Fresh install of Windows 8 (Professional, x64). Fresh install of SONAR X2a x64. Export to Audio / Windows Media comes up "no codecs installed" when they are installed, and working from other tools such as Sony Sound Forge.
 
Was working before the reinstall, but suspect that was after upgrade from Windows 7, so implies something in a "fresh install" of Windows 8 which breaks this... To be sure, I've just done another fresh install in a Virtual Machine to see whether starting from scratch worked - but exactly the same error ---- tested "out of the box" then after install of Windows Media Encoder x64, then Windows Media Encoder x86 and then the Vista patch ... all the same "no codecs installed" message....
 
Would be interested if anyone else has seen this

uhhh, what Vista patch?

What happens if you use converter software to convert something to WMA format?  (outside of Sonar)

I loaded Windows 8 as  clean install on my box, I don't remember doing anything with Windows Encoder - forgive my lack of appreciable knowledge about this component.

I'll hunt around and see if I can find anything, 

Bob Bone

I haven't found anything yet, but had a thought or two.

Can you play WMA files through Windows Media Player on this computer?

Also, if you were to:
1.  Go into Control Panel>Programs>Programs and Features
2.  Click on Turn On/Off Windows Features
3.  Expand out the Media stuff, then uncheck Windows Media Player
4.  Restart
5. Redo steps 1-3, except this time CHECK Windows Media Player
6.  Restart again.


That should give you back Windows Media Player, and whatever codecs it thinks it should have as defaults.

I hope that works - if it comes to that, 

Bob Bone

IMHO the windows media player in windows 8 is broken... I think intentionally as they want you to purchase an app to play your music and video on. I installed some free codecs and they seemed to work ok but I did not try a wma file. I would try it but I have reloaded windows 7 while trying to track down video issues in another program.

Converter software works fine.
Uninstall/reinstall of WMP did not help.
Completely confused.

ealry beta version didnt have windows media center in them.
the os has to be the offical release and needs to have windows media center.
sound forge comes stock with almost every codec.
 
hope this help out. 

I don't think its to do with Media Centre (which only adds DVD playback) as have that on my PC (not the VM that I am testing on). Have reinstalled WMA and no change - playback all working fine, ripping of CDs working fine in WMA (and offers the options).

Have also now tried new install of Win7 on VM, install of SONAR X2 - all x64... nothing shows until installed Media Encoder x64 when all options working fine.

Have also removed and reinstalled the Media Encoder x64 on Windows 8, this time tried compatibility mode set to Windows 7, and still no codecs available (WMA option available from main export screen, when you select WMA and then select the export button it should come up with menu of codec type WMA9.2/WMA10, CBR/VBR, lossless, etc. and it does on Win7 x64 but not on Win8 x64).

Rob, does your fresh install come up with the WMA options dialog having selected WMA as the type?

... also, just checked the Windows Media Encoder being installed ok. The media encoder shows all the options that should be available as "file archive" export compression options, so this appears to be installed correctly. Must be something to do with the way SONAR X2 is identifying the codecs.

The problem is if you are running 64 bit Sonar it needs a codec for 64 bits. Media Player is both 32 bit and 64 bit but most of its codecs are 32 bit only. You need to DL a codec pack for 64 bits. I use the free Shark007 codecs for Windows 8 64 bits. They have them for Windows 7 and just about any Windows OS. 

Installed x64 version of Media Encoders. Still no joy (obviously can create WAV and then convert to WMA, but that is just a pain) and now have situation where I build new (virtual) Windows 7 Ultimate with default config, install SONAR X2 and Windows Media Encoder (both x64) and even that does not provide export options for WMA... the only thing that I might have done different was to only install basic SONAR files and none of the synths, fx, etc. so now trying to install "standard install" to see if there is something to do with Custom Install.....