I was having this runtime error crash related to CA-2A and LP64-EQ while using Platinum 2016.09? When this problem started around 12/1, even reverting back to earlier image files from October didn't solve the problem unless I stayed disconnected from the internet.
 
Once I connected to the internet it would take a few minutes to a few hours to develop the runtime errors and then they kept up even if I disconnected from the internet. I’ve never tried 2016.11 or any MS updates after 10/9. On Tuesday 12/20, without me making any changes, all runtime errors stopped suddenly.
 
My guess is MS silent updates or the Metro apps updates caused this, yet I’d like some other opinions and evidence that I did indeed get these unwanted updates even though  I have autoupdates disabled in Services. Control Panel / Programs and Features / Installed Updates doesn’t show evidence of silent updates or Metro app updates and I assume that they don’t show up there, but do they show up anywhere else?
 
Normally when something goes haywire, the quick fix is to revert to a known reliable image file and I can continue to work. In this case it didn’t work. Essentially I'd like to have total control over my updates and choose to update when I want to. With Platinum there are so many interacting parts that I find it better to install all Win updates right before I install a new version.
 
 Some versions have bugs or problems and then if so, I revert back to a known good image file. Having MS silently updating, installing apps, or altering my computer without my permission is not good for my situation, I don’t want to be 2nd guessing what's going on when a problem surfaces and if a client is in my studio, I don’t' want some unexpected problem arising from a MS update conflict.
 
Recently I disabled ContentDeliveryManager.in the registry to stop the silent updates and also disabled updates to Metro apps in Store. Are there any more things I need to disable to prevent MS from altering my computer?
 
I realize this runtime error bug was very unusual and maybe this won’t happen again, but I still want to be reasonably sure what happened and how to prevent this from happening in the future. I’d appreciate any insights on this.

I have not experienced those problems on my system, which is Win 10 Pro.

Cakewalk already knows and has a fix:
http://forum.cakewalk.com/CA2A-201112-and-Z3TA-2-22347-Early-Access-Now-Available-m3534410.aspx

Many old-timers, including yours truly, have been uncomfortable with Microsoft's silent updates since they began. Software updates have always been a roll of the dice. But back in the day we could mitigate the risk, scheduling the update during a slow time, trying out the new version on a testbed first. And we always had a disaster plan if things went south. Those options have been taken away from us in the era of mandatory constant-drip updates.
 
I take some solace from traffic jams on the east side. Every time I have to navigate the swarming Priuses around Redmond and Bellevue, I take comfort in the thought that "it's OK, all these people are going to work to fix my Windows bugs".
 

One of the first things I did after installing Windows 10 was to turn off everything related to a Microsoft account, and MS cloud apps.  Including all the modern tile apps, Windows online search, etc.  I even disabled Defender. 
 
I logon to my PC with a local account only.  I have my updates locked down with policy editor, until I am ready to apply them (and only after a fresh image).
 
So far nothing has slipped through on Win 10 that I didn't know about ( I hope).
 
I have never trusted Microsoft in this regard since some years ago on Windows 7 (with updates set to check, but never download), I went to reboot and got a message like (Windows is being updated, do not shutdown your computer".  Whaaaaat!!!
 
So I googled around and found out that MS can, and did, roll out a Windows Update/update, automatically.  I guess they thought it was necessary due to some changes in the WU system.  Provide a good customer experience, blah, blah.

This whole time, I've been doing fine using 2016.09 with the latest MS updates from 10/9. My workaround was to not close the runtime error window. My runtime errors suddenly disappeared on 12/20 without me changing anything, giving me the impression that MS along with Cakewalk's nudging fixed something.
 
A few days ago I decided to test the waters and did all the Win updates and all the Plat updates, including early access for CA-2A and Rapture. I've opened several projects and worked monday, all is well so far. It looks like Cakewalk and MS have finally fixed these problem.
 
The whole point of this thread is to protect me and everyone else from this sort of thing happening to our DAW's by getting tips and ideas on how to combat this.
 

abacab
One of the first things I did after installing Windows 10 was to turn off everything related to a Microsoft account, and MS cloud apps.  Including all the modern tile apps, Windows online search, etc.  I even disabled Defender. 
 
I logon to my PC with a local account only.  I have my updates locked down with policy editor, until I am ready to apply them (and only after a fresh image).
 
So far nothing has slipped through on Win 10 that I didn't know about ( I hope).
 
I have never trusted Microsoft in this regard since some years ago on Windows 7 (with updates set to check, but never download), I went to reboot and got a message like (Windows is being updated, do not shutdown your computer".  Whaaaaat!!!
 
So I googled around and found out that MS can, and did, roll out a Windows Update/update, automatically.  I guess they thought it was necessary due to some changes in the WU system.  Provide a good customer experience, blah, blah.

I'm very interested in your post and want to set up my computer the same way to stop MS from changing things without my knowledge or at a time when I'm using my computer for important work.
 
Can you be more specific on what you did and how you did it? I may already have a local account, how do I know? My DAW is a one user computer.
 
In Services I have Win Updates disabled, so I never get those irritating notices of updates. I turn Win Updates on when I want to update, so I'm wondering if I need to mess with policy editor? Hopefully all of this will prevent MS from taking charge and rolling out a Windows Update/update, automatically.
 
I don't need all these MS protections, I've never gotten a virus in decades, because I'm very careful with my DAW. I only use this computer for music, nothing else. If things go haywire and they always do eventually, I simply revert back to a known good image file. In fact I make an image file after every little change to my OS or apps for safety.

I just noticed in your signature that you are using Windows 8.1, so unless that needs updated, much of what I posted may not apply.
 
I only used Win 8.1 briefly on a new laptop, so I do not know it very well.  But it was the start of MS trying to make the Windows OS more of a cloud based, mobile device.
 
I quickly upgraded that PC to Windows 10, and then discovered this.  I have a Microsoft account using my gmail address, that stays logged off.  Since I don't use any of Microsoft's cloud services or apps, or the Windows store, there is no way I need to stay signed in to make it easier for MS to collect data about me. 
 
A local account is what it has always been since the early days of Windows.  Just your user ID and password for the Administrator account on your PC.  But if you change Windows so that you sign into it with your MS online ID, called your MSA (Microsoft Account), that's the way your PC login will continue to work.
 
Here's an article that probably explains it better than I can on how to revert to a local account if you're using a MSA. 
https://www.theguardian.c...-account-in-windows-10
or this http://www.techrepublic.c...account-in-windows-81/
and this http://www.howtogeek.com/230543/how-to-revert-your-windows-10-account-to-a-local-one-after-the-windows-store-hijacks-it/
 
 
For protection, I use Avira.  It is light and stays out of the way, if you set exclusions to real-time protection for selected processes, files, and folders.  Avira Free is as good as the pro version.  I have used both and they are both good.  No conflicts here. 
 
I am testing Bitdefender Free 2016 on another computer.  I like it, but it has no file exclusions, so I just click off the real-time protection unless I go online with it.  Bitdefender is among the few products (including Avira and Kaspersky) that frequently score 100% in malware detection tests.  So there you have it, Avira Free and Bitdefender Free.  Both top-notch detection engines are free.  Since you stay offline mostly anyway, you can just keep real-time protection off for either, unless you are updating something.
 
Of course, by saying this here, there is bound to be a pile-on now in favor of Defender, Norton, Avast, Bitdefender, etc.  LOL!   But personally I would trust any of them, including the free ones, over Defender any day. 

abacab
I just noticed in your signature that you are using Windows 8.1, so unless that needs updated, much of what I posted may not apply.
 
I only used Win 8.1 briefly on a new laptop, so I do not know it very well.  But it was the start of MS trying to make the Windows OS more of a cloud based, mobile device.
 
I quickly upgraded that PC to Windows 10, and then discovered this.  I have a Microsoft account using my gmail address, that stays logged off.  Since I don't use any of Microsoft's cloud services or apps, or the Windows store, there is no way I need to stay signed in to make it easier for MS to collect data about me. 
 
A local account is what it has always been since the early days of Windows.  Just your user ID and password for the Administrator account on your PC.  But if you change Windows so that you sign into it with your MS online ID, called your MSA (Microsoft Account), that's the way your PC login will continue to work.
 
Here's an article that probably explains it better than I can on how to revert to a local account if you're using a MSA. 
https://www.theguardian.c...-account-in-windows-10
or this http://www.techrepublic.c...account-in-windows-81/
and this http://www.howtogeek.com/230543/how-to-revert-your-windows-10-account-to-a-local-one-after-the-windows-store-hijacks-it/
 
 
For protection, I use Avira.  It is light and stays out of the way, if you set exclusions to real-time protection for selected processes, files, and folders.  Avira Free is as good as the pro version.  I have used both and they are both good.  No conflicts here. 
 
I am testing Bitdefender Free 2016 on another computer.  I like it, but it has no file exclusions, so I just click off the real-time protection unless I go online with it.  Bitdefender is among the few products (including Avira and Kaspersky) that frequently score 100% in malware detection tests.  So there you have it, Avira Free and Bitdefender Free.  Both top-notch detection engines are free.  Since you stay offline mostly anyway, you can just keep real-time protection off for either, unless you are updating something.
 
Of course, by saying this here, there is bound to be a pile-on now in favor of Defender, Norton, Avast, Bitdefender, etc.  LOL!   But personally I would trust any of them, including the free ones, over Defender any day. 

Actually I upgraded from 8.1 to Win 10 Pro in Feb last year. Sorry for the confusion, I just updated my sig.
 
Great tips and info. I certainly don't need all that MS stuff either. I'll go ahead and start the process.

Plus there is a shed load of Win 10 tutorials in this list.  Should cover just about everything you would ever need to know!
 
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/?s=36333206a4fa84330bf24f536468c91a
 
Complete alphabetical index:
https://www.tenforums.com...10-tutorial-index.html