caveat - I'm building a new machine, so I'm already grumpy...

I've run into a couple problems with plug-ins.

Friendly names for NI plug-ins disappear, I've disallowed re-scanning working plug-ins, but it appears that each scan resets the friendly names, but only for select plug-ins (NI being the most obvious).

Arranging the folders is also hit-or-miss. The default plug-in layout does not accurately reflect my folder layout. This happens no matter how I set the plugin name format, although setting it to "1" (old format) seems to be the least troublesome.

Some older plug-ins are disappearing, and reappearing in both default and custom layouts - sometimes rescanning brings them back, sometimes it does not, and sometimes just restarting Sonar brings them back.

I did a quick search and none of these seems to be in the known issues list, but I could have missed something.

If it helps this is a brand new installation of Sonar X3e (x64) on a new installation of Windows 8.1.

ASRock Z97 Extreme 4 Motherboard
Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz CPU
Crucial Ballistix Sport XT 32GB DDR3-1600 CL9 Memory
Crucial MX100 256GB SSD (OS & Apps)
Samsung 840 EVO 1TB SSD (streaming libraries)
Seagate Barracuda 1TB Hard Drive (data)
Seagate Barracuda 2TB Hard Drive (other libraries & content - from old machine)
LG 24X DVD Burner
Corsair CX600M 600 Watt Modular Power Supply
existing 4U rack-mount case (had to keep something)

So far I've installed (that I can remember, my eyes are pretty crossed about now)
Sonar X3e Producer and all the extras
Steinberg Wavelab 7 (they generously provided a patch for Win8.1)
Sony Sound Forge 9, CD Architect 5.2 (stuff still works)
Finale 2010 (this will be another adventure, probably going to have to upgrade)
NI Komplete 7
B4 II, Pro-52, Spectral Delay & Vokator from Komplete 3
Kontakt 5
gForce Oddity, Imposcar, Minimonsta, & M-tron
Camel Audio Alchemy
Toontrack Superior2
AAS Tasman, Ultra Analog, String Studio
a bunch of stuff from PSP Audioware, Voxengo, db Audioware, and probably a couple others.

I can provide a detailed list if that would help, but in the meantime I am looking for suggestions and recommendations for managing plug-ins.

All answers appreciated!!!!

I found that for me B4 II and Pro-53 from NI completely quit working some time ago, I believe it was either some issues with going to 64-bit Windows or possibly just going to Windows 7.  i was quite bummed, as I REALLY liked the Pro-53 sounds, as well as the organ sounds from B4 II.
 
As soon as I loaded them, they emitted very loud noise, and I had to nuke them.
 
On the plus side, a lot of the organ sounds from B4 II were rolled up into the Factory Library sounds for Kontakt 5, and that is where I now go for organ sounds from NI.  There is also a Vintage Organs synth, don't recall which Komplete version that comes with, as I am happy with the ones from Kontakt's Factory Library (Je T'aime is my favorite organ sound thus far).
 
Perhaps Pro-53 would work as a 32-bit plugin within a 32-bit Sonar - hadn't tried it.  Instead, I bought a really nice set of software from Arturia, called the V Collection, which comes with a bunch of 64-bit versions of Minimoog, Modular Moog, Juno 8, Oberheim SEM, CS-80, Arp 2600, a bunch of drums synth sounds, and a nice Prophet.  I got that V Collection on a sale that they seem to run every now and again, where it is 50% off its regular price - so I got it for I think $149 or $150.  FABULOUS.
 
As far as Kontakt dll renaming goes, I always go into the Plugin Manager and pull up the properties of each of the 3 flavors of Kontakt that show up, and in the 'Details' you can see which one has 8, 16, or 64 outputs.  I then rename them as Kontakt - 8 Outs, Kontakt - 16 Outs, and Kontakt - 64 Outs.
 
Hope any of the above helps, 
 
Bob Bone
 

robert_e_bone
As far as Kontakt dll renaming goes, I always go into the Plugin Manager and pull up the properties of each of the 3 flavors of Kontakt that show up, and in the 'Details' you can see which one has 8, 16, or 64 outputs.  I then rename them as Kontakt - 8 Outs, Kontakt - 16 Outs, and Kontakt - 64 Outs.

FWIW, Noel recommends against using the Plug-in manager for renaming. Instead he suggests using layouts. See http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/2907744

Hi Bob,
 
I'd be really unhappy without some of those ancient plug-ins! I have managed to keep B4 II, Pro-53, Spektral Delay, and Vokator working using the built-in bit bridge (jbridge had problems with all of them - much to my surprise!) Also, I have to install them as the admin, and run Sonar as admin (or disable UAC), but they still work.
 
I have used the plug-in manager to rename the friendly names, but for NI plugs they don't stick. Very annoying, they used to! There is a registry hack that used to work, I might have to resort to that... but first I'll see if anyone else has the same problem.

Thanks!!

Just read Noel's comments in the other thread - gonna give that a try!

To piggyback on the OP's question... What would happen if I searched all my VST folders for every Music Plugin I have and put them all in one folder so I could start figuring out and deleting duplicates (old versions that didn't get uninstalled when upgrading, demo versions when I ended up buying the full version, versions I bought standalone and then got again in a bundle, etc etc). Also if I did this, would a project file that say for example, used an old un-updated version of Kontakt5, after i delete that dll, automatically look for another version of Kontakt5 (the one I keep) or would it be unable to load that track because in theory, the Kontakt5 it knows and loves isn't there anymore and it can't tell that I technically still have Kontakt5, just a different version of it? Of course that would be bad bad because even if I went in and made a new instance of Kontakt5 in that project file, it wouldn't have the right samples and settings loaded anymore. So I definitely don't want to do this crazy cleanup project unless I'm sure I'm not gonna mess up anything (same reason I'm waiting on buying a new computer and reinstalling everything until I'm to a major stopping point in all my unfinished projects haha).

I'm not an expert, but in my experience you can get away with just moving some plug-ins, but others require installation, make registry changes, etc. So I'd hold off until someone who can give a definitive answer can weigh in.

Thanks. I figured that at least with some, it just won't be THAT easy. I think my best bet is to just wait until my next computer. If I sit with a pen and paper and do some trial and error I can probably hide all the unnecessary versions of plugins in my custom plugin layout.