Make sure to SONAR is "run as administrator" either by right-clicking on the app or icon and selecting the option or selecting the option in the compatibility tab in the program properties. Do not have more than one reference to "d:\program files\steinburg" in the scan path. The scanner recurses through the directories in paths specified. Also deselect the re-scan options.

Cactus Music
What you are experiencing is the move from 32 to 64 bit OS. 

For what ever reason Sonar on the C drive (Windows 7 64-bit) is not seeing any VSTs.
I moved the D:\program files\Steinberg folder over to the C drive (C:\program files\Steinberg) but I still can't scan them because the buttons are not highlighted.
 
The Plug-in manager is seeing the DX stuff, the MIDI effects, and control surfaces but nothing with VST in the title.
 
Maybe I need to install bit bridge?
All my plug-ins are 32 bit.
My Sonar 7 is 32 bit but the OS is 64 bit.

Having done just about every configuration/upgrade/crossgrade/reinstall/restore, etc. in every version of Cakewalk from 1997 til now and every version of Windows from 98 til 8.1, and taking it from one computer to another, the best way (IMHO) to do it to assure that it will work properly is to install ALL of your old plugins again. Go back to the oldest version of Cakewalk that you have that will install in some compatibility mode and just install the whole thing with all the bells and whistles. Since you likely have lots of disk space on the new one, just install the complete versions of all of them. To be absolutely sure, you might want to apply the appropriate patches to each of the programs. You don't even have to actually RUN each one of them, but you can, just to initialize them and make sure they come up right. Then shut them down and go to the next one until you are up to the current one. Definitely apply all the patches to the current version. Then, finally, do your VST scans after setting the paths to the defaults and the ones that others have already listed.
Finally, run your project and see which, if any, of the installed VST's say they won't load. Those are the ones that are either in an incorrect path or need to be individually reinstalled. Yes, it's very time consuming, but one weekend day in order to get your system back up to running smoothly with all the wonderful bells and whistles that come from Cakewalk (and others) shouldn't be too much to ask....especially after all the work you've already done!
 
My last "migration" was from my old computer to a new fancy schmantzy one running Win7x64. Typically, I install BOTH the 32 bit and 64 bit versions of Sonar AND all the plugins that allow it. I use the one that I need to for the 32 bit plugins and then use the other for the 64 bit plugins, but primarily for final mastering.
 
There are a ton of ways to do it......good luck!

Thanks for the reply Divinit,
On another forum someone suggested that I hold down the shift key when I open Sonar.
Don't know why but it worked.
As soon as I clicked on the Sonar icon it scanned all my plugins.
Unfortunately some of them still won't work.
 
I'm getting this message for EZdrummer:
EZdrummer cannot find the sound files!
Reinstall EZdrummer or move the sounds to:
The path to the sounds is not set.
 
How do I set the path to the sounds and what do you mean when you say: "you might want to apply the appropriate patches to each of the programs"?
 
Also, after hours of frustration I just found out that my Emulator X only works with Windows XP.
Most of my sounds come from the Emulator so now I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to load Windows XP alongside Windows 7 64 or am I going to have to rebuild this system again with Windows XP.
 
I couldn't remember my password for this forum. I tried to reset it at least a dozen times but I kept getting the message that my account needed to be activated. When I tried to reactivate it it said it was already activated so I had to just open a new one.
 
Any advice appreciated.

did you ever try my method?  just copy and paste them all to the C drive Cakewalk folder

Cactus I did copy and paste them into my new hard drive  C drive> Program Files x86> Cakewalk> VstPlugins> VstPlugins  folder but apparently it doesn't see them.
 
All of my VSTs on the original hard drive were in the D drive> Program files> Steinberg> Vst plugins folder. 
 
I don't know where this Steinberg folder originally came from but there is another Vstplugin folder inside the Cakewalk folder on the original D drive, but the only plugins in it are the ones that are built-in to Sonar.
 
 

I read you had your computer in the car for a while?
could some hardware come loose inside? maybe re-seat them?
just a shot.

You'll have a Steinberg VST folder if you had installed either Cubase or Wave Lab. 
But for me, If I had Wave Lab or Cubase installed already, Then I install Sonar, The Steinberg VST plug ins automaticly show on the list , but in a sub list marked vst. 
I've never had a problem, I often will download a free plug in from say KVR, it will go to my "Download" folder. 
All I ever have do is copy and paste the .dll into Cakewalks shared plug in folder. 
 
When I re build my computers all I do is copy and paste ( drag and drop in this case) 
from the back up drive to the Cakewalk Shared Plug in folder on C. 
Some Plug ins need to be installed as an application, those are obvious as they are exe. files