Help! Newbie here....where is my default avatar?

I have spent hours trying to start 'exisitng' in Second Life.
I have clicked on and read just about everything in sight but can't find
my default avatar. How can I navigate life in Second Life without my avatar??
Help!

I assume you made a name and password ,signed up on the website,downloaded the client and tried to log in?

Hi,

Have you actually downloaded the client and entered the world? Second Life is not a website like Facebook or MySpace, it's an actual separate program that you have to run. You won't see your avatar until you actually enter the world.

I did read another thread where someone logged in and spent ages as a cloud, not having rezzed (due to his own network issues, possibly). It's very difficult to answer your question since we can't tell what, exactly, you are doing.

If you haven't already, go to this page:

https://join.secondlife.com/

Fill it out. You choose a starter avatar here, by the way.

Notice that there are three steps along the top. Filling out the information on this page is the first step.

The second one is "verify email address". LL will send a response to the email address you give them, with a confirmation code. Follow the instructions in that message.

The third one is "Download and Install". When you get to that point, you will download the Second Life viewer software. Once it's installed, it will ask "run Second Life now?"

Tell it Yes. Use your new avatar name and password to enter the world. You will enter at Help Island, a learning area for new residents. Once you've had a chance to explore the island, and your user interface and menus, you can exit Help Island by clicking on the billboard under the big green beacon with the EXIT sign. This will take you to a Welcome Area in the main Second Life world.

Osprey has a good point. If you have logged on to SL and see yourself as a white cloud, do the following:

1. Wait a couple of minutes. It sometimes takes a while for the servers to read your textures and display your avatar.

2. Right click your cloud and select Appearance. Sometimes entering Appearance mode will force the issue.

3. If that doesn't work, hit CTRL+ALT+D. You'll see a new menu at the top of your screen called "Advanced". Select Advanced/Character/Character Tests/Test Female (or Test Male). That should give you the default avatar, although maybe not the one you initially chose. Don't worry, the other possible starter avatars are all in your inventory, in the Library/Clothing folder.

An extended period of cloudiness could be due to a slow connection. SL will NOT work with a dialup connection, and may or may not work with a wireless connection. A fast DSL or FIOS connection, or a cable modem, is highly recommended. Highly.

I tried to answer you in your other thread ( /128/84/295533/1.html ) Not sure if that info is helpful.

When you log in from the viewer, you should see the back of your avatar in the center of the screen.

I gave you some info about finding the defalut avis and places to get freebies to get started in the other thread.