The Brave Little Laptop That Can't Do What Mobile Phones Can.
While I was travelling, I popped into Best Buy and decided to get a new laptop - not really a big deal, really; I picked up a Gateway ML6720 for about $599 - plus tax, minus discount, whatever it was. I picked up a few other things while I was there, but the core of this entry is the ML6720.
Normally, when you buy a system you're supposed to make sure that it runs the software that you use. Normally. On this occasion, I knew the laptop ran everything except one thing: Second Life. I figured I would give it a go, see what happened... no dice.
It crashes after login. Every. Single. Time.
Laptops are pretty hit and miss with software that goes beyond the office - and yes, I could have gone with one of the other systems that had a known good graphics card when it comes to Second Life, but I'm an old penguin head: I'm used to drivers not being found when I install Linux, for video cards and modems. Still, Second Life is supposed to be pretty generic. I don't think I've reached a point with Second Life where I'll walk in and ask someone if the system I am interested in purchasing will run Second Life. I don't think I ever will. After all, Second Life on a mobile phone is a reality. I predicted it. I scooped it while most people writing about it now were thinking of how they would get to wherever for Thanksgiving.
So what's the deal? I'm not 100% sure, but I googled it and found VWR-2639. I read it. It said it was resolved, but... I see it with the new downloads today, too. I redid everything.
It crashes after login. Every. Single. Time.
I believe that the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 (256 MB) simply isn't supported. And I'm OK with that - less distraction on this machine, and I have another laptop that runs SL should I need it. Still - mobile phones are running Second Life, and I bet that they don't have nVidia or ATI cards shoved in there.
Maybe I should have bought a mobile phone instead. :-)
No, its not Linden Lab's fault - and there is probably very little they can do given the number of graphics cards, integrated motherboards, etc. But if you really *have* to run Second Life on a machine that you're buying - find out if it runs Second Life.
Seriously.
Meanwhile, it gets into other 3d environments just dandy. Another reason to explore. :-)
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Thanks (for the bad news)
I bought a Sony Vaio VGN-CR29XN-B which is suppose to be a multimedia laptop and just found out that it does not run SL... because it has a Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100. I just don't get it. You spend 1500 on a laptop and expect it to run anything mainstream. I guess SL is not mainstream... But thanks for ending my week of re-downloads and re-installs...
Sorry :-(
Unfortunately, it happens.
Second Life Consultant
I've realized that anything
I've realized that anything with an AMD processor simply won't run SL like it should, either. If you want something (laptop or desktop) that'll run SL, stick with Pentium. The MI945 chipset seems to work pretty well on my notebook. SL on a $600 laptop, though? Depends on what kind of deal you can find, I suppose.
Good advice. I just burned
Good advice. I just burned 2700 euros on a MacBook Pro 17" with an Nvidia 8600m GT, which should have been the perfect notebook to run Second Life if you like Macs (if you don't, you can get a Windows notebook with about the same specs and Dual 8700m GT cards from Alienware). It should be compatible with Second Life, according to hardware requirements on secondlife.com website.
What I have found out is that Apple has flawed drivers for this card and they haven't patched them yet, although they have been out 6 months now and they are pushing this machine as a graphic advancement over the previous version.
I had to install Windows in order to use this notebook to work into SL.