Hi, I just bought a new PC a few days ago and waited impatiently for X1 to download to see how it would work on my new 64-bit machine. I installed the 64-bit version of Sonar, of course. But the problem I ran into was that some of the instruments in my old songs ( I assume because they're 32-bit plug-ins) wouldn't play. I have read (in some older threads) that you can install both the 64- and 32-bit versions on the one machine which might allow me to overcome this problem.

However, my concern is with the fact that I've installed the 64-bit version of Sonar first. Is it okay to add the 32-bit version on now? Or should I install the 32-bit version before the 64-bit version? Also, I've already installed the X1A and X1B patches, so would that make any difference to installing the 32-bit version on top of the already-installed 64-bit version of Sonar?

Thanks.

It'll be fine. I currently have four versions of Sonar on the same machine: 64 and 32 bit versions of both 8.5 and X1.

The thing to note is that you don't install anything "on top" of anything else. For one thing, Windows won't let you do it that way, and will put 32 bit programs in a different Program Files folder to 64 bit programs.

You'll have to install the patches again for your 32 bit version too.

Just what I needed to know, John. Thanks for the quick reply.

just accept all the defaults and you'll be okay. It's uninstalling that usually causes trouble.

Perfect timing on this thread as i was going to ask the very same question :)

Depending on how many 3rd party plugins you might have and how co-operative they are you may find the following useful. If it doesn't apply to you feel free to ignore it or use only any bits useful to you.
 
Having both the 32 and 64 bit versions of SONAR on the same computer doesn't of itself cause any problems. Many of us run multiple version in both 32 and 64 bit without problem.
Problems can however occur when you tell SONAR to scan for VST plugins. when running 64 bit SONAR there may be 32 bit plugins that you want to run because a 64 bit version doesn't exist yet. That means having to scan the location where those 32 bit plugins are as well.
That's not a problem either except that when using 32 and 64 bit versions of SONAR you may want both the 32 bit and 64 bit version of particular plugin so each program can make use of it. The rub is that some plugins don't behave and you end up with both the 32 bit and 64 bit version being scanned by SONAR's VST Scanner and you have 2 of that plugin appear. 
 
I have an additional folder just for 32 bit (x86) plugins for those where the manufacturer wants to always install both a 32 and 64 bit version. When it works properly then the 64 bit VST scanner doesn't load the 32 bit version but when it doesn't work properly it means I end up having 2 of the same plugin where the 32 bit one is also running through  Bitbridge. For those plugins only I use the 3rd folder. Working out which plugins don't cooperate has to be worked out by trial and error.
 
To get around all that I have my system setup as follows.
1. Program files\Cakewalk\Vst Plugins\Manufacturer\plugin
All 64 bit Plugins
2. Program files (x86)\Cakewalk\Vst Plugins\Manufacturer\plugin
All 32 bit plugins you want to run in x64 because no native 64bit version exists.
3. Program files (x86)\Cakewalk\VST Plugins(x86)\ Manufacturer\plugin
All 32 bit plugins for which you already have 64 bit versions and the VST scanner insists on installing the 32 bit version as well under bitbridge giving you 2 copies of the same plugin in SONAR's Plugin manager.
SONAR x64 scans 1 & 2
SONAR x86 scans 2 & 3
Apart from folder 3 the others are all default locations if you allow SONAR to just perform it's normal installation.

Mick, great minds...

mudgel, thanks for the warning.

I've installed the 32-bit version now. However, I've been trying to play some songs I wrote using my old 32-bit machine. I ran into a problem with Addictive Drums, which I had installed on a separate directory to Windows 7. I tried reinstalling it on the Windows drive and that seemed to work. I was also having the same problem with Dimension Pro so I tried the same thing. But it didn't work for Dim Pro.

I have both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Sonar X1 installed, but neither recognizes the Dim Pro synth(s) in my old songs.

In the Cakewalk Plugin Manager, the Dimension Pro.dll file appears in my 32-bit version of X1, and the Dimension Pro x64.dll file appears in my 64-bit version of X1.

Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks again.

As far as I understand it, the system doesn't understand that 32 bit and 64 bit versions of synths are the same thing.

Change your VST settings in the 64 bit version to scan your 32 bit plugin folders as well as the 64 bit ones. This will result in you having some doubled up plug-ins, and you#'ll probably want to check through them and re-name some of them so you know which version is which. Bit of a faff, but worth it.

Hi John,

Thanks for the suggestion, but I've already got both versions of X1 scanning both the 32- and 64-bit folders. It still only shows the 32-bit Dim Pro in the 32-bit version of Sonar, and the 64-bit version of Dim Pro in the 64-bit version of Sonar. So there's no problem of doubled up plug-ins, but Sonar still doesn't recognise the Dim Pro synth in my old projects for some reason. 

Odd.

Actually, I seem to recall a lot of people reporting a bit of pain getting their DimPro installations up and running. It was okay for me, but there were definitively some issues. Maybe someone will pop up who knows about this, but if you have a search for DimPro installation threads, you'll get plenty of results I'm sure.