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Upgrading Computer - How do I migrate all of my SONAR stuff


Ray Olson

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Hi folks,
I am certainly not an expert in Sonar but have used it off and on for several years now. I have several vst plugins insllated and have made many sonar configuration changes during this time, in addition to all my projects I have on my hard drive. Well, I would like to get a new computer for my home recording studio and was wondering if there is an easy way to move everything from my old computer to my new computer (both are windows 10 64 bit). Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Ray

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First thing, don't uninstall Sonar. The bundled plugins you would have otherwise had to pay for will still work with Cakewalk.

Secondly, make sure your VST paths in Cakewalk match what you've got in Sonar.

Thirdly, if you've changed any of the default folders (e.g.  Picture, Global Audio, and Projects directories etc) make sure they match what you've got in Sonar.

After that you're pretty much good to go.

 

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40 minutes ago, msmcleod said:

First thing, don't uninstall Sonar. The bundled plugins you would have otherwise had to pay for will still work with Cakewalk.

Secondly, make sure your VST paths in Cakewalk match what you've got in Sonar.

Thirdly, if you've changed any of the default folders (e.g.  Picture, Global Audio, and Projects directories etc) make sure they match what you've got in Sonar.

After that you're pretty much good to go.

 

Ummm. With all due respect, I think the question was how to migrate everything from an OLD computer to a NEW computer.  Your method would work for migrating to CbB on the SAME computer.

So for starters, after you get  Windows setup to your liking on the new computer, install your audio interface and MIDI devices with the latest factory drivers.

Note: back up everything DAW related on the old computer before you attempt this. You will want to copy some stuff over, and you should have a backup of the rest anyway.

1. Install the Sonar version you are currently using and any add-ons that are bundled with Sonar on the new computer.

2. On the old computer, look in your Sonar preferences for the file folder locations used by your projects, templates, audio library, etc. You will want to back this all up and copy to your new installation of Sonar and adjust the locations in the new Sonar preferences to match.

3. On the old computer,  look in your existing Sonar preferences for your VST folder paths and make note of them,   then install/authorize as needed all of your plugins onto the new PC.  Then adjust the VST paths in the new Sonar Preferences to match.  The details of this will vary depending on what plugins you are currently using, and may take the most time.  Some of your 3rd party plugins may need to be de-authorized on your old computer before you can activate them again.  You may need to research each 3rd party vendor to determine how many activations you are allowed.  The Cakewalk bundled plugins should be straightforward though., except for the XLN Addictive Drums 2 and Celemony Melodyne which use their own websites for your user accounts and activations.

Those are the main points.  As long as you have access to the old PC, you can compare configuration settings between the old and new until everything is running to your expectations.

Good luck! If I forgot anything, I hope somebody else will chime in!

Edited by abacab
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You can migrate the OS install to the new machine... but it'll be a mess.

You're much better off starting with a clean install... and taking the time (when finished) to create an up-to-date backup image file.

This way, you're starting on a rock-solid clean/lean foundation... and you've got a backup of the clean install.

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Yeah, fresh install of everything is the way to go. It would help to know which versions of SONAR you have and need to install. At least one full SONAR install is a good idea before adding CbB.

Depending on how presets were stored can affect a new build. If the Cakewalk preset manager was used (the one in the upper left above every plug-in UI), the plug-in manager can export the presets from the registry. If plug-in specific preset managers were used, migration depends on the how presets are stored.

Third party plug-in activation is another manufacturer specific routine. As mentioned above, Celemony and XLN Audio have their own installers and activation methods. Use their installers to install their products. Both allow 2 concurrent installs so it is possible to have them both activated on the old and new PC although you will want to deactivate the software before retiring the old machine.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry for the delay, been travelling. Thanks for all of the suggestions so far. Yeah, I should have provided my configuration: I'm using the latest SONAR Platinum 23.10.0.14, with a Tascam US 16 x08 USB audio interface and a Nektar Impact 49 keyboard. Do you need my VST list?

Jim, you mentioned creating an "up-to-date back image file". Can you explain a bit more, not sure what you mean?

Maybe the best way would be to trade out hard drives? That's not ideal if I would like to get an SSD drive but maybe the safest. I guess I thought this would have come up before and there might be some "tool" to do this. Let me know what you think, and thanks again!

Edited by Ray Olson
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1 hour ago, Ray Olson said:

Sorry for the delay, been travelling. Thanks for all of the suggestions so far. Yeah, I should have provided my configuration: I'm using the latest SONAR Platinum 23.10.0.14, with a Tascam US 16 x08 USB audio interface and a Nektar Impact 49 keyboard. Do you need my VST list?

Jim, you mentioned creating an "up-to-date back image file". Can you explain a bit more, not sure what you mean?

Maybe the best way would be to trade out hard drives? That's not ideal if I would like to get an SSD drive but maybe the safest. I guess I thought this would have come up before and there might be some "tool" to do this. Let me know what you think, and thanks again!

You will need to download the hardware drivers for your audio interface, and MIDI keyboards, and install them on the new computer after you have Windows up and running.

Then install Sonar and the bundled Cakewalk plugins onto your fresh new Windows 10 computer.

> VST list: As mentioned earlier  your Sonar plugins should install themselves without issue, except for the XLN Audio Addictive Drums 2, and the Celemony Melodyne.  They both use 3rd party accounts and you must have those activated on the 3rd party sites, and follow their install procedures.

You will need to make that VST list for any additional 3rd party plugins that you own, and determine for each company if you can just copy the VST .dll file over to your new VST folder, or whether you need to install  their plugin manager to download, install, and authorize each plugin from your account onto  the new computer. Some examples of plugin managers are those used by Waves, Native Instruments, Arturia, XLN Audio,  etc. They actually make life easier than the one-off plugin installers. Some plugins just use Windows installers/uninstallers and you will need to check on those. Some plugin install utilities use a Windows installer routine to create folders for presets, sample libraries, etc., plus sometimes Windows registry entries, so you cannot just copy them from one computer to another and expect them to work.

> Jim suggested an image file backup, and I couldn't agree more.   I would suggest you start a new thread about disk imaging if you have never done that before. It can get rather involved and could sidetrack this discussion. The end result of an image is that you have a restorable disk "image", similar to a disk clone, but in a file format stored on an external drive. You can create this image of your new computer after you have set it up, and if you have problems you can always roll your hard drive back to a stored "image" without having to go back to zero. No swapping drives needed. The image backs up all files/folders on your disk so no need to backup individual files/folders separately.

> Trade out hard drives? I would avoid this if you can. Easier if you can just keep your old system up and running until you are happy with the new one.  You will sleep better knowing that your data is still on the old computer until you get everything you need copied over and configured on the new computer.  Maybe after you have done this migration dance once or twice, you might want to take shortcuts, but I would not recommend that to a first timer. Hey, no offense,  we all started there! :D

 

Edited by abacab
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4 hours ago, Greg Graves said:

Please let me know how this goes, as it is my current understanding that SPLAT and likely BandlabCake are tied to your mobo ID signature, and WILL NOT migrate.  Hope I am wrong here, but would really like to know.

Not really sure what you are asking here. There is not to my knowledge, and never has been a migration tool to move Sonar from one computer to another.  It has always been a hands on project, with many variables depending on how the user has configured his machine to use various folders and drives for content and files, etc.

The OP had asked how to move things across to a new computer. Yes, activation is one part of that, but should not be an issue. 

The activation is tied  to your computer ID, but is easily accommodated with the existing install/activation methods for any computer:

1. Old versions of Sonar (up through the X series of Sonar, prior to Platinum and the CCC "connected" applications) used the serial # and registration code in your Cakewalk account. As far as I know this will activate completely offline, so no server access required.

2. The Platinum era Cakewalk "connected" software primarily used the Cakewalk Command Center (CCC) to register and activate all Cakewalk software.  There was also an "offline" activation option, but activation was still required.

3. Cakewalk by BandLab requires the use of BandLab Assistant for all downloads and activations of the current Cakewalk software.

If you have a previous  version of Sonar with plugins that you would like to use in Cakewalk by Bandlab, it is recommended to install that first, so that CbB will scan and include those plugins when you install CbB.

 

Edited by abacab
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  • 3 years later...

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