@Jaymz, yeah, that was going to be my upgrade path as well.
I just need to finalize this project before I can make the move.
I did some further testing and here's what I've found so far:

• Replaced *.aut file with original one - No change
• Updated Gold with last available and updated *.aut file with newly downloaded one - Crashed Sonar
• Replaced *.aut file with original to test with updated Gold - Still not authorized
• Started Sonar New Project, loaded Gold into new track - It works
• Tried old project again - Not authorized

For each test, always ran the DAW as an administrator.
So the best I can tell, it's related to this specific project. My immediate term fix is to render audio up until the Gold plugin, create a new project and import that track, and recreate the last part of the chain including Gold in the new project to complete the render.
What a pain in the ass! Hopefully this project is indeed "finished" and extensive edits won't need to be done further. If so, I may just decide to remix it using Reaper.
So far, no reply from Acustica.
For the price of their Acqua's, I sort of expected better tech support than this. Even though this "seems" to be more related to the DAW and this particular project, no other vendor's plugin has lost Authorization. And Nebula 3 is still working as well. So I still suspect buggy authorization code is at fault here.
Which version of Sonar would you recommend?

 

Sounds like old version is still on your PC bro !!!! double check your system ;) could be old demo you didnt realize is still around....maybe in x86 or somewhere>>>>do system search for that plugin Double triple check its not 2 installs of same plugin ;)

 

Last edited: Mar 21, 2018

Ok, I'll look into that. I hope that's what it is. I should be able to just do a search for GOLD.dll or whatever it's called, I'm thinking.
I've wondered if there is a way to go into the project file (text editor or something) and inspect what is there for things like this. In the past when I've had plugins crash the DAW, renaming the plugin or removing it was the only way to get a crashing project up to salvage it.

 

Right on bro look in every folder you have >>>i was reading a post on another site a guy had installed the demo of AA plugin then purchased it i guess he uninstalled it with a program but it only uninstalled 64 version ;) had 2 seperate install locations for each so this was happening to him >>>but after many days he figured it out >>>it was old leftover install to another folder on his PC \m/ but yes search plugin dll \m/ also wanted to say ive had this happen on an old waves install lol...one from R2R and V.R was same deal cause the x86 and VST3 from older install was left uninstalled...Sonar was showing the old ones even tho i installed the new ones lol >>> i figured it out cause after a manual re scan i was watching the scan it scanned waves like 4 times lol and i had double the amount of plugins>>> i uninstalled everything from waves and went into Regedit deleted all waves everything >>>then did a fresh install fixed it \m/ hope this helps man ;)

 

Last edited: Mar 21, 2018

Well, their first "automated" reply was on March 19th and finally got a response this Monday, April 9th. So, 21 working days for a solution asking me to try an offline installation with Aquarius instead of the usual *.ser, *.aut method. Or 4 weeks in total. I've got to say, that's pretty disappointing. Had I been a "pro" studio or had a client breathing down my neck to get something done, my response to their "canned try this answer" would not have been very nice. And I have been a big proponent for Acustica both in these forums and elsewhere.

https://acusticaudio.freshdesk.com/...n-off-line-product-installation-with-aquarius

So, to "try" to get this straight, I've got to install Aquarius and the plugin in question on a work PC (it's where I can get internet) and then transport the installed directories to the offline PC, create an *.ser file, transport that back to the work PC, upload to the Acustica Website, get a *.aut file back, transport that back to the offline PC, and test.
Having to actually install a product on a PC that it's not going to be used on in order to authorize it? Does anyone besides me see this as a major inconvenience? I mean what's wrong with just writing installers for your product as EVERY other major software developer does? Why the need to reinvent the wheel? The authorization process was already one of the worst I've ever experienced.