How do I fully uninstall and reinstall Second Life?

This article is part of the Extended Second Life Knowledge Base that includes advanced and specialized information. This information was originally provided by Linden Lab, but is not actively maintained nor guaranteed to be accurate. Linden Lab does not certify nor assume any responsibility for this information.

See the official Second Life Knowledge Base for the most current information.

It's important to clear out temporary Second Life files (such as the cache) when reinstalling. Here's the process:

On Windows XP

1. Open C:\Documents and Settings\(yourusername)\Local Settings and delete the contents of your Temp folder.
2. Open C:\Documents and Settings\(yourusername)\Application Data\Second Life and delete the contents of the Cache folder.
3. Uninstall Second Life using the Add/Remove Programs tool in your Windows Control Panel.
4. Visit http://secondlife.com/download and download and install the latest release.

Tip: Tip: Some computers may need to be rebooted between steps 3 and 4 in the above procedure.

If you cannot see the files or folders described above:

1. Select Tools > Options in Windows Explorer.
2. Click the View tab.
3. Select Show Hidden Files and Folders.
4. Click OK.

On Windows Vista

1. Open C:\Users\(yourusername)\AppData\Local and delete the contents of your Temp folder.
2. Open C:\Users\(yourusername)\AppData\Roaming\SecondLife and delete the contents of the Cache folder.
3. Uninstall Second Life using the Programs and Features tool in your Windows Control Panel.
4. Visit http://secondlife.com/download and download and install the latest release.

If you cannot see the files or folders described above:

1. Select Organize > Folder and Search Options in Windows Explorer.
2. Click the View tab.
3. Select Show Hidden Files and Folders.
4. Click OK.