Hi Guys,
 
I installed the new CREATORS update and noticed my Sonar Platinum on my Laptop ( Dell Inspiron 17" Core i5 16GB Ram NVidia ) was sluggish to say the least. I was getting NOT RESPONDING when opening existing files. I was getting long load up times for new 64Bit VSTs being added.

First I thought it might be the new GAME MODE feature in this Creators Update. It seems that it is ON by default when this update happens. So as per the sticky above about Sonar is not a game - turn it off via SETTINGS, Gaming panel, Game mode menu item on left.

This did not solve my issue as I thought it would. I had already dumped AVAST because it was giving trouble under this new update so my system reverted to WINDOWS DEFENDER.
 
I decided to take a punt .. I went and DISABLED WINDOWS DEFENDER because i noticed it at the top of the list in the Task Manager processes for Disk, Cpu and Memory.

How to disable WINDOWS DEFENDER:

1. Open windows menu and type gpedit ( you are searching ). Click on EDIT GROUP POLICY.
2. On left in GPEDITOR open Computer configuration / Administrative Templates. Then WINDOWS COMPONENTS. Scroll down to and select WINDOWS DEFENDER ANTIVIRUS.
3. Over right you have "TURN OFF WINDOWS DEFENDER ANTIVIRUS" item. Double click this.
4. In the window that opens and on the top left select ENABLED. Then apply, OK.
5. Close the GPEDITOR Window

NOW - try your SONAR .. WOW, super speed again at loading projects and also loading VSTS

HOPE this is of use to others ..

It might also be applicable to previous Win 10 versions and even Win 8, 7??  Turn off Windows Defender.


 
==> I AM NOT PROPOSING TO GO WITHOUT AN AV. JUST SAYING THAT DEFENDER SEEMS TO CRIPPLE SONAR QUIET ALOT IN THIS CREATORS UPDATE. TRY ANOTHER AV BUT LEAVE DEFENDER DISABLED IS WHAT I RECKON
 
 

Of course this may not be noticeable if you are using another AV software. Defender gets disabled I think, in favour of your own AV. BUT I saw somewhere that its still worth disabling Defender permanently as described above even if you have your own AV ...
 
 

Was defender doing a disk scan when this happened?  I'm not sure turning off defender is good for people without another AV solution??

Rather than turn Defender off completely, try adding (very selectively) critical folders to the exclude list.
 
I specifically excluded SONARPLT.exe and my samples drive a long time ago.  IIRC, this was discussed during the Rap Pro rollout as Rap Pro has some very large samples

My system runs the same, with or without Defender running. I'm leaving it on because the machine is online and Defender is the least intrusive AV that I've found.

I've found Defender or any AV will slow down the loading of certain projects or plug-ins. If I'm going to be running heavy in SONAR for a while I shut them off.
 

No I am not proposing that one runs without an AV.
 
But with just defender enabled this NOT RESPONDING thing was happening to me when loading a Sonar file AND slow plugin load times. This new CREATORS update also adds a Windows Defender security Center to the system tray. Maybe Defender is more integrated to Win 10 with this update ..
 
Disable defender and wow, the difference.
 
I must try avast again now defender is disabled and see what happens. In the past Avast did not cause any appreciable sonar slow down for me.
 
 

Avira antivirus works fine for me, but I have excluded all of my audio apps, VSTs, and folder paths.  Can't even tell it's running anymore.
 
I think Defender starts up automatically in Win 10 if you do not have another active AV installed.

Even if you disable it, Defender will turn itself back on after awhile.
 
I haven't observed this behavior, but I have also excluded my projects, libraries and VST folders.

bitflipper
Even if you disable it, Defender will turn itself back on after awhile.
 
I haven't observed this behavior, but I have also excluded my projects, libraries and VST folders.

So far any time I use the procedure I outlined in my OP via gpedit I have found Defender does not turn itself back on .. It stays off.