with my old CW 16-track MIDI files.
- clone my harddrive.
 
What say you?
 
 
 
 
 

First you should clone your hard drive if that's where you keep your SONAR songs. Whether a newer machine will be able to make sense of the OS and registry settings is another matter, but at least you'll have your songs intact.

Hi. If you still have your SONAR 7 discs, you could just install them again on your new pc. Cakewalk allows installing on more than one pc. If you have the disc, you are ok. But do backup / clone HD first.
If you do not have the disc, you might want to check other options as you mentioned. 
All the best.

I thought Sonar was only good for 2 machines.  Of course I back up my work files often.
 
So what about the newer releases?

I'm a clone n' upgrader
 
DOS 6.1 -> 3.1 -> 95 -> 98 -> 2000 -> XP -> Win7 (via old laplink upgrade assistant) -> w10.
Different boxes / motherboards along the way.
 
It's crazy. :-)
 
 
 
 

bitman
I'm a clone n' upgrader
 
DOS 6.1 -> 3.1 -> 95 -> 98 -> 2000 -> XP -> Win7 (via old laplink upgrade assistant) -> w10.
Different boxes / motherboards along the way.
 
It's crazy. :-)

 
Gads I'm old... I remember all that. My First PC had dual 360kb diskette drives, and no hard drive - and that was upgrading from a TRS-80..... Been upgrading ever since.
 
Anybody remember when they invented dirt?

SuperG

bitman
I'm a clone n' upgrader
 
DOS 6.1 -> 3.1 -> 95 -> 98 -> 2000 -> XP -> Win7 (via old laplink upgrade assistant) -> w10.
Different boxes / motherboards along the way.
 
It's crazy. :-)

 
Gads I'm old... I remember all that. My First PC had dual 360kb diskette drives, and no hard drive - and that was upgrading from a TRS-80..... Been upgrading ever since.
 
Anybody remember when they invented dirt?

Whoa... those were the days..... Not... well they were fun. But I didn't get into Sonar until Cakewalk Pro Audio 5

I love trips down memory lane too, but, will a cloned HD Vista work.. on anything?  

2oldman
I thought Sonar was only good for 2 machines.  Of course I back up my work files often.
 
So what about the newer releases?

It is. If your pc breaks, you still have the opportunity to install on the new one. Still using only 2 pc's And this I heard from the bakers themselves (in another thread some time ago). You cannot use them at the same time, is the only restriction. 
The new line is in a whole other league. Bit of a learning curve, but man is it stable / cool on my end. By a far the best product Cakewalk has ever made, in my opinion.
If you have the means, do the upgrade to lifetime Platinum member.
All the best.

Zargg71
If you have the means, do the upgrade to lifetime Platinum member

I don't know if I need to go that far.  I guess I'll just do more research of talk to CW directly.  thanks