Difference between revisions of "Windows 7 support"

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* '''[http://secondlife.com/support/system-requirements/ The System Requirements page] needs to be updated.''' Changes are in the queue but they're awaiting a future web push. Yes, it sounds counterintuitive — dontcha wish it was as easy to change some text there as this wiki? ;)
* '''[http://secondlife.com/support/system-requirements/ The System Requirements page] needs to be updated.''' Changes are in the queue but they're awaiting a future web push. Yes, it sounds counterintuitive — dontcha wish it was as easy to change some text there as this wiki? ;)
* '''We support 32-bit Windows 7.''' [[Torley]]'s asked to find out if there are any particular known issues with 64-bit Windows 7, since there are an increasing number of modern systems that have >3 GB of RAM. There are many reports of the Viewer running fine on x64, ''but'' make sure to update your [[graphics card|graphics card drivers]]. That's true for every version of Windows, and if you have a problem with the Viewer on Win 7, it may not specific to the operating system, so do some investigating.
* '''We support 32-bit Windows 7.''' 64-bit Windows 7 compatibility is unconfirmed. [[Torley]]'s asked to find out if there are any particular known issues with 64-bit Windows 7, since there are an increasing number of modern systems that have >3 GB of RAM. There are many reports of the Viewer running fine on 64-bit, also called "x64". [http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/32-bit-and-64-bit-Windows-frequently-asked-questions What's the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit?]
* Some of the most common problems reported with a "Viewer 2.x and Windows 7" system are due to non-Windows 7-specific reasons:
** Non-existent or outdated  [[graphics card|graphics card drivers]]. Be sure to update them — that's true for every version of Windows.
** If your hardware is underpowered to begin with and doesn't otherwise meet the System Requirements, the Viewer won't run well, or at all. For example, netbooks with "Windows 7 Starter" that have too slow a CPU or graphics card.


Updates needed for this page? [http://bit.ly/contact-torley Contact Torley.]
''Updates needed for this page? [http://bit.ly/contact-torley Contact Torley.]''

Revision as of 09:33, 8 September 2010

This question comes up a lot in the forums in varied forms, and this page is a stopgap to answer:

  • Is the Second Life Viewer compatible with Windows 7?
  • Does Second Life run on Windows 7?
  • Can I use Second Life on Windows 7?

The answer is officially yes from Linden Lab, with the following caveats:

  • The System Requirements page needs to be updated. Changes are in the queue but they're awaiting a future web push. Yes, it sounds counterintuitive — dontcha wish it was as easy to change some text there as this wiki? ;)
  • We support 32-bit Windows 7. 64-bit Windows 7 compatibility is unconfirmed. Torley's asked to find out if there are any particular known issues with 64-bit Windows 7, since there are an increasing number of modern systems that have >3 GB of RAM. There are many reports of the Viewer running fine on 64-bit, also called "x64". What's the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit?
  • Some of the most common problems reported with a "Viewer 2.x and Windows 7" system are due to non-Windows 7-specific reasons:
    • Non-existent or outdated graphics card drivers. Be sure to update them — that's true for every version of Windows.
    • If your hardware is underpowered to begin with and doesn't otherwise meet the System Requirements, the Viewer won't run well, or at all. For example, netbooks with "Windows 7 Starter" that have too slow a CPU or graphics card.

Updates needed for this page? Contact Torley.