Hi, I've been having a load of problems with installing and using VST plug-ins recently. I'm completely new to recording and DAW's and the like (well except for the garage band app on the iPod touch...) so I'm probably just doing something stupid!
 
For a while I've been attempting to download some guitar amp/ effect emulators and run them as VST plug-ins, but none of them actually appear with the VST's (even though the .dll files are in the right places, and the names of the files come up when Sonar scans for VST plug-ins). I've had numerous pieces of advice, but none of them seem to have helped. Would someone mind just giving me a complete walk-through in how to install and run them, from start to finish?
 
(I can't link to where I got the downloads from, but I guess it shouldn't really matter which exact one I'm trying to install)
 
Thank you very much in advance!

Perhaps it would be more effective if you describe the steps you have taken.
Since the advice you have received hasn't helped, outlining what you have done may help us pinpoint where the process has gone astray.
Some older VST's just plain don't work in a newer environment.
Pick an amp sim(Please give us the name. We can find links if need be), and step us through your procedure.

Ok, sorry if I wasn't asking the right question! So I found two amp emulators (NRR-1 and The Anvil by Ignite Amps), and I think they are new enough to work. I clicked on the link to download, and very quickly my computer downloaded them as a compressed file. I extracted the file, and moved the .dll files to the CakewalkVstPlugins file. Then I scanned for Vst's in Sonar (I did see the names of the files I wanted being mentioned) but the files weren't anywhere in Sonar. I checked and they were still in the Cakewalk Vst Plugins folder. Sorry if this was a bit long, but that is exactly what I did

Ok, sorry if I wasn't asking the right question! So I found two amp emulators (NRR-1 and The Anvil by Ignite Amps), and I think they are new enough to work. I clicked on the link to download, and very quickly my computer downloaded them as a compressed file. I extracted the file, and moved the .dll files to the CakewalkVstPlugins file. Then I scanned for Vst's in Sonar (I did see the names of the files I wanted being mentioned) but the files weren't anywhere in Sonar. I checked and they were still in the Cakewalk Vst Plugins folder. Sorry if this was a bit long, but that is exactly what I did

Sorry, looks like a double post... Also, are there any emulators you would recommend that you know will work?

What might be happening is your using a 32 bit version of Sonar and the plug ins are 64 bit or visa versa. 
To use a VST as real time guitar efxs you need an interface with real low latency, under 5ms. 
 
Guitar rig comes as a trial with some versions of Sonar and I think you can purchase it from the Cakewalk store. Free, you get what you pay for, I like my Mooer pedals.... 
http://www.mooeraudio.com/en/Product.asp?PClassID=25
 
I gave up on using plug ins, They suck the tone right out of my guitar. 

No need to apologize. That's just the info I was looking for.
I think Cactus may be onto something. X1LE is based on X1 Essential, which was 32 bit only. You may have downloaded the 64 bit version. If so, VST Scan would scan it, but would not be able to do anything with it.
I downloaded Anvil (32 bit) and got it into a project.
The only thing I did different was extracting directly to the Cakewalk/VST folder, rather than moving the .dll to the VST folder.
Also, I run VST Scan as an Administrator. You may need to do this to allow it to make changes in the VST list.
In Windows Explorer, find VSTscan in the Cakewalk Program files, right click, and select Run as Administrator.
If all goes well, you should see Anvil in The VST Audio Effects list in the Plug-in Manager.
If you see it there, you should be able to open it in your audio track FX bin.
Right click in the FX bin, then Audio FX>vstplugins>anvil.
 
Sadly, my favorite amp sim, AcmeBarGig Shred, is not currently available, or I would recommend it.
 

Ah! I think that probably solves it! Although I've given up on using digital emulators and have started to mic my amp instead, so I can't tell if it works or not just yet...