Hello,

Please I need a help: I have bought Sonar X3 Studio and now it does not permit to add a VST Patch, Scan and uses VST Plugins... 
 
Let me explain what is happening: I Bought Sonar X3 and then upgrade to X3 Studio to use ProChannel FX. I had installed Sonar X3 and then I uninstalled it to install Sonar X3 Studio. The problems started at this point... I had upgraded to X3e Studio patch but ProChannel Fx reset all settings after close a project...The VST plugins were running FINE at this point!
 
I made contact with consumer support and I received detailed instructions to delete completely Sonar X3 (with some windows registry modifications...).
 
Now I have experienced something weird: I can't set up a VST Patch on this new installation... On the preferences tab, I can set up the patches for VST plugins. Then I have to click "apply" on the tab. But the VST scan doesn't start (no one method - manual or automatic) and on the VST preferences tab, the patches are empty! So, I cannot uses VST plugins...
For example, if I setting a vst folder "C:\plugins vst" : at this point the vst patch is shown on the tab!
Then: click to "apply" >> and the plugin patch Is removed of this tab on time....
The plugin Manager does not working too ... (I have tried too).

I did all these steps twice: uninstall Sonar X3 Studio; uninstalled all Cakewalk plugins that I have licenses; ran prompt and deleted the folders; ran regedit and deleted the registry keys; ran msconfig and disabled startup; installed Sonar X3 Studio again (and the X3e Patch too).
 
Maybe my mistake was to run, after the uninstall, a RegCleanner software... But With the new installation I was thinking the settings will be fine...
 
Can someone help me to run Sonar again with my VST Plugins? Is possible to set manually the VST Plugins patch outside preferences or plugin manager?
 
Thanks for attention.
 
Best Regards,
 
Marco.

I must confess I do not understand all that you are saying. I get the idea that you are unable to load VSTs at all now. Is that true?  I would try to install Sonar X3 once again. I would not delete anything. Just install it. After that install all the patches to X3 to bring it up to X3 e. You may need only install the e patch. 
 
Once installed and up to date with the e patch, check the path set up for your VSTs. This is done in preferences. You should see the path where you have your VSTs. It is on my system Programs Files/Cakewalk/VSTplugins. This is for 64 bit plugins. If you have 32 bit plugins they should be under Programs Files X86/Cakewalk/VSTplugins.
 
 

In the plugins manager click the "options" button. It will give you a list showing where Sonar will look for VST plugins.

This is typically something like "c:\program files\Cakewalk\VSTplugins". I'm away from home so I'm relying on memory for this so I may not have got the path quite right. If you go into c:\program files\ and follow the folder tree you will eventually come to the right one. Make sure the plugin manager and\or file locations in preferences is pointed at it. If you have a 64 bit Windows system there may also be Cakewalk entries under c:\program files(x86) as well. Also under c:\program files\common files\VST3. If so and these aren't in the plugin options list add them to it.

If they are already in the plugin manager list then use Windows Explorer and take a look in those folders to check there's something in there. You may need to open Windows Control Panel/folder options and under the view tab select "show hidden files and folders" first to be able to see what's in there. If the folders are empty then the plugins weren't installed.

Plugins can also get installed under program files(and program filesx86)/Steinberg (for historical reasons, Sonar doesn't put any there but some third party installers do).

Also open Sonar's preferences and select VST settings. Check the folders listed under VST Path are correct (they should match the plugin manager entries).

Assuming the plugin manager entries are now correct, run the VSR scan in Sonar's plugin manager.

If that doesn't solve the problem the collective mind will hopefully suggest other ideas.

I don't understand what is meant with "VST patch", it's not a term we generally use in a DAW environment. There is a VST plugin, a VSTi (instrument), a VST folder... What do you mean by "patch"?
Also, it's not necessary to uninstall oter Sonar versions when installing a new one, in fact this can lead to similar trouble like you're having. Sonar versions share some information between them but they run fine next to each other. Have you tried leaving normal X3 and then installing Studio on top?

 
First, Thank You.

John, my Sonar is unable to load VSTs at all now ! I have installed two times... without success...

I know where are all my VST Plugins! They are running fine on others DAW that I have (Studio One, Cubase and Tracktion).

TLW, you said:"In the plugins manager click the "options" button. It will give you a list showing where Sonar will look for VST plugins"

The problem is: I can to set the folders where are all my VST plugins (fx and virtual instruments) but when I click on "APPLY", the folder that I set disappears on time...

And the "Plugin Scan" doesn't starts... Sonar has 3 options: Automatic Background Scan, Scan on Startup and Manual Scan. I can choose everyone's but they were not started or ran ...

when I said "VST Patch" I meant the way on Windows OS (the folder or folders) where are the VST Plugins.

I will try to install SonarX3 again ...

Once again, thank you all.

Best,

Marco.
 

Ahhh VST path! Thanks!
Ok, have you tried running Sonar as Administrator? (Right click and choose "run as Administrator")
Does that help?

Hi Sander,
 
I set Sonar to run on Administrator mode! If Sonar doesn't run on Administrator mode, some plugins will not be recognized.
 
I started a song project on Sonar X3 Studio (to study and to know the software). Unfortunately, with these problems, I had to save project as midi file, consolidate and export all the audio files to continue to work on Presonus Studio One...
 
I made contact with Cakewalk Tech too. I have to wait next Monday.
 
Thanks,
 
Marco.

So you are able to use some plugins? Which ones? So far I was under the impression that you can't use VST plugins at all?

I'm able to use just some Cakewalk Plugins... The others plugins that I have (ex:Sampletank, Kontakt, Amplitube, etc...) I can't use because I can to set the patch (or folder) on Sonar ...
I can't use VST plugins at all...
That's the problem...
 
 
 

Ok, and Sonar won't access its own plugins unless you run as Administrator? That is very strange.
I don't want to sound annoying, but you mean "path" not "patch". A path is literally a road to somewhere, in this case it leads to the location of the VST plugins. A patch is something you use to repair a hole, or in synth terms it can be a "preset sound" (derived from using cables to "patch" together a sound on a modular synthesizer). In DAW terms it is often used as an "update", a piece of software that "patches up" problems in an older version. It gets pretty confusing when mixing them up :)

I'm sorry you're not getting this to work and I'm pretty confused as to why. You could try deleting the aud.ini file, that stores some important settings related to Sonar's global preferences I think. Perhaps it got corrupted or is protected or something. Moving it to your desktop might be better than outright deleting it, that way you could put it back if necessary. Sonar should create a new one by itself though.