Hi -

I have had Cakewalk Home Studio 6 for a while, but have not used it very much. However, now I have some free time and would like to see if I can figure it all out. 

The problem : I have a new computer that I would like to install the program on, but I have somehow managed to crack the installation CD and it will not install. 

Is there anything I can do? I purchased and registered it a few years ago and still have the box and CD (cracked). I plan on upgrading to the new version (i think its called Essentials?), but I really want to try and understand how it works before I upgrade. 

Thanks!

For what it's worth, understanding SHS6 will not really help you much with the new versions.
SHS6 was a great program, but X2 is a very different format, and you would have to relearn it anyway.
As a registered Home Studio user, you should be able to take advantage of the upgrade discount to X2 Essential.
I'd say make a fresh start, and run with it.

FYI, there is a sale through the end of the April. You can get an additional 15% off the upgrade price by using promo code APRIL2013 on your order at the Cakewalk store.

Thanks guys! I appreciate it, and plan on reading about X2 to learn the features and see how difficult the learning curve is with it. I will probably just go ahead and upgrade to the newer version. I hope it includes the MP3 export option. The 30 day trial for that in HS6 really bothered me. 

No Cakewalk DAW has free mp3 export. You can either pay the fee (it is a one-time fee that permanently unlocks the feature forever in the Cakewalk products that you buy) or use an external encoder that can be integrated into SONAR or http://forum.cakewalk.com/fb.ashx?m=2268643