Is there a checklist of things I can do to get the files to open quicker? I've deleted the picture cache but it doesn't seem to help and when it opens, it needs more time to recreate the clip images. Of course I'm impatient! but that's not the problem, my files are taking minutes to open.
 
I opened a file before sending this message and it still isn't open. Some of the time can be accounted for by the plugs in the file but taking minutes is ridiculous.
 
Asus P6T mobo, Intel 3.33 quad core i975, 12 gig RAM
 
Thanks - rev

Are the .CWP files themselves unusually large? Any drum tracks that have been split at transients using Audiosnap?
 
You might need to disable virus scanning of SONAR program/project/content folders and/or of the executable process itself. I had a problem where Microsoft Security Essentials 'real-time protection' got spontaneously enabled by some update and was scanning every file that SONAR accessed when opening a project, including synth samples. Excluding SONARPLT.EXE took care of it.

Hi. Does this happen on every project? What kind of HD /SSD do you save projects to? Which plugins / soft synths do you use? Does this happen if you open SONAR in safe mode (Shift + double click on the icon)? Say no to plugins.
All the best.

>Are the .CWP files themselves unusually large? Any drum tracks that have been split at transients using Audiosnap?
No, they're usually small, 10 tracks with probably Abbey Road drums and Trilian loaded. I don't have any real time protection on so that's not the issue.
 
>Does this happen on every project?
No. Some open quite quickly but it would be impossible to tell why this one and not that one. I generally use the same instrumentation. I've actually got one that won't open at all and I just backed it up so my backup is bad too.
 
>What kind of HD/SSD do you save projects to?
Projects are saved to a separate internal conventional disk. Installations on C:\, Project files on D:\, and samples on E:\ .
 
>Does this happen if you open SONAR in safe mode (Shift + double click on the icon)? Say no to plugins.
Haven't tried it yet but you might be onto something. I recently updated Kontakt so the system might be having difficulty resolving the registry keys. I might have to call it up in Safe Mode, save the data to a new file and then add the new Kontakt. 

I have also noticed that the time to open projects has increased dramatically recently.  I haven't been able to identify why. I'm using Windows 10 with the most recent updates, and I installed the newest version of Sonar Plat to see if that helped, but it didn't.  I did notice that the projects that take the longest to load have more than one screen set.
I started putting some of the largest projects on an SSD, but it didn't make any difference in load times.

So you didn't you try safe mode ?
that will tell you right there if its a plug in causing your wait time.
 
You can also disable the PIM from scanning each time you open sonar by using the preference option under VST Settings.
Running good here. I have projects with up to in excess of 40+ tracks, 10 or more instances of soft synths and 50 or more plug ins that take about 10 seconds to load (in this new version of sonar platinum) so its got to be something on your PC that's preventing the loading of VST's, Sonars PIM or the EXE itself.
 
Even if you have AV but don't have "real time protection", add Sonar EXE and sonars PIM to your exclusions list.
 

Aspen:
You just described my problem exactly. I think my solution is to open all the troublesome files by any method and replace each instance of Kontakt by removing and replacing. That should fix it for me, but only if the Kontakt is the issue.
 
Chuck:
I stopped Sonar from PIM-ing many years ago so I'm sure that's not it, even if it was, it only takes about 20 seconds to run. I tried Safe Mode but I got a message saying, 'Sonar will now personalize your data.' I baled out because I didn't know what entailed or how to reverse it if it caused problems. I thought it was already personalized...
 
However, I feel sure that the upgraded Kontakt is the cause. It's the only thing that changed and I found at least one file that won't open at all. Most of my songs still have an instance of Kontakt and in the past I've got a message when opening the file to the effect that 'system can't find the old Kontakt reg keys' along with a suggestion for the new keys. I accept the suggestion and all is well. Maybe something went wrong with my Kontakt upgrade and the system doesn't know what to suggest and can't resolve the old - that's my theory.

In my case, only one project uses Kontakt, although I will try your suggestion and see if that helps.  I tried Chuck's suggestions and they made no difference in my case.  Chuck - which version of SPlat are you running?
 

Hi,
 
Thanks for bringing this up. I too am seeing the same as projects (not all having NI instruments) are taking longer to load...
 
Best,
Stéphane

If either of you find a solution, post back in case it works for me. 
 
Stephane: The Kontakt issue I probably have wouldn't apply to you if you haven't upgraded or reinstalled Kontakt. Once it's installed and all the files understand where it is, it shouldn't be the cause of the problem, hasn't been in the past.
 
I've also noticed that it takes longer to open when double clicking the .cwp file, in other words when it's opened by association with Sonar. If you open Sonar first and then use the menu to open the file, it takes less time.