"New Drum Map" option seems to have vanished

1. Go to Edit > Preferences > File > File Locations, and check the path shown to the right of "Drum Maps."
2. Navigate to the Drum Map folder and check the contents. Do you see drum maps in the folder?

You mean you transferred the drum maps you found to the existing folder designated in Edit > Preferences > File > File Locations - Drum Maps? If so, I think the folder got broken at some point and Sonar could no longer read the folder and list the drum maps in the drop-down list in the drum map manager. The same thing happened to me, but not in X1/X2/X3, it was a very old version (Sonar 2). I moved the Drum Map folder somewhere else, and created a new Drum Map folder and transferred the contents in the old Drum Map folder to the new Drum Map folder. It solved the issue (it was a known issue in v2, so it happened a few times). 

Jlien
Can you confirm that I am reading you correct in that when I go to DMM and hit the Presets drop down menu the full list from the Drum maps folder should be there for me to view and choose from?  Currently it is not.
Also when I put the Drum maps folder back into “C:\Users\Main\AppData\Roaming\Cakewalk\SONAR X1 Studio” I did it by dragging and dropping the folder. Was this the correct way? I did not create a new folder then copy and paste the contents from the old folder into the new folder.
 
scook
Although I don’t fully understand what you described I did close Sonar X1 and hold down Shift as I started it again.
Also AppData was not hidden on my computer.
  
Jlien and scook
I appreciate your comments to date but I’m still in need of some hand holding.   

It's odd that this was working correctly and now isn't.
 
I don't think this has anything to do with folder locations or anything like that.
Are you 100% sure you're selecting the Midi track Output to try and assign a Drum Map?
 
Try inserting Session Drummer. Don't use a simple instrument track, choose the split Midi/Audio approach, and also make sure you only have Midi Source and First Synth Audio Output checked.
 
Now go to you midi track and see what output options are available.
 
You should see this, or similar:
 
If you don't, and nothing else has changed on your system since it last worked, then I suggest you do a backup and reinstall Sonar from scratch

Jonesy
Sorry could not send you a PM. Apparently I need to have made a minimum of 25 posts before I can use PMs and have only made 16.
Alan  

I've just tried to recreate your issue but the Output field in the MIDI track header still shows "New Drum Map" fine even after I moved my drum map folder (which I created myself in a different partition) somewhere else. Then I tried to select one of the maps shown in the list to the right of "New Drum Map" I got a "Cannot find or open file" error message (of course, becasue I moved the folder). Then I restarted Sonar and the program automatically switched the Drum Map path in Folder Locations to the default path (C:\Users\(user name)\AppData\Roaming\Cakewalk\SONAR X3\Drum Maps).
 
This tells me that your issue indeed has nothing to do with folder locations. I don't recommend re-installing OS at this stage but how about clean installing Sonar? Did tech support tell you how to do it? If they didn't I can post the steps they gave me last year (when I was on X2).
 
But before doing that, we need to see your screenshot. You can post it by following these steps:

1. Go to http://imgur.com/
2. Drag and drop the screenshot (file) into the site (anywhere in the page)
3. Click [Start Upload]
4. After the upload is completed, click the documents icon under [BBCode (message boards & forums)]. (This will copy the link to your screenshot uploaded)
5. Paste the link to your post

Thanks for posting the screenshots, Alan. One thing I noticed is that the New Drum Map option is already missing in the screenshot you captured on Dec 26, which is really strange. I have no idea what caused the problem, so I'm just posting the procedure to completely uninstall Sonar which tech support gave me last year. Despite the number of steps, the uninstall will finish within 20 minutes IIRC.
 
To be honest, I want to recommend (considering) upgrading to X3, because lots of handy features have been added since X1. I don't know which version (Produce/Studio/Essential) you're using, but the X3 base version isn't expensive and it no longer has a limit on the number of buses, effects, etc.
 
Anyway, I hope your issue will be resolved by this re-install. Here are the steps:
 
---
To completely un-install SONAR X2 Producer from your computer. You will want to manually remove the SONAR installation files by deleting the following directories. Do this by doing the following:
1) Open the Run Prompt by holding down the Windows Key on your computer and pressing "R"
2) In the Run prompt type in the following and press [OK]: C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\
3) Delete the "SONAR X2 Producer" folder contained within
4) Open the Run Prompt by holding down the Windows Key on your computer and pressing "R"
5) In the Run prompt type in the following and press [OK]: %appdata%\Cakewalk
6) Delete the "SONAR X2 Producer" folder contained within
7) Open the Run Prompt by holding down the Windows Key on your computer and pressing "R"
8) In the Run prompt type in the following and press [OK]: %allusersprofile%\Cakewalk
9) Delete the "SONAR X2 Producer" folder contained within
Next you will want to delete your SONAR related registry keys by doing the following:
10) Open the Run Prompt by holding down the Windows Key on your computer and pressing "R"
11) In the Run prompt type in the following and press [OK]: regedit
12) Click [OK] will launch the Registry Editor. If prompted with a message "Do you want to allow the following program to make changes...", click [Yes].
*****
IMPORTANT: When you access the Registry Editor, create a backup by going to File > Export. In the Export menu, make sure you have "All" selected and that the "Save As Type" is set to "Registration Files (*.reg).
It is very important to create a backup of your registry because if you accidentally delete a registry key there is no undo function. You can, however, double-click on the Registry backup you made above to re-import your registry keys if you make any mistakes. You MUST re-import your backup (if needed) before restarting your computer.
*****
13) Now delete the following Registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Cakewalk Music Software\SONAR Producer\X2
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Cakewalk Music Software\SONAR Producer\X2

IMPORTANT: You will want to delete the "X2" folder at the end of these strings of keys. Do this by right-clicking on the ""X2" folder and selecting "Delete". Only do this for the "X2" folders in the locations above. If you do not see these ""X2" folders, proceed to the next step.
*Please note that this will remove any effects presets and key bindings you may have made in Cakewalk. You can back these up separately if you like from SONAR's Plug-in Manager and Color and Key Bindings menus.

At this point, you will want to re-install the product. We recommend temporarily disabling your startup programs by doing the following:
14) Open the 'Run' command again and type in the following: msconfig
15) Click [OK] and then click on the Startup tab at the upper right of the window that opens.
16) Uncheck all items listed, click [OK], then restart your computer. You can always recheck those items again at a later time.
17) Reinstall SONAR X2

Jlien
Thanks for posting the re-install instructions. I shall have a rest for a few days now to defrag my brain and consult Sonar Tech support who I suspect will come out with the same suggestion as you.
 
A couple of points worth a mention: 
(1) I am using Sonar X1 Studio
 
(2) Regarding the screen print showing 26 December. I took this print on 20 January 2014. The checked option 3 showing DM1 GM Drums (Complete kit) was originally showing New Drum Map on the 26 December but I did not take a screen print then as I had no reason to. I took the New Drum Map option on 26 December and from the drop down list of available drum maps chose the GM Drums (Complete Kit). So the 26 December was the last date when I know that all was well.
 
(3) As you know I have ensured that the Drum Maps folder is now in the location that is shown in the folder locations default in preferences. Since I last chatted to you I tried another ruse suggested by Scott Garrigus. I made a note of the DM folder location shown then deleted it and pressed apply. I then re-entered it and and pressed apply again. I then went through the process of assigning a new drum map again and regrettably the New Drum map option was still unavailable. 
 
(4)  Your guidance on using imgur is invaluable. I can see myself using this frequently.
 
(5) If after I've sought tech support I really do have no option but to re-install or upgrade to X3 studio I shall ensure I have one of my IT savvy friends with me during the process.
 
Elffin
I'm envious of your easy fix. 
 
If anyone else out there has any further suggestions, I'm still listening.
Alan 

Hello all
Problem now solved.
In the preferences > default locations window I had C:\Users\Main\AppData\Roaming\Cakewalk\SONAR X1 Studio when I should have had C:\Users\Main\AppData\Roaming\Cakewalk\SONAR X1 Studio\Drum Maps
Somehow the "\Drum Maps" got detached sometime in the new year and I never noticed.  Got the answer from Scott's Digi Tech forum.  
Thanks again for all who helped.
Alan