Those "minimum" system requirements are way over-inflated. I'm running Sonar X1 perfectly fine on my Athlon 64 3800+ 2.4GHz single-core system. Granted, I don't use a lot of soft synths if at all. :) It just depends on what you're doing. If Cakewalk can't guarantee that X2 will work on Vista, let alone XP, I'm not upgrading. And I'm definitely NOT upgrading to Win7 in the hopes that nForce3 MIGHT be supported. It would also cost me another $300+ just to upgrade my Sonic|Core Scope DSP cards to the latest software that supports Win7. It doesn't make sense to sink another $500 into my 7-year-old PC. I'll just have to save up for an entirely new system that's going to cost $5k+ once I include Sonic|Core Scope Xite which would replace my current cards. I am NOT happy.

Frankly, if I were in your position I would wait to see how it runs BUT (BIG BUT) I would also save some money toward getting Windows 8. I don't plan to go right to W8 BUT if I were having to change I would surely go with W8. 

The only negatives I have heard about W8 are negative comments on how it looks but IIRC you can change to a W7 type screen... besides the desktop look is not going to be up if you are using X2. 

Now on the other hand I have heard nothing but good revies on how well (better than W7) it works with Sonar. W7 is better and faster than XP and if W8 runs a DAW faster than W7... well, what's to not like?

Now, I could have missed some negative review re: W8 and production because I have not made a point to search but as I said, I have seen good reviews from people, some here on this forum, who are running W8 beta and they seem to really like the way it runs Sonar.

So.... I'd wait, but in any case it is time to upgrade as soon as you can. The way things are moving toward tablets and other mobile devices the PC may go the way of the home stereo. In the 70s Pioneer, Sansui, MArantz, Technics, Kenwood, and some others were in a war to put out the best, most powerful stereo... and man, they made some awesome equipment. Then it was over because the market changed. Stereos became lesser quickly. The same thing could well happen to the desktop and Laptop PC. They will still be available but more innovation and effort will be put into tablets and cellphones if I am not missing my guess. Then a top end desktop will likely cost more because it will become more of a specialty item and if the mass market no longer demands a powerful desktop the smaller companies who make the boards and even larger companies like Intel and AMD are going to concentrate on where the money is... just something to think about. 

Shoot, I could be totally wrong but the main point is WAIT and don't upgrade to W7, wait and if you have to upgrade go, to W8... IMO.

But you check it out yourself.

J

C'mon CJ, I know a lot of people that don't have 99whatever to spent on food but still want to make music.

I love how people make up stuff that i never said. where the hell did i say that? I said and ill quote, even with my typo (kust should be just)
"No, it means it doesn't meet the minimum requirements and therefore if you have problems, your Shoot out of luck. its kust like running an unsupported windows.
 
Come on alex, please don't make stuff up and say stuff that isn't true. Its un freakin cool

I agree with startafartblast

Pull your C drive and put it on the shelf
Install a new drive ( $65 )
Install windows 7 64 bit and see what happens.
88% chance it will run perfectly fine.
It's one of W7 greatest attributes.   how easy it makes installing new components and peripherals . It seems to recognize everything you can through at it.