I've been patiently waiting for the Windows 8 release because I've been running Windows 7 32 bit.
 
So last weekend I upgraded to Windows 8 64 bit (full format and install) and I spent the last four days reinstalling all my music software.
 
I was organizing and cleaning up my samples and projects drive the entire time I was installing stuff. The process I went through to install was first to install my Novation SLII, then X2, FL studio, and reason. Then I went and installed all my VST's. After each install I would open sonar and make sure everything was working and registered/authorized.
 
Finally I was still moving around some files and somehow I lost all my X2 settings. Now every time I open X2 it does a long vst scan (like 5 minutes long) then doesn't show any project templates except "normal" , "-- blank project -- ", and "-- Play list Set --" on the new project dialog screen. Selecting "normal" takes me to a really minimal screen missing all the usual stuff. It's basically just the main track window with no tracks (a la cakewalk version 6.0). I can still get to everything (it's all there if I open the windows), but if I save a project it can't find it after I open again.
 
My main cakewalk folders are all on "C" drive, but I save all the rest of the data to the "F" drive and in the "C:\Users\Steve\AppData\Roaming\Cakewalk\SONAR X2" directory it has a working shortcut to the data on F. Something is obviously not working with this. 
 
Should I reinstall? If so, how can I do it without having to reinstall all my vsts? I'm not concerned about projects because they are all backed up on a different drive (with saved audio data folders).
 
OR should I point the folder locations directly to the "F" drive folders?
 
What is the safest, fastest, and best way to get this cleaned up and working correctly?
 
BTW - Since I was worried about compatibility of some of my plugins I went ahead and installed the 32 version of sonar X2. My windows upgrade was mainly so I could take advantage of the 16gb of ram in my system (which makes a huge difference btw). Should I just reinstall with 64bit sonar and take a jump? Is there a big performance boost going to 64 bit X2?

You have to tell Sonar where you put all of the things it is looking for.  

Edit>Preferences>File>Folder Locations has the labels on the left.  If you have moved things around and not reflected those moves here then OBVIOUSLY Sonar will not have a clue.

If you want the folders to live on your F drive then just move them there and change the drive letter for the defaults that Sonar set up during the install.  I don't know what you did with all of that roaming stuff, but why make things hard on yourself and on Sonar?

Installed VST plugins need their paths declared to the Cakewalk Plugin Manager.  End of story - it's not rocket science, add the paths.

To the question on the 64-bit advantages - you get 4 GB of address space in 32-bit Windows, and you can address up to 192 GB in 64-bit Windows.  The main advantage is that you can load a LOT more stuff into a project with less headaches, and it will also perform better.

Bob Bone

No I meant the 32 bit version of sonar on Windows 8 64 bit.

Also, I know about the various file locations, my issue is I installed it correctly, but somehow the links got broken.

Well, setting everything to the F drive with all the folders and files in order did not fix the problem, guess I'm reinstalling.

Any big benefit to installing the 64 bit version OF SONAR rather then the 32 bit version? Enough benefit to make up for the few vst reinstalls (because I only installed the 32 versions) I will need to do?

Bob already answered the 64bit question. 32Bit SONAR cannot access all the RAM in your PC. 64bit SONAR can make use of the all the RAM in your PC. You would use 64bit SONAR for the same reason you installed the 64bit version of the OS, to make better use of your PCs resources.

Ahh ok, thanks. So it's sonar(the actual app itself) that would need 64 bit in order to take advantage of the ram, I thought it was just a windows thing.

I still haven't reinstalled, but I guess I'll be spending another weekend this weekend re-setting up my daw studio.

It's both.

You need a 64 bit OS AND 64 bit Sonar in order to utilise > 4Gb of RAM

Slumber dude, you will be VERY happy with the 64-bit time investment in installing 64-bit versions of all that you can.

As to your settings issues, can you please elaborate on what you had posted earlier?  Here is what I would like you to explain a bit more on: 

"My main cakewalk folders are all on "C" drive, but I save all the rest of the data to the "F" drive and in the "C:\Users\Steve\AppData\Roaming\Cakewalk\SONAR X2" directory it has a working shortcut to the data on F. Something is obviously not working with this. "


I would like to better understand how you have folders and content placed on your machine, and its relation to precisely the paths you have in Folder Locations in Preferences.  So, for example, what is the precise folder location on your computer for the Project Templates folder, and what precisely do you have specified in the Folder Locations path for Project Templates?  Also, have you verified that the Project Templates folder actually does contain all of the templates it is supposed to? 


On my computer, I also moved most non-program content to a physically different drive than I use for the OS and the programs.  My primary drive for OS and programs is my 'C' drive, and content and such goes to my 'D' drive.


My path to the Cakewalk Content folder is now: 'D:\Cakewalk Content\SONAR X2 Producer'.  Its internal structure (folders and sub-content) are unchanged from the original installation, the whole folder was moved just by changing the 'C' to a 'D' during install.  So, folders like: instruments, Metronome, Project Templates, Track Templates, etc., are still in the Cakewalk Content folder.

Did you do the above differently?  If so, what did you do?

Thanks - we'll try to help you get this straight, 

Bob Bone

Thanks for the helpful reply Bob, it's really appreciated that you seem to care.

Well as I write this I'm currently reinstalling and going with 64 bit. Something must have gotten corrupted while I was installing plugins with my first install because I had installed same as you did (just switched the drive to my "F" drive) . The reason I think this is a corruption issue is because the sonar workspace was messed up. It had two copies of the main screen, one below the other and you could not go to the one sitting behind. Also, the console was missing and required me resetting all the window locations when I would open it.

Here are the details:

1. In the paths for the folder locations in settings they were all correct.
2. I verified all the data was there (all templates and usual data).
3. My system details:
   1. Modified Dell OptiPlex 990, 16gb ram, Win 8 64 bit, Radeon HD6790, 500w psu, 2 - 23" 2210 dell monitors.
   2. C: 130 GB Intel SSD
   3. E: Intel performance raid 500gb (now my audio app data drive)
   4. F: Intel performance raid 500gb (now my samples drive)

BTW, I never manually set anything to the appdata or "roaming" directories, I just found that searching around for cakewalk files.

Here are my reinstall settings:

Destination location:
      C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\SONAR X2 Producer
      C:\Program Files\VstPlugins (VSTi)
      C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\ (Shared Components)
      E:\Cakewalk Content\Perfect Space\ (Perfect Space Content)
      E:\Cakewalk Content\RXP\ (RXP Content)
      E:\Cakewalk Content\Session Drummer 3\ (Session Drummer 3 Content)
      E:\Cakewalk Content\ (Application Content)
Setup type:
      Recommended Installation
Selected components:
      Program Files
      Audio Plugins
         Alias Factor
         Analyst
         Boost 11 Peak Limiter
         Bit Meter
         Classic Phaser
         Channel Tools
         Compressor/Gate
         FX2 AmpSim
         FX2 TapeSim
         HF Exciter
         LP-64 Multiband
         LP-64 EQ
         Modfilter
         Multivoice Chorus/Flanger
         Para-Q
         Perfect Space Convolution Reverb
         Pitch
         PX-64 Percussion Strip
         Reverb
         Sonitus fx:Compressor
         Sonitus fx:Surround Compressor
         Sonitus fx:Delay
         Sonitus fx:EQ
         Sonitus fx:Gate
         Sonitus fx:Modulator
         Sonitus fx:Multiband
         Sonitus fx:Phase
         Sonitus fx:Reverb
         Sonitus fx:Surround
         Sonitus fx:Wahwah
         Tempo Delay
         TS-64 Transient Shaper
         TL-64 TubeLeveler
         R-Mix SONAR Edition
         TH2 Producer
         BREVERB SONAR
         Vintage Channel
         VX-64 Vocal Strip
      MIDI Plugins
         MFX Arpeggiator
         MFX Change Velocity
         MFX Chord Analyzer
         MFX Echo/Delay
         MFX Event Filter
         MFX Quantize
         MFX Transpose
      Soft Synths
         Cakewalk Sound Center
         Cakewalk TTS-1
         Cyclone
         Dropzone VSTi
         Pentagon 1
         PSYN II
         Rapture VSTi
         Roland GrooveSynth
         RXP REX Player
         Session Drummer 3
         Square I
         Studio Instruments Suite
         SFZ Soundfont Player
         TruePianos
         z3ta+ VSTi
      Sample Files
         Bundle (.CWB) Files
         Project (.CWP) Files
         Template (.CWT) Files
         Tutorial Files
         MIDI Groove Clips
      Libraries
         Drum Maps
         Instrument Definitions
         CAL Files
         Layouts
         Track Icons
         Track Templates