Thanks for all the constructive help guys! really appreciate it. 
 
OK, so where I'm at now:
 
GFX drivers were already up to date. 
 
Windows 7 x64 up to date
 
The RAM issue: 3x 2GB sticks. In hindsight maybe it was the wrong choice. I think at the time I couldn't afford 8GB so got 6GB thinking it fine. I checked my motherboard and i'm sure it was compatible at the time. Maybe I should have gone for 8? Seems to be working though? ahhh. 
 
the vs-100, I thought was running the latest driver. 2.0.0. However turns out that when I tried the latest the message "driver already installed" was throwing me off. thought it was saying I had latest. Now updated to 2.0.1
 
Updated the chip set drivers. 
 
Discovered there was an additional "HD audio device" in device manager (system devices) and disabled (as per Andertons advice)
 
Haven't updated the BIOS yet. Wanted to see how things are after these changes first. 
 
 
the "importing audio" window bug seems to have gone - Great
 
looping seems OK too (more testing required though)
 
Most importantly - I've been trying to crash Sonar X3 but as yet it has failed to crash :)   BUT you guys know how it is, tomorrow it might start hating me again! ;)
 
 UPDATE to follow..... 
 
 
 
 

Well this has certainly been one CRAZY ride, but at least you are seeing some behavior improvement - so far.
 
I hope things hold up, and I will circle back to keep an eye on the thread.
 
I would also like to just say THANKS to all the folks in these forums - what a fantastic collection of folks there are here.  Great stuff, and lots of ideas from folks who really put thought and effort into helping each other.  That is SOOO important, and so valued by me.  It makes me want to go the extra mile for others too, because lots of times people in these forums have gone that extra mile for ME.
 
Bob Bone
 

SilverfoxUK
Thanks for all the constructive help guys! really appreciate it. 
 
OK, so where I'm at now:
 
GFX drivers were already up to date. 
 
Windows 7 x64 up to date
 
The RAM issue: 3x 2GB sticks. In hindsight maybe it was the wrong choice. I think at the time I couldn't afford 8GB so got 6GB thinking it fine. I checked my motherboard and i'm sure it was compatible at the time. Maybe I should have gone for 8? Seems to be working though? ahhh. 
 
the vs-100, I thought was running the latest driver. 2.0.0. However turns out that when I tried the latest the message "driver already installed" was throwing me off. thought it was saying I had latest. Now updated to 2.0.1
 
Updated the chip set drivers. 
 
Discovered there was an additional "HD audio device" in device manager (system devices) and disabled (as per Andertons advice)
 
Haven't updated the BIOS yet. Wanted to see how things are after these changes first. 
 
 
the "importing audio" window bug seems to have gone - Great
 
looping seems OK too (more testing required though)
 
Most importantly - I've been trying to crash Sonar X3 but as yet it has failed to crash :)   BUT you guys know how it is, tomorrow it might start hating me again! ;)
 
 UPDATE to follow..... 
 
 
 
 

 If you have 3 sticks of RAM it isn't in Dual Channel mode.  I have 3 machines with 6GB of RAM buy the are DDR2 with 2GB,1GB,2BG,1GB sticks.  They are AMD machines and they have something different than Dual Channel Mode.  My Intel system has 8GB and it runs in Dual Channel. I'm not sure that really makes a difference in this problem.
 
 BIOS updates are often unnecessary unless you are upgrading a CPU that requires an updated BIOS.
 
 I have other DAWs installed and if the same problem exists it's hardware.  BTW I never have my DAWs import and convert different file formats unless it's AIFF.   Sometimes it can be the MP3s that can cause problems.

I'm pretty sure the major loop related timing issues have been addressed in the latest SONAR. I spent quite a bit of time ironing out some of the kinks in loop playback. Browser has also received a lot of attention and many issues were addressed. I seem to vaguely remember an issue with the import progress showing up at the wrong time but don't remember the details. I've never seen that happen in Platinum. 
There were literally hundreds of stability related issues fixed in the new SONAR and we continue to address them each release.