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A good plan for downloaded content is to create a folder on a secondary drive for it. That way when you reinstall Windows on your system drive it is a simple matter of pointing your freshly installed apps to those content folders. And it doesn't hurt to back up that secondary drive occasionally. I have content on my secondary drive that goes back a couple of decades, and through several clean installs of various versions of Windows on the system drive, and even a few PC hardware upgrades.

This month's update: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4487017/windows-10-update-kb4487017

That happens automatically when you reboot Windows, correct?

I think Mark may be on to something here. I just updated to the latest BandLab Assistant yesterday without issue. One other thing to check could be the DNS server that your ISP is routing to. You might try temporarily switching to a free alternate DNS server, like Google DNS or OpenDNS. Your ISP automatically assigns DNS servers when your smartphone or router connects to the internet but you don't have to use those. https://www.lifewire.com/free-and-public-dns-servers-2626062 DNS servers are like the telephone books of the internet, providing the necessary translation between the domain name and the actual IP address that you need to connect to. If the DNS server that you are using is having issues, it could prevent you from connecting to a specific web site or service, without being completely down.

Cakewalk Command Center. Same as it ever was...

I don't have a handy link to that specific info, as that appears it is always a moving target. There are a few blogs that cover that info as it becomes available. But here is some related info. I believe you can set Windows 10 Pro to defer until the semi-annual channel (broad release) is available. Windows lifecycle fact sheet https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13853/windows-lifecycle-fact-sheet Search product lifecycle https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/search?alpha=windows 10 Quick guide to Windows as a service https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/update/waas-quick-start

The Matrix is a workaround for looping a clip along with your project as you have described. But a couple of other methods just popped into my head. 1. You didn't mention what instrument you were using for the ambient synth sound. But if it is actually a synthesizer maybe you could adjust the ADSR envelope for a continuous sustain, until a note off message is received by MIDI. You had mentioned it was fading by bar 4, and that is most likely due to the envelope in the synth. Now if it is a sample based synth, you are limited by the real length of the sample used, and it cannot be extended indefinitely on playback with only an envelope. 2. Otherwise, you could record a sample of the ambient synth playback into an audio track. Then you could import that audio clip into a sampler. In the sampler, set the loop point and use that to repeat the part you want as long as the note is held. Use the sampler plugin in place of the synth with the ambient patch. If you are careful with the zero crossing at the loop point, you should be able to eliminate glitching as it loops. https://www.tx16wx.com/

You could always spend your life forever tweaking Linux hoping to get a stable functioning DAW out of that instead!

That's a big +1 for my iLok License Manager protected plugins. Same for Waves! They take a Windows update in stride, and keep on rockin!

Or maybe MS just doesn't know how to upgrade Windows without changing the PC hardware ID?

I just launched Command Center and these loop libraries are still showing up for me: Big Fish Loopmasters Sample Magix X-Mix However the Big Fish libraries are the only ones that will download and re-install OK. Just tested a re-install with Big Fish Urban Loop Collection. I just get a "did not complete" error for Loopmasters, etc. when I try to install them.

The topic at the top of the page is "Windows update changes". and the OP had stated that he had just updated prior to their trouble with authorization. The context of my statement here was meant to be taken in relation to the current thread, not as some global rule. I was not dismissing your suggestion, but it didn't directly relate to the OP's stated issue. Your observation is interesting, and that info will certainly be useful in a broader context for troubleshooting plugin authorization issues. But I truly doubt that many folks are frequently switching back and forth between local and Microsoft accounts. Although, as you have obviously experienced, it can happen.

All good here with the update!

I believe Meng even made a comment somewhere over on the old forum, that there are no current plans for further developing scripting in the new Cakewalk.

While it is generally good to be up to date with quality and security updates, Microsoft QA testing has been lacking with Windows 10 feature updates in the semi-annual channel (Targeted) major version updates. MS releases the newest release with a "Targeted" designation. This is generally what you will get if you do nothing to defer feature updates. This is the release that business IT teams need to pilot and test with, before they actually begin broad rollouts within their organization. After a period of time based on business feedback and any necessary bug fixes, MS will designate the update as ready for "Broad" release, and this is when the update is "ready for business". So depending on what you use your PC for and how critical it is for you to avoid any disruption, you may want to take a cue from the IT pros that do it for a living, and wait until the update has been fully "baked". If it is just a hobby, and you make good backups, it is probably nothing to be too concerned about. Just be aware that you are a virtual beta tester for roughly the first 6 months of a new release, until it gets the full designation of "semi-annual channel", ready for broad deployment. Deferring the major updates for 6 months seems reasonable to me, given these facts of how Microsoft is operating these days.

Yes, you CAN disable updates for as long as you want on Pro. You just have to know where to find the policy and how to configure it. HINT: What I am referring to isn't found in Windows update settings, where you can set the deferral. It's a specific policy found in the Group Policy Editor [Configure Automatic Updates].

I don't have Omnisphere, so can't really compare these two. But I do have Syntronik. And there is a free version of Syntronik available with 50 free presets that can give you an idea of what it is like. But with Syntronik you are just getting classic analog synth sounds. https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/syntronik/index.php?p=versions Syntronik is a large sample library of iconic analog synths that have been meticulously sampled to recreate the best analog sounds from vintage synths. Omnisphere should give you access to a much broader sonic palette, including many other types of synthesis besides analog subtractive. So I can imagine that they are not even close by comparison.

Riffstation is a handy tool, and well worth the price. Grab it before is is gone! I had originally purchased the paid version, but grabbed this one as soon as it was released as freeware. No serial required! It should continue to function, as is until ...

I agree there's probably no point yet in tackling control surface issues as long as the basic keyboard MIDI isn't cooperating.

The intermittent nature of the problem is strange. If it was as simple as a Cakewalk setting I would expect it to either always work, or to always not work. Definitely check out those keyboard ports that were just mentioned above, in case that is messing with Cakewalk. You might also have an internal keyboard setting for that controls which MIDI messages (keyboard or control surface) get sent to which port. I have a Roland A-PRO keyboard that gets configured like that with two ports in Cakewalk. Maybe another owner of your keyboard model will see this and chip in. And if all else fails, maybe try a clean uninstall/re-install of Cakewalk? http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3802014 Good luck!

I have had this happen several times while using a local Windows 10 Pro account. This is an issue with the computer hardware ID (fingerprint) being changed, and has nothing to do with the user ID. This makes it appear as if you are running on a different computer than that which was used to originally authorize with. Normally your hardware ID should only change if you have swapped some hardware, but unfortunately the major Windows feature updates do this as well.

Maybe these will help? Moving and copying clips https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=Cakewalk&language=3&help=Arranging.17.html Working with MIDI clips https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=Cakewalk&language=3&help=Tools.24.html The Piano Roll view https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=Cakewalk&language=3&help=EditingMIDI.03.html

A MIDI keyboard can always be used to send MIDI notes to play virtual instruments, and record the note data into a MIDI track without issue. Just ensure that the input device is selected and recognized under MIDI device preferences and at the track input, and MIDI input echo is selected correctly. https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=Cakewalk&language=3&help=Playback.35.html

Wow! Just checked the pricing here in the US. It's listing at $2,176 USD for all that. Looks like a solid build!

Virtuoso Ensembles for Kontakt Retail https://www.kirkhunterstudios.com/products/virtuoso-ensembles-kontakt-retail/