I've just tried running SONAR for the first time since this all kicked off.  I purchased the professional edition through Steam.
  
I'm getting a message saying membership renewal is required and it's running in demo mode.  I had it fully paid up to the 2016 version.  So basically, my DAW is now useless to me.  And seeing as you can't access support any more, I'm basically screwed.
 
Guess I'm headed back to Studio One Prime until I can afford to buy a new DAW.
 
**** YOU GIBSON.
 
 

Hmmm, so it seems I can still use the 2015 version, but the newest version no longer functions as a full version.  Either way, not impressed.

Hold your horses. I think I have heard about other Steam users having this issue in the past and getting it up and running again. Maybe do a search on the forums.

It seems I was a little hasty as it's now working.  However, for an hour or so all I was getting was demo mode.  But, seeing as support is effectively gone, I think you can see why I was both concerned and hacked off.
 
All that said, this clears things up that I need to seriously think about alternative options.  I just don't trust that this will be working forever.  Not that I can do anything right now, this is just a hobby for me and I don't have the cash to drop on alternatives currently.  I especially feel for anybody who relies on SONAR professionally as this must be a worrying time for them.

kevmsmith81...I especially feel for anybody who relies on SONAR professionally as this must be a worrying time for them.

I'm one of those, and yes, it's quite concerning, which is why I'm crash coursing my way through Reaper.  In 30 minutes I go on stage to play what may be the last gig with music produced solely on SONAR.

I get a big kick out of people who think the software will stop working just because they stop selling it. 
 
I still use Win Amp for all my live gigs. I think they folded in 2006. And it loads into window 10. Interesting was the people who made Win Amp went on to write Reaper. 
 
I'm just setting up Sonar Home Studio playlist and will be trying that instead of Win Amp. If I like it, I expect it to work dependably for about 10 years. 

Cactus Music
I get a big lick out of people who think the software will stop working just because they stop selling it. 
 
I still use Win Amp for all my live gigs. I think they folded in 2006. And it loads into window 10. Interesting was the people who made Win Amp went on to write Reaper. 
 
I'm just setting up Sonar Home Studio playlist and will be trying that instead of Win Amp. If I like it, I expect it to work dependably for about 10 years. 

There's a difference here though, Winamp was freeware and a lot less complex than SONAR.  Winamp doesn't require authorisation via a server and due  to the less complex nature of the software is probably less vulnerable to issues arising from updates to Windows. 
 
So whilst it is of course feasible that SONAR will continue to function as it currently does, there is more that could go wrong compared to Winamp (which is still my favourite media player for Windows, for music at least). 

So what did you do, if anything, to get it working again?
 
John
 

jjdubs
So what did you do, if anything, to get it working again?

 
In case the OP doesn't return, in most cases with Sonar, logging out of the CCC and logging back in removes the "demo mode" issue. Maybe Steam is the same way.
 
FWIW there is at least one support person still at Cakewalk AFAIK.
 

Anderton FWIW there is at least one support person still at Cakewalk AFAIK.

Man, I'd hate to have THAT job! No engineering to ask a question, documentation that might not always be correct, no one to bounce a question or theory off of, mostly empty building, everyone mad at my employer, thankless job.  What's not to like?