Has anyone tried doing a clean install of Cakewalk, et al, without using the Command Center?
Does it work?
Both my desktop and my laptop have full, up-to-date installations and I'm too much of a chicken to scrape one down to the metal to try this.
My thinking is that CC needs to talk to Cakewalk's authentication server (let's call it Mama to save typing), and if Mama disappears, CC will stop working.
But, even if a clean installation without CC (and Mama) is possible a year or two from now, where is my CW going to find something to authenticate the authorization number I've already been given?
 
I have to say that if I do end up having to look elsewhere for a DAW, I'm going FOSS or free if it's at all possible.At least then if I'm left high-n-dry again, I'm not out of pocket.
<rant>
There's no way I'm going to trust another corporation with my money the way I did Roland/Gibson/Cakewalk. In fact, the only reason I haven't already gone back to FreeBSD is because of my investment in Cakewalk and the Adobe Master Collection, so by abandoning CW, Gibson has caused me to take another long, hard look at my OS choice. Other than Photoshop and Cakewalk, I have no reason to stick with Windows or put up with Microsoft's godlike attitude toward its customers.
</rant>
 

I've never used Command Center, dl'd from my store account and installed.
Server will be needed for product authorization though.

 

Could someone please list the steps needed to download splat files to DVD? Also, is there already an installation file on my PC that I can Backup?
 

If you have been using the CCC to install SONAR and its other parts look in the Download Directory unless you have changed the path in the CCC's settings it is probably as shown below.
 
C:\ProgramData\Cakewalk\Command Center\Downloads


 

rontarrant
 
I have to say that if I do end up having to look elsewhere for a DAW, I'm going FOSS or free if it's at all possible.At least then if I'm left high-n-dry again, I'm not out of pocket.

Hi Ron,
I was left high and dry without a job three years ago when the company I was employed with for 26 years (which had been in existence for over a century) was purchased by a predatory business and sold off for parts.  What made it especially frustrating was that the company was highly profitable, had zero debt (Paid cash for everything), and had the best worldwide reputation in its field. Unfortunately, the "trustees" governing its ownership were all paid off lucratively as part of the takeover.
 
Point being, nothing is permanent in this world.  But you can't let that fact close you off to the better things in life -- if you can afford them, of course.  Who suffers when you boycott purchases based on anger or paranoia?  Only you!  You have to keep moving forward, enjoy the ride, and always hope for the best.
 
All that said, it's very likely you won't have to abandon Sonar any time soon.  I'm confident we will get a permanent authorization code from CW as promised, though you may have to disable O.S. updates or set up a backup image system as a safety net.
 
Worst case, we don't get the permanent activation and you have to move on... Reaper is only $60 for non-professionals (with no limits on its demo other than a nag screen, so you can try it out for as long as you need to before making the purchase).
 
Good luck, whatever you decide to do...

rontarrant
But, even if a clean installation without CC (and Mama) is possible a year or two from now, where is my CW going to find something to authenticate the authorization number I've already been given?
 

In the event that the authorisation servers are switched off, Noel has stated that an authorisation code will be provided that will allow you to (re)install Sonar without the servers.

Karyn

rontarrant
But, even if a clean installation without CC (and Mama) is possible a year or two from now, where is my CW going to find something to authenticate the authorization number I've already been given?
 

In the event that the authorisation servers are switched off, Noel has stated that an authorisation code will be provided that will allow you to (re)install Sonar without the servers.

 
I would love to put my faith in Cakewalk.
But its been over a month now with out any contact from Cakewalk or its staff.
I cant see how we are supposed to believe this promise. Im trying not to be negative but im concerned.
 

There are dozens of threads with this topic, You should look for them and read them as we've been over this a million times. 
At this point yes you do need the server. Until they release a version that retuns to the old X3 style of authorization we are left out in the cold if we go to intall in the future. 
 
There's a lot of information about what you can do to make yourself future proof already here on the forum. 
 
The basics are: 
Download all your products from your account and store them in a few places. Buy a couple of USB sticks a new external drive etc. ( why would you use a DVD? that's not safe) 
Make sure to copy paste or screen shot all your serial numbers- your going to need these even if you switch daws you can use most of the stand alone VST's and plug ins. They are worth a lot of money, don't blow it! 
Update your DAWS hardware and get everything 100% and make an image of this. 
Think about using W7 or 8.1 to aviod W10 upgrade blues. 
Install Sonar on as many computers as you own. There is no limit as long as only you use the software. 
If using W10 try and disable updates or un plug from the net. 
Start learning how to use other DAW's. 
Make sure you have copies of older versions incase you need to roll back. 
Example X3e was the last version you'll have that can always be activated if the servers die. 
 
 

JonD
I'm confident we will get a permanent authorization code from CW as promised

Promises were made? I missed that.
 
BTW, I'm not paranoid (but how to prove it? Hmmm...) Anyway, I've been watching how corporations have boiled the proverbial frog since Reagan first told us about The Trickle-down Effect and how it was going to fix everything, slice our bread and tuck us in at night. Just because I've come to distrust non-human entities who have the power to wipe out someone's livelihood just to add another zero to shareholders' accounts doesn't guarantee that I'm paranoid. I am, however, very concerned by the growing number of people who think distrusting corporations is the first sign of insanity. It brings to mind the 180-degree shift in attitude toward war-making since 1991, but that's just our corporations at work behind the scenes. Nothing to worry about unless you're of draft age, poor, and too low in IQ points to get a scholarship to an ivy league university. But I digress...
 
Struggling to get back on track, going open source (or free) isn't the last resort (or even the first) of the tin foil set. Sometimes it just makes sense, especially if the software quality is near enough to the stuff we shell out for.
 
Anyway, sorry you lost your job. That sucks big time. More time for music, though, eh?
 

rontarrant

JonD
I'm confident we will get a permanent authorization code from CW as promised

Promises were made? I missed that.

see the FAQ