SecondLife won't start after computer crash

I had a computer crash due to a crazed UPC battery backup (it thought there was no power even though there was!) and everything is back to normal now except SecondLife. I have uninstalled and re-installed twice but it goes no further than to show "Detecting Hardware", then nothing. The application does not show that it is running when I check Task Manager. I tried installing the latest viewer, re-installing the one I had - no dice.

Any ideas? I'll be leaving shortly but will check back later to see if someone can help.

Thanks,
Tish

You don't say what computer/OS you're using. It's possible the settings/cache directory is corrupt.

If using Vista, click the Vista button, then type:

appdata <enter>

Double click Roaming, then right-click, delete the SecondLife folder. (Bear in mind that all custom settings will be lost when you do this... but you can restore it from the recycle bin if it doesn't fix the problem)

Now try launching Second Life again. If it works, that was your problem. If not, it would probably be a good idea to update your graphics and sound drivers (they would cause detection problems if corrupt).

By the way, the location of the settings directory on Windows XP is:

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\SecondLife\

...but you'd have to use Explorer to show hidden files, and navigate to/delete it manually because I don't think the Vista shortcut works on XP.

I have Vista (sorry I didn't say before). Thanks for the suggestions - I tried both things - deleting the Roaming SecondLife folder and re-installing my video drivers (8.7 version ATI Radeon driver for the 2400) as well as removing and re-installing SecondLife. This video driver was working perfectly before so it should work now - but it doesn't. When I click the SecondLife icon, it does as before - "Detecting Hardware", then this goes away and although the I/O light is flickering away, nothing further happens. All the other programs seem to be fine - this is so aggravating since the UPS was supposed to protect the computer and instead has messed it up!

Any other suggestions?

Tish

OK - I was fiddling around with the SecondLife icon waiting to see if anyone else had a suggestion and realized that other than "Open", there was also a choice to run SecondLife as an Administrator. Since I am the admin on my computer, I clicked that - and it worked! I can go into SecondLife now with no problem. I restored my Roaming folder so my settings would return and everything still works fine. I'm not exactly sure why I have to run it as Admin now but at least it works!

Tish


Alrighty now - just realized in the "Properties" of the icon, you can set it up to run as Admin - maybe everyone else knows this, but Vista is new to me. Now I can just double-click the icon and it runs.