Need Serious Help With Avatar!!!

[Lori Liamano]

Alright, I'm sure this issue isn't just with me, but this is my problem and its been on and off since August of 2010.  This is the absolute worse now.

 

Problem 1: Avatar refuses to load. 

Problem 2: Clothes (minus prims) refuse to load.

Problem 3: Clothes will load on my screen, only prims on other people’s screens.

 

Background:

When I first came to SecondLife I used Emerald.  Why?  Because it looked and ran better on my laptop (college student, so the laptop is all I have.. wish I hada desktop).  I've never had problems on Emerald.  Now that Emerald has been taken off, I switched to Phoenix and I also have SecondLife Viewer 2.  Things were running smooth, but roughly around October of 2010, my clothes began to give me problems.  I would change my outfit just like everyone else and for some reason they wouldn't appear to others, and yet it appears on my end.  I was stuck wearing certain outfits.  Eventually it let up, I would just log onto SecondLife Viewer 2 and back onto Phoenix and that problem would be resolved (more like a band-aid).  Yeah, it was an annoying process but it was the only thing I could do.  However, it did get slightly better, some clothes I was able to change without switching back and forth viewers.

 

The newest issue with all the rollovers and stuff happening; SecondLife constantly turns my avatar into Ruth.  It’s getting seriously frustrating beyond belief.  I've had to ask my friend to log me on and change my clothes and do a test character and completely redo everything in order for me to look "normal".  It’s getting so old and becoming a serious burden.  I just want to enjoy the game, wear clothes I bought (which aren't cheap), and just be able to change my clothes whenever and wherever I want without having such a problem.

 

Methods Tried:

1. Switching to SecondLife Viewer 2.
2. Having someone log me on and see if they too are having the problem (which they didn’t at first until around March 2011)
3. Wiping Phoenix Viewer off my computer entirely and just using SecondLife Viewer 2.
4. Tried using Emergence, Cool Viewer, and Imprudence, even the oldest version of SecondLife Viewer.
5. Entirely wiping SecondLife off the laptop and reloading Phoenix Viewer.
6. Looking through the Knowledge Base, Blogs, and Forums and trying all the tricks I could find (major fail).
7. Filing a ticket to SecondLife asking for some major help and was pretty much told to a) look in the Knowledge Base or b) become a Premium Member to additional help (which is outrageous!).
8. Entirely wiping my laptop and start fresh.
9. Use two other computers (which are desktops) to see if I had the same problem (and I do.. sadly).
10. Tried creating a new cache folder.
11. Tried clearing inventory cache and cache.

 

Nothing has worked.  I’m at a complete loss.  My enjoyment on SecondLife is going downhill.  I’m not sure what else I can do.. please help if you can!

[Luc Starsider]

Did anything happen around october 2010 that affected your computer, internet connection, modem, router, or anything in your setup?

A few things I can think of that you did not list.

Resetting your modem and router. Unplug them both for a minute or so, plug back in and wait for a connection to establish before logging in to SL.

Check your packet loss in the performance panel in the viewer (press ctrl+shift+1). If the packet loss number close to the top of the viewer stays more or less permanently above 0.0%, you should try to lower the max bandwidth setting in prefs.

Check the packet loss on your internet connection by running the test at http://www.pingtest.net/ a few times with different target servers. If you do not get a high grade on the tests, you may want to have a talk with your internet provider.

Lastly, try disabling http textures in the develop menu (available by checking the option in me->Preferences->Advanced). This has helped me when I have had rezzing issues. Actually, try this first!

Good luck!

- Luc -

[Lori Liamano]

I was at school in October 2010, in my dorm room.  Granted, I know in a dorm room there's a lot of students using the same connection, so I've kept that in mind, but I've never had any trouble with it before, other than lag at time or the net crashes (typical college).

 

When I'm at school, we are connected to the internet by an ether-net cable.  When I'm at home, in order to use my laptop I have to use Local Wireless Internet.  I have no router and no ether-net connect to use when I'm at home (and it sucks majorly).

 

I went onto the website you gave me and it told me: Packet Loss = 0%, Ping = 30ms, and Jitter = 8ms, Grade = A.  I'm not exactly sure what my bandwidth is nor how to check it.. I'm not really computer smart.

 

I tried that last thing first you suggested me to do.. it rezzed me but the problem is right now is that my shape won't load, so I can't change anything.  I get this message: Can't change appearance until clothing and shape are loaded.

[Luc Starsider]

OK, so from that it seems there was no changes, really, in the network or connection that could cause this issue.

Your internet connection seems fine according to pingtest, so I think we can overlook this as the cause.

Only being able to connect through wireless can be an issue, but from time to time it should work I would think. You had tried to connect from different networks without things improving, so this seems unlikely to be causing trouble.

The bandwidth you can check by looking in the performance panel as I said before - when logged in, press ctrl+shift+1 and check the packet loss there. This is a different number than what you check with pingtest, so it's worth checking as well. If you need to, you can lower the bandwidth in me->Preferences->Setup. Lower it, if needed, to around 1000 kpbs if it is higher than that.

If you use different viewers - you mentioned a few - make sure they all have their own cache folder. This could be a cause, actually. This you also do in preferences. In viewer 2  you do this in the same place as the bandwidth setting I mentioned above. You can browse to select a cache folder in this prefs panel. The cache folder you create the same way you create any folder. Make one for each viewer. Also make sure to empty the cache folder(s) before you select them in prefs.

Did you try rebaking? While in world, press Ctrl+Alt+R and wait a couple of minutes to see if it helps.

One thing I recently discovered... Are you wearing several tattoo or alpha layers on different parts of your body (Like head, torso, legs)? You should be able to see this in the outfits->Wearing sidebar tab in viewer  2. If so, take off all of them. There is a bug somewhere causing an issue like you have when two or more of them are worn on two or more body parts.

- Luc -

[Dresden Ceriano]

You might want to disable VBO and see if that helps. I don't understand the specifics of it but some systems can't handle it very well (on the newest release of Phoenix it's turned off by default). Go to Preferences/Graphics click the Hardware button at the bottom right; in the window it pulls up unclick "Enable OpenGL Vertex Buffer Objects".

You can check your bandwidth at speedtest.net and set your bandwidth in your viewer, as Luc said, to something a little lower than what you get from them.

If you're running windows, you could also try getting Ccleaner and running a clean and a registry fix. Then defragment your system, for this I use Defraggler. Both of these programs are available here.

If you are still having problems, you might want to talk to someone in the Phoenix Viewer Support group. They're usually very helpful, and if there's not someone that can help you when you first ask, keep trying... eventually someone will be on that can assist you. And it's free, don't get me started about LL support... lol.

Good luck... Dres

 ETA: I almost forgot, make sure your system and drivers are up to date; and while you're at it you might want to check for malware and viruses. It's always good to do these things anyway.

[Sonya Bigboots]

Lori,

That must be so frustrating.

It sounds like you have done most of the common sense things to try and solve this. I had a period when my avatar had real trouble loading and I was always getting the white cloud of doom while logging in and occasionally Ruthed, then suddenly it just stoped being a problem - it occasionally happens now at peak load times.

 

• You could try searching through your inventory using the recent tab -- that seems to force SL to refresh you inventory info sometimes so helping with subsequent loading.

• How many items are in your inventory - have you so many that the server can't find the items you are wearing quickly? If you have a lot you could try deleting the junk you haven't even looked at in years, you will be surprised how much you can get rid of without noticing it's gone. Box outfits you want to keep but rare use ( or archive them onto note cards) to take up less space in your inventory.

• If you are running the pheonix and SL2 viewer on the same computer... have you set each viewer up in a totally different folder so that one viewer isn't overwriting files the other viewer will want to use later?

• Has your firewall decided it doesn't like some updated viewer files and is refusing to give them access to the internet? Most firewalls will list anything they have decided to block. Be careful though before you disable any firewall security - it might be blocking something for a good reason.

• I don't really approve of alts generally, but have you tried setting up an alt to test if it is a problem with your computer &/or viewer, or if it is just a problem with your main avatar or that main avatar's excessively large inventory?

• Removing absolutely everything - all clothing. attachments and huds from your avatar (even skin and shape - replace them with blank new ones), logging out then logging back in again? If things work fine while "naked" try adding items one at a time and logging out and back in again until you find the problem item (normally an attachment) that is causing the problems while loading.

Hoping something I have said helps (though I suspect you may have already tried much of this)

Sonya.

 

[Lori Liamano]

Yeah, nothing really has changed with the connection, other than I have to use crappy wireless at home.

I have tried connecting to different connections that I could at home, but it depends on where I'm at in my house.  In my room I only get one connection to use and in the livingroom I get a different connection (which that connection like to double/triple/and even qudruple my posts if I text.. its strange).

I had the bandwith at 500kpbs, but I lowered it to its lowest setting to see if does anythingdifferent since my connection at home is very crappy.  Unfortunately, it still didn't change a thing.  I'm still getting the same message, and I also get a message when everything is loading in saying: Downloading clothing...

I only use Phoenix and once in a bluemoon Viewer 2.  I made Phoenix its own folder last night.  Nothing has changed with that.

I've also tried rebaking who knows how many times, I've lost count lol.

Sadly, I can't even put clothes on.  I put things on one at a time unless, like a jacket texture and shirt texture, they look the same I just use the one and not the other.  I can attached on prims, but textures it won't allow, or eyes or shape.. it refuses.  It's also refuseing to do a Character Test.  I had my friend log me on a few moments ago and he has the same issue on his computer (with my avatar).  He gets the same messages as well.  For some reason my correct shape won't load which isn't allowing me to put on my own or clothes.

[Lori Liamano]

Sonya,

Yes, iits severely frustrating to the point I'm about to just up and quit SecondLife.  I've been putting up with this crap for far to long and its just pushed me over the edge by doing this.  Now not even my friend can help me (the one who logs me on to change me and whatnot).  Does the same on his end too.  This is the worst this issue has ever been and now its seems like I'm stuck like this.

The only thing I have not done that you have suggested was:

1. Making an alt to test (which ironically I was just thinking about doing lol).

 

 

[Lori Liamano]

Dres,

Yeah, the VBO is automatically disabled (I have the new Phoenix Viewer).  But I did check just in case!!

I just did the speedtest and the results are: Ping = 25ms, Download Speed = .58Mbps, and Upload Speed = .02Mbps.  I'm on Skype with two friends of mine (one of which is the one who logs me on to help me which doesn't work anymore) and they both said "ouch" to the upload speed and have suggested I shut everything off and try the test again, which I've done and those results are: Ping = 27ms, Download Speed = 1.55Mbps, and Upload Speed = .06Mbps.  I shut everything down (that I could possibly think of shutting/signing/closing out of.

I went onto my moms computer and went and done the speedtest and her reslts are: Ping = 35ms, Download Speed = .75Mbps, and Upload Speed = .13Mbps.  However, I've also noticed out locations are different.  I'm using a Local Wireless Connection while she's getting it from a HUB.  -sigh-  My upload speed is severely killing me.

I'll definitely contact the Phoenix Viewer Support Group.  I'm serevely peeved at the SecondLife Support Group.. they pretty much want me to be a premium member and still not help yet milk me for money I don't even have.  My friend who helps me is a premium member and filed a harassment report (which dealt with money), and they didn't do a darn thing.

[squashy Beeswing]

Log into Viewer 2 and check the "wearing" or "worn" tab.  You may see something there that you don't recognise under 'bodyparts'.  It will be called 'ruthshape' or something like that.  It's either a hairbase or a shape, can't remember which.  It's something that Phoenix creates, anyhow.  Whilst in V2 you need to remove that from your avie and delete it.  Then log back into Phoenix and rebake, etc.  I'll try to find a link for you with more information on this. 

One more little tip:

Sounds silly, i know, but have you tried changing eyebrows?  This often works for me and my friends; no idea why, but it does.

[Lori Liamano]

Yeah, I just was able to take the Ruth shape/whatever off and finally was able to get clothes on (yay!!!).  But, for some reason my shape and skin won't load (I can put them on now, finally, but they just won't show.. might just take time I suppose).

Hehe, yes, I've tried the eyebrows.  I've got lots of eyebrows lol.

[squashy Beeswing]

Sending you something inworld that will hopefully sort you out. :matte-motes-smile:

[Dresden Ceriano]

YAY!!! squashy to the rescue!

...Dres

[Lori Liamano]

-giggles-  Yayness!!  Thank you Squishy!!

Thanks for all the help everyone, its greatly appreciated.  After about 2+ hours, I was finally able to rez, cloth myself, and change shin and outfit back to normal.  Hopefully this won't happen again.

[Dresden Ceriano]

Squishy, squashy, what's the difference... lol.

Glad you got yourself all fixed up.

Cheers... Dres

[Luc Starsider]

Yayness????? That's a new one for me. Cool.

I'll join Dres in saying YAY!! you got it fixed! 

Of course, now we all wonder what Squishy gave you that made everything work again....

Also, if things really work, you should probably increase the bandwidth setting to what it was before. Ideally, you want this as high as the connection and PC can handle without resulting in packet loss. Play around with the setting to see where the sweet spot is. :matte-motes-nerdy:

- Luc -

[Sonya Bigboots]

Glad you got the problem solved Lori