How to Update Firestorm From A Blocked Version
Assuming you cannot log in on your viewer because it is blocked, this page will guide you through the old manual process.
Step 1. Back Up Chat Transcripts (Recommended)
By default, viewers store chat transcripts in the same directory as it does settings and configuration files (Contact Sets, teleport history, etc.). This wiki will help you change where your transcripts are stored and offer some management tips to help minimize the lag caused by keeping transcripts.
For this process, we will use the Desktop. This is not intended as a permanent location, but could be if you so desire.
- Open your file explorer, navigate to your Desktop directory and create a directory in there named FS-Chat or something similar. In there, create a subfolder for each of your avatar accounts.
- Navigate to the folder that stores the application data for the viewer - if you do not see this folder, you may need to show hidden folders.
| Windows 32-bit | C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Firestorm |
| Windows 64-bit:C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Firestorm_x64 | |
| Mac | /Users/[YOUR USERNAME]/Library/Application Support/Firestorm |
| Linux | ~/.firestorm_x64 |
- In the file explorer, you should see several directories, one named for your avatar. That's your per-account settings. Open that directory
- Your chat files are plain text files (.txt if your explorer displays extensions), they're named either
chatfor Nearby Chat, or named for each avatar's or group's chat you've seen. Select all those chat files and press Ctrl-X (Mac: Cmd-X) to “cut” them.
- Navigate back to your new chat logs location, which you selected above. Click into the correct account folder and press Ctrl-V (Mac: Cmd-V) to move all your chat files in.
Repeat this for for each avatar for which chat transcripts will be saved.
Step 2. Delete Settings
You can't really back up settings manually. But you can preserve most of them.
- Navigate to the folder that stores the application data for the viewer - if you do not see this folder, you may need to show hidden folders.
| Windows 32-bit | C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Firestorm |
| Windows 64-bit | C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Firestorm_x64 |
| Mac | /Users/[YOUR USERNAME]/Library/Application Support/Firestorm |
| Linux | ~/.firestorm_x64 |
- In the file explorer, you should see several directories, one named for your avatar. That's your per-account settings. Open that directory
- Locate the file called settings_per_account.xml and delete it. If you desire, you can move this to a different place and open it with a text editor if you want to manually restore any of the settings (autoresponses, for example). Repeat this for all of your avatar directories.
- Navigate back and then into the user_settings directory
- Locate the file called settings.xml and delete it. If you desire, you can move this to a different place and open it with a text editor if you want to manually restore any of the global settings.
Step 3. Clear Cache
Since your current version of Firestorm is blocked, there is also a good chance that the cache-related functions have changed enough that clearing cache is advised. Normally, clearing cache should only be done when there is a problem with the cache, or when there is a significant change in the viewer that requires it. Refer to this page.
Step 4: Get the Installer
For the current release, go to the Downloads page.
If you want to install a previous release, we recommend you use the steps in Clean Install
Step 5. Remove Application
For Windows
Ideally, use the Programs & Features Control Panel to remove the Firestorm application. If you have a Firestorm folder in your Start Menu, check for the Uninstall link there.
When prompted by the uninstaller to delete settings or cache, choose No.
Using a cleaner program like Revo/IOBit is completely useless as the hidden folders are not created during the install process but when you run Firestorm for the first time.
For Mac
Navigate to Applications and trash the Firestorm App.
For Linux
The Firestorm install directory will be wherever you extracted the download archive. Typically this will be in your home directory somewhere, such as ~/Phoenix-Firestorm_*. Delete this directory and everything inside it.
If you used the install script as root, look in your /opt directory. You will need to su root or sudo rm to delete the firestorm directory there.
Step 6. Install Firestorm
Having done all those steps, you may now install Firestorm. Installing Firestorm is done in pretty much the same way as any other application on your computer.
For Windows
Run the downloaded installer. The 32-bit installer will offer you the chance to change the destination directory; the 64-bit installer shows the destination when you click the Options button.
The installer will create a shortcut icon on the desktop.
Note: The 32-bit installer offers you an option to start the viewer when it's done, and you should choose No. Choosing Yes tends to cause problems for some people, especially if they restore during that session. The shortcut is the preferred way to launch the viewer.
For Mac
Find the .dmg file you just downloaded and double-click it to mount it. Then drag the Firestorm app icon into your Applications folder. More detailed instructions can be found here
Note: Apple's Gatekeeper software may initially prevent your opening the viewer, depending on your Gatekeeper settings. If it does, there is a simple way to change it: See “How to open an app from a unidentified developer and exempt it from Gatekeeper” on this page. Once you have allowed Firestorm to open via this method, Gatekeeper will not flag it on subsequent launches (until you reinstall Firestorm again).
For Linux
Extract the downloaded tar.bz2 or tar.xz into any directory and run the firestorm script inside that directory to launch it. You can optionally install by running the install script inside that directory. And you can optionally create a desktop launcher. Refer to the README files for more information.
If you are installing on a 64-bit Linux system, you will need to install some 32-bit libraries. Refer to this page for guidance on required compatibility libraries.
If you use the Nautilus File Manager and double clicking the firestorm launch script opens the script in an editor, you will need to modify how Nautilus handles scripts.
Step 7: Whitelist Firestorm in Your Antivirus
Step 8. Log in
Once you have the viewer installed or reinstalled, you will want to make sure the viewer is operating correctly:
- Test any functions that didn't work for you in the previous version that had been reported fixed.
- Open your Inventory and wait for it to fully populate.
Step 9. Restore Settings
At this point, if the viewer is performing as it should, and you have a backup of your settings, you can then restore them.
If you do not have a backup set, you can begin re-doing your settings manually. Once that's done, you should relog and confirm that the changes are still there, then backup your settings and again relog.
Log back in to SL once again and confirm that the viewer is still performing as it should; then you can adjust any new or changed settings and then back those up.
Note that some settings are not restored, such as graphics. This is because the graphics settings could be incorrect and may cause problems.
If you did step 1 and moved your chat files, you can reverse that process to move them back, or you can set Firestorm to always use that location. Refer to this page for more details about managing chat files.
Important Notes
- With a new version comes new code, new settings etc. Your settings can become corrupt and important information can become “scrambled”. When installing a different version of the viewer, using settings from the previously installed version may cause undesirable behavior in the viewer. If you experience issues after performing a straight update please Back-Up Your Settings and then Clear Your Settings.
- If you are experiencing issues after updating via this method, you may be asked to perform a full Clean Install by our support team.
- If you have heavily modified settings and you are concerned that they may cause an issue on updating and/or restoring them, you can take the precautionary measuring of Filing a Jira and attaching a zip file of your settings. *Please Note*: if taking this step please allow a minimum of 72 hours for this to be checked and responded to.