Help! I recently downloaded an update to the SL Viewer. Now my log in screen is black.

[Ayrne Greymoon]

When I launch the viewer every thing seems to proceed normally. Then when the logon screen comes up, it is black. I can't see the name and password spaces at the bottom. There's just a black screen.  Please help.

[Nalates Urriah]

Reboot the computer then reinstall the viewer over the top if the existing install.

If that fails, you may need to uninstall and then reinstall. Reboot before the reinstall. The reboot may not be necessary. It depends on whether or not the viewer is crashing and hanging, which is hard to know. But, a reboot eliminates the possibility.

When an SL Viewer is uninstalled it cleans out the chat logs. If you want to save them, they are in: C:\users\[windows_login_ID]\AppsData\Roaming\SecondLife\

Look for the logs in a folder with your avatar's name. If you have more than one avatar each will have its own folder. Move them to another folder. You can move them back when things are working.

[Peggy Paperdoll]

I'm sorry, Nalates, I'm going to question your statement:

" ...reinstall the viewer over the top if the existing install. ..."

Installing any program over the top of an existing version of the program is an invitation to trouble.  Some programs with "upgrades" incorporate an uninstaller before installing a new version and those are fine.  But the SL viewers don't have that uninstallation part to them.......they simply install the new over the old.  That type of installation only replaces files on the old that have changed with the new or adds files that are not present on the old.  Most times anyone chooses to reinstall a program it's due some problem.  If that problem is a file that does not get replaced or added then the problem is still there and adds to the confusion about what is really wrong.........the reinstall didn't fix the problem so now you think it's something else when it might not be at all.  Always uninstall an older version before installing a new version.

 

Now if it's a real update like your anti-virus where it merely adds files, you should install without uninstalling first.  Every viewer update is a stand alone program.  Uninstall the older first will prevent that "it didn't fix anything" in many cases.