Here's what I did to register mine... substitute your named CDA directory in place of my SLPro.  I think the key was to have the proper version for the license or it won't work (the license below was for my SLPro).  If it doesn't work, try a different version, prob the latest.  I may be able to find a link to a CDA version that may work with your license.
 
1/ Open the Windows registry (Win+R, regedit, ENTER) and go to :
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Sony Creative Software\SpectraLayers Pro\3.0\License
2/ Delete the "License" folder.
3/ Make sure you have the latest version 3.0.29 or else it won't work.
4/ Once you made sure you have 3.0.29, try to register again.

I do not have Spectral Layers (it would be great to have it), so I'm not sure what you're suggesting that I do for CD Architect 5.2     I have done steps 1 and 2, quite a few times.
 
   I do have the latest version of CDA and have tried dozens of times, going through those steps. I can get to the page where I enter my serial number, when I open CDA, but that is where things stop.
   I enter my serial # and get "invalid serial #"  message. It says my serial number should start with B6 not B5. B5 is my original # and entering B6 with the other 18 numbers, gets the same error message.
   This where I'm stuck.
Michael

Magix wrote me back and asked for a screenshot (which I couldn't do for some reason). I sent them photos of my original owner's manual and the screenshot they'd asked for(yesterday).
Today they sent me a new serial number starting with B6, saying the old one wouldn't work with version 5.2.
 
I opened CDA, inserted this new serial and voila' !!
All's well, that ends well.
Michael

I couldn't remember when I started this thread and checked just now....
5 weeks!   At least it's solved now..........
Michael

YAY! Now you'll have to burn a CD for the car, just to have a souvenir of your CDA adventure. Every time you play it, you'll remember why you hate upgrading computers and swear to never do it again.

LOL   Exactly!   I have already started thinking about finding a new way to burn CD's, knowing that road will end.
It might inspire me to upload the album and let go of the "hardware" and shipping altogether! LOL
Michael

Thanks for bringing this here and getting it solved so we can do the same. Boom!

My pleasure. I get so much from all of you, that this is "easy" to do in return.
Michael

I finally found my CD Architect 5.2 Software in a box in the garage.  I went to the Magix website and then I went to the register a product page and entered the serial number and it gave me the download file to CD Architect 5.2 to  install as well as a link to download the manual.
 
Nice to have the software again.
 
 
 

Did you have any issues opening/running it? My issue was that I only had the CDA 5 serial number that came with my original purchase and though I updated years ago, I didn't get a new (required) serial, till Magix sent me one.
Michael