So I have a project that freezes my machine rock-solid every time I am working on it.  It happens randomly, but it also seems to happen a lot when I click the play button.  I am then forced to reboot and load the project again.
 
I thought that it was related to the SoftTube FET compressor as that was crashing Sonar a lot, but sometimes it works correctly.  Also I wouldn't think the SoftTube compressor would freeze my machine solid.  I have reinstalled the SoftTube compressor, but I'm going to try again.
 
Has anyone else had trouble with the SoftTube FET compressor?
 
I have noticed that Sonar is no longer using the image cache with this project as well, I have deleted the contents of the picture cache a number of times and it still doesn't show waveforms when I load this project.

You will do best to conduct some maintenance on your PC I suggest.
Run Windows update including optional updates several times.
Update your device drivers and firmware esp for your UAD and MOTO.
 
Assuming you haven't already done this...

Ok, this happened again and it was a few minutes into my project when I clicked the play button - instant complete computer freeze.  No task manager, no nothing with only the option of a complete reboot.
 
I have reinstalled the Softube FET compressor, but I'm not convinced it is the problem.
 
If anyone has the Softube FET compressor and its working, could you please let me know?
 
I'm going to try a new project to see if this is isolated to this one and then I'm going to start installing everything.

Is it possible that you have one or more loaded 3rd-party 32-bit plugins in this project?
 
If you are not sure, after loading the project but prior to hitting play (so you don't freeze everything), look in Task Manager to see if BitBridge or JBridge is running.  If so, then you have one or more 32-bit plugins loaded.
 
Sometimes 3rd-party 32-bit plugins cause not only bizarre things to happen, but can also hang or freeze either Sonar or the whole computer.
 
Many of us have deliberately made the choice to either completely convert/move to 64-bit only plugins, or have gone through a testing process for 32-bit plugins we think we want to continue to use in 64-bit Sonar.  What I did was take the plugins that tested out OK in 64-bit Sonar, and I move them into a new sub-folder in my 32-bit plugins folder, and then I only specified that sub-folder in the scan path in the 64-bit Sonar.  (the 32-bit Sonar would still find those plugins from the sub-folder, because it scans sub-folders automatically).
 
So, the above is easy enough to test, and IF BitBridge/JBridge is present then you have some work to do, but should be able to work your way through testing the plugins and swapping out failing ones until you get the issue resolved.  You will need to swap out failing 32-bit plugins that you identify through testing.  It's a pain, and just part of the process.
 
Bob Bone
 

No real insight here - just wanted to add that I have one project that occasionally loses all audio when I click the start button.  I will hear this static-like noise when I select the start button and then no sound.  It doesn't lock up, but I have to reload the song to get the volume back - usually with no further consequences.  Only happens on this one song and only on occasion. 

If you are lucky there may be clues in the Windows Event log.

I wonder if it might help to open the project in safe mode. I have never had the need to do it, but I know others have used safe mode to diagnose plugin problems. As I understand it, what safe mode does is open the project and lets you select what plugins load.
 
Look up "safe mode" in the manual for more detail. I think you can open a project in safe mode by pressing the "shift" key after you select (highlight) the project and before clicking "open" or some such thing.

One other thing: I have noticed that sometimes when a project locks and I try to end it in task manager, it can take a looooong time for it to actually end and go away. Sometime I leave the room so as to avoid the temptation of rebooting, which on my box starts this long diagnostic thing that takes forever to run. If I go away and come back in five minutes or so, X2 will be ended and I can start again.  FWIW.

rbecker
I wonder if it might help to open the project in safe mode. I have never had the need to do it, but I know others have used safe mode to diagnose plugin problems. As I understand it, what safe mode does is open the project and lets you select what plugins load.
 
Look up "safe mode" in the manual for more detail. I think you can open a project in safe mode by pressing the "shift" key after you select (highlight) the project and before clicking "open" or some such thing.

This is excellent advice. I'd suggest opening the project in safe mode without any plug-ins. If the project plays properly, then you can go back and load plug-ins selectively to see what causes the problem.
 
According to Cakewalk's tech support team, issues related to third-party plug-ins account for the greatest number of service calls.

Any 32Bit plugins loaded in this project?
That would be the most likely culprit.