Sonar X3 Producer Upgrade

X3 is about the same size download. Some plugins are gone from the older versions while some new ones were added. The Melodyne and XLN Addictive Drums plugins have to be downloaded from their company websites. The Melodyne version on the original installer is an older version so you have to update it from Melodynes web page. And I see AD2 is being included in the package.

Upgrades are the full retail version of the product at a reduced price. Since you have X2 Producer installed only the 01_Read_This_First_SONAR_X3.ex,  02_SONAR_X3_Producer.part1.exe through 02_SONAR_X3_Producer.part4.exe and 05_XLN_Audio_Addictive_Drums_Download_Instructions.rtf are necessary from the Cakewalk site. There will also be an XLN installer download from XLN Audio for the Addictive Drum software. The size of the Cakewalk files is listed in a link at the bottom of this page http://www.cakewalk.com/S...tallation-Instructions

Just be aware if you choose to uninstall any older versions of Sonar that contain the plugins you tied to Sonar 3 they will disappear! Then you have to re-install from the installation files. The older versions don't take up so much room so it's not a bad idea to leave them be for now. I keep all my older versions because you never know when you may have a client that did a project in Sonar 8.5 4 years ago. Sometimes trying to open projects can really be a pain in the new versions.

X3 is a completely separate install. Just as if you never had a Cakewalk product before. As stated above, you can do a custom install and choose what plugins you want to install. This keeps you from having to install Dim Pro, Rapture, Zeta, whichever plugins you already may have in X1 or X2. Like my post above says, for example, I choose to use Dim Pro that was installed in X1 or X2 instead of installing the version that comes with X3. If I ever decide to uninstall X1 or X2 Dim Pro will be uninstalled as well. You have to set X3 to scan the location of your plugins. If they are located in the vst plugin folder in x2 or x3, they will be uninstalled as well. X3 will scan for them but they are gone. That's why most of us here advise leaving older versions installed and just setting X3 to scan your old vst folder.

Ha LOL yeah I started off with Pro Audio 9, so I know where you're coming from - I have a habit of not "updating" stuff until I really have to - why fix it if it ain't broke - but then it all sometimes comes unstuck at the last minute.
 
OK, so, just for my clarity, if I understand correctly (other the the X1 to X1 Expanded scenario you described), these upgrades are not really "upgrades" to a base product, they're really a full install with a "price discount for product loyalty", and there are limited "hard" dependencies on the version that's currently installed.
 
Woohoo, if that's the case, I'll be doing some downloading soon 
 
Cheers ... Kimbo

Excellent - thanks for the help.
 
Cheers