Please enlighten me as I'm probably missing the point here ...
 
Why I should have VST Scan Options set to "Automatic Background Scan" at all? I decide when I update plugins. I follow each update by a scan. Afterwards I don't want to have any changes to the system, especially not in the background while I'm working with the DAW ... is that just me being paranoid, but I don't see why I should have someting scanning/adjusting the system in the background?
 
"Scan on Startup" would save me one keypress and 2 mouse clicks after each update, but considering that I update plugs at max. 5 times a year vs. the number of project starts (which already take long enough to load) ... I don't seem to gain here either ...
 
"Manual scan" is it for me ...
 
All day long I think of things
But nothing seems to satisfy
Think I'll lose my mind
If I don't find something to pacify
 
Can you help me occupy my brain?
Oh yeah
 

I like the auto scan on startup, as I never have to think about doing a manual scan when I add new or update existing plug-ins to one of my associated VST folders. They just appear and are all ready to use when I first open SONAR. I only see it scan for a few seconds (at the lower right of the screen) and then it disappears until the next time I re-start SONAR. I am always updating existing plug-ins or adding a new plug-in, so the auto scan works for me. It seems on a weekly basis I am installing an update to an existing plug-in (UAD, Slate, IKM, Native Instruments, etc). It is just a quick convenient option for those that don't want to fuss or think about ever doing a manual scan. Fortunately, for those that don't like it you can simply disable it and do the old manual way.
 
Cheers,
 
Billy Buck

Set it to manual. For newbies it's a good feature and I suspect it reduces support calls for Cakewalk.

I've never understood the need for automatic scans of any kind, except on first run after a DAW's initial install. I suppose it does reduce support calls, as the Doktor suggests.
 
In the past, scans used to take a long time. I dreaded having to do it, as even on my most-recently-retired machine it was a 10-minute process. A long time to wait when you're anxious to try out your latest plugin! Running the scan in the background lets you get going right away without first having to wait on the scan.
 
On newer machines waiting for the scan is no big deal - on my current DAW, which is by no means a top-spec box, scans take 10 seconds. A background scan, I think, would be a nice convenience (it's not actually an option for me, as I'm on 8.5) because new plugins would just show up without need of further action on my part. 
 
The downside to background scans is that if something goes wrong with a plugin's initialization the scanner can get hung and might even run continuously without your knowledge.

FreeFlyBertl
Why I should have VST Scan Options set to "Automatic Background Scan" at all? I decide when I update plugins. I follow each update by a scan. Afterwards I don't want to have any changes to the system, especially not in the background while I'm working with the DAW ... is that just me being paranoid, but I don't see why I should have someting scanning/adjusting the system in the background?
 
"Scan on Startup" would save me one keypress and 2 mouse clicks after each update, but considering that I update plugs at max. 5 times a year vs. the number of project starts (which already take long enough to load) ... I don't seem to gain here either ...

For me, the question is "why wouldn't you have automatic plugin scanning"?
 
It doesn't have to consume any system resources, because Windows offers a way to monitor a directory for changes without needing to continually check it.
 
The way I see it, a manual rescan should only really exist for troubleshooting - the rest of the time, Sonar should just spot the plugins and work. The automatic scan goes a long way towards this.
 
I probably update or install plugins 20 or 30 times a year, often while Sonar is open if I discover a need for an update or a new plugin while working on a project, so the auto scan has a tiny but positive effect on my workflow.

If it is the one Noel was talking about it has some advantages. First and foremost, it wont rescan already scanned plugins. Second, you wont have to wait while the scanning is done for any new additions. You can work in a project while its busy scanning in the background. Third, if a new plugin is found it will be scanned and available for use quickly. Forth, because it uses toast to display information it wont interfere with working with your project. Fifth, it lets Sonar start quickly and at the same time scan for new plugins.
 
I have it on and it is a great leap forward from having to wait for a scan each and and every time one starts a DAW.   
 
 

John
If it is the one Noel was talking about it has some advantages. First and foremost, it wont rescan already scanned plugins. Second, you wont have to wait while the scanning is done for any new additions. You can work in a project while its busy scanning in the background. Third, if a new plugin is found it will be scanned and available for use quickly. Forth, because it uses toast to display information it wont interfere with working with your project. Fifth, it lets Sonar start quickly and at the same time scan for new plugins.
 
I have it on and it is a great leap forward from having to wait for a scan each and and every time one starts a DAW.   
 
 

Yes, it is super fast. Almost immediate. I like Auto Background Scan.

FreeFlyBertl
 
All day long I think of things
But nothing seems to satisfy
Think I'll lose my mind
If I don't find something to pacify
 
Can you help me occupy my brain?
Oh yeah
 

Cool . . . , You need no enlightenment :)

There are several advantages and reasons why you should leave auto rescanning on:
 

• You install a new SONAR update that includes new PC modules. (New Prochannel modules or region fx won't be seen unless scanned)
• An update made a change to a plugin that changes its behavior (e.g. it could add sidechaining)
• You have VST3 plugin sets/shells like waves where multiple plugins are bundled into one dll. If you authorize a new bundle, on next run SONAR will automatically activate the plugins you bought.
• You can install plugins while SONAR is running and it will pick up the new plugins automatically
• If you change your VST scan path to add a new path, it will automatically add any new plugins dynamically
• the process is *very* lightweight and doesn't slow down the start of SONAR. Rescanning is done on a separate process and the checking for updates is also very efficient.
• It only scans plugins that have changed since the last check so its very fast

 
 

Noel Borthwick [Cakewalk]
 

• You can install plugins while SONAR is running and it will pick up the new plugins automatically

 
 

Now that I did not know. Cool.