As many of you know, if you send in your broken Xbox 360 to Microsoft and they replace it, you won't immediately be able to access any of your purchased Marketplace content (Arcade games, themes, etc) either when you're offline (i.e.  network cable not plugged in) or with any other gamertag on your console.

This is known as the DRM problem.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, visit http://brokenxblm.blogspot.com/.

In the past, the work-around to this problem was to call Xbox tech support and beg them to give you some free MS points so that you can re-purchase the content via another gamertag.  See http://forums.xbox.com/48/1159815/ShowPost.aspx#10969573 for a description of that ordeal.

There's been a recent development where after your box is replaced, if you re-download your content, the problem will be fixed.  Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot of information on this process.  The only info comes from anecdotes of other Xbox 360 users.  Apparently, sometime within the 30 days after you get your Xbox 360 back, if you re-download your content (you may or may not need to delete first), the problem just goes away - all the freshly downloaded content is available offline and to other gamer tags.

So I started this thread to get statistics from individuals and maybe even an acknowledgment from an MS employee.  Specifically, I'd like to know:

1. Is the process automatic, or do you need to call Xbox tech support before the 30-day window begins?
2. Has anyone not gotten this trick to work after 30 days?  If so, what did tech support say when you called them?  What keywords does he need to hear to understand your problem?
3. What is the average time to wait before a re-download will work?
4. Can you just re-download the content, or do you need to delete it first and then re-download?

So if you have an experiences on this new "feature", please post here and share.  Thanks.

I heard for alot of people it was automatic ......

I mean like when they send in the console and get the replacement ...... alot of people just redownloaded pretty much straight away without any calls ....... and got their stuff working straight away again .....

This is the new way it should be done ...... they are meant to the lisence swap after they issue you with a new console .... I've even been told this by customer support ....

But for alot of people they forget to do the transfer ..... so i think it's up to us to take it into our and own hands and phone them up to remind them to do it .....

I don't know if they'd do it eventually if you didn't decide to phone them ....... but it's been almost a month since i got my 360 back and phoned them about this issue and i still haven't got my downloads working back to how they were ( offline and multiprofile acess is restricted )

i'm wondering if the halo 3 launch slowed down the process recently or not ...

all i know it's probably going to take alot longer than 30 days for my stuff to be fully unlocked offline again ......

Here's my overall experience with this issue:

 

1st replacement - Points refunded

2nd - Was able to redownload right away

3rd (present Xbox) - Re-downloading still does now work

 

I'll give it another week before I call because it is too painful to speak to people that give the generic "try recovering your gamertag and redownloading" or "delete all existing content and redownload", neither of which is necessary if the license transfer was done properly during the repair process.

I spoke to tech support a few times yesterday.  My 360 was returned on the 2nd, so it's only been a week.  Here's what I found out:

1. One tech support person said that I need to play the game in order for the transfer to kick in.   I'm not sure if she meant from the gamertag that purchased the content, or the other gamer tags.  However, I don't think she was right.
2. If you call the 800 number, be sure the pick the "Xbox Live" menu option.
3. I finally reached someone who knew what I was talking about.  She said I have to wait up to a month before it can kick in, so there's no point in calling tech support before then.  Interestingly, she said it used to take 3-4 months, which implies that this process has been around for a while.
4. You should keep a list of all the serial numbers of all the Xbox 360s you've ever owned.  The tech support person will delete all information from your account on any Xbox 360 you've had replaced, so if you don't write it down now, you won't be able to tell MS what the old 360s were if the license transfer doesn't kick in within 30 days.
   

For me the same.
First I got free points for redownloading.
Then it was just redowloading when it returned.
And now I'm waiting already a month and it is still not working...
I rang support and this guys saids "yeah, could take a month or three" and I was like WTF last time it wasn't suchs a wait!

What is up with this??? why is something that went before like in an instant to become a 3-4 months wait?

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(")(")

First 360 replaced last month with a seemingly brand new unit from repair center.  No license transfer was done, because re-downloading even after following instructions from two different MS employees does not fix the issue. My wife is unable to play the games I bought, I can't play offline, etc.  Every time I bring up the license transfer request with e-mail support, they tell me to call. But I'm afraid to call because I don't want to deal with idiots.  I guess I have to call, but not looking forward to it!!

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ECA Founding Member
PAX08 & Video Games Live Attendee

I got a different, yet sensible answer when I called and complained about this.  The fix hasn't happened yet (supposed to take up to 30 days), but they are going to refund my points, and reset all my downloads.  Basically making it possible for me to rebuy the games using the same account.

Of course, I'm pretty sceptical considering what I've been reading on this the past couple months (since I originally wanted to get the 120GB hard drive, but didn't want to loose my XBL games), after getting the RRoD, I was forced to come to terms with finding a way to get them back.

But yes, I did have to call Support to get this process rolling.  Simply deleting and redownloading repeatedly did not help.  If they are able to "reset" my download status and refund my points, IMO, that is a nearly ideal solution, though they really have to speed that 30 day time frame up somehow.

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RRoD Achievement

I wish this thread had been called "How to get support to transfer content licenses to a replaced Console ID" because that is what it is really all about.  I'm going to call MS myself soon about this.

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ECA Founding Member
PAX08 & Video Games Live Attendee

tabicat,

I appreciate the enthusiasm you and others have shown for threads concerning this issue, but with another thread that has already gathered much of this kind of information there is not a need to create a separate thread in the Technical Issues forum. Agents should be well versed in how to resolve or escalate this concern. I continue to review customer feedback regarding this concern and will continue to send such comments about calling Xbox Support to resolve this concern to the proper channels, so thanks again.

Now to confirm what has already been stated by others in the forums. 

After a repair by Xbox Support that resulted in a replacement console we recommend customers simply go into Account Management and then Download History to redownload any content that does not work when you are not connected to Xbox Live. Choose Download Again to redownload the content and re-license the content to the new console. Next disconnect from Xbox Live to make sure content works on the replacement console for all profiles. If it does not work or you have done a retailer exchange for the same type of console, then simply give us a call letting us know you are having "premium content" or "license" issues so we can verify the proper steps have been tried and see if your case needs to be escalated. If it does need to be looked into further, then we do strive to complete the process to re-license content to the new console within a 30 day window. If it has been over 30 days since the concern was first sent up, then please give us a call back to check on its status if we do not already have you scheduled for a callback.

Thanks again for the comments, but moving this thread to the Feedback forum.

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My posts are provided "as-is" & confers no rights.
Ask Xbox
US & Canada Support

 ElektroDragon wrote:

I wish this thread had been called "How to get support to transfer content licenses to a replaced Console ID" because that is what it is really all about.  I'm going to call MS myself soon about this.

Good point.

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My posts are provided "as-is" & confers no rights.
Ask Xbox
US & Canada Support

 Lucky 13 X wrote:

I appreciate the enthusiasm you and others have shown for threads concerning this issue, but with another thread that has already gathered much of this kind of information there

The only problem is that the other thread is almost 100 pages long.  You can't expect anyone to find any information in that thread.  This thread is specifically about the process of getting your licenses transferred.  From what I've read, Microsoft still issues Points refunds in some cases.

So I do not agree that this thread is redundant.

 Lucky 13 X wrote:

Agents should be well versed in how to resolve or escalate this concern.

Hahahahahahaha!  You should quit your day job and do stand-up.

 Lucky 13 X wrote:

After a repair by Xbox Support that resulted in a replacement console we recommend customers simply go into Account Management and then Download History to redownload any content that does not work when you are not connected to Xbox Live. Choose Download Again to redownload the content and re-license the content to the new console. Next disconnect from Xbox Live to make sure content works on the replacement console for all profiles. If it does not work or you have done a retailer exchange for the same type of console, then simply give us a call letting us know you are having "premium content" or "license" issues so we can verify the proper steps have been tried and see if your case needs to be escalated. If it does need to be looked into further, then we do strive to complete the process to re-license content to the new console within a 30 day window.

Agents are not escalating this problem!  Last time I called, which was a week after I received the console, the agent told me just to wait another three weeks.  There was no offer to escalate.

 Lucky 13 X wrote:

After a repair by Xbox Support that resulted in a replacement console we recommend customers simply go into Account Management and then Download History to redownload any content that does not work when you are not connected to Xbox Live. Choose Download Again to redownload the content and re-license the content to the new console.

Long time no see in the aforementioned thread Lucky. Mind answering the age-old question for me here then? How exactly does this new "method" or any of the previous methods rectify the problem when the content is NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD on the XBLM?

Tell me please, in detail, exactly how I "simply go into Account Management and then Download History" and find the Gears of War Emergence Day Theme and Gamerpic. Or maybe the recent Halo 3 time-limited releases. Where are they Lucky?

There are a multitude of others...gamerpics mostly, but the size or implied relative importance of the content is not the issue. The fact that none of these workarounds actually FIX the problem is the issue. They merely incompletely bandaid it until the next console failure. MS continues to deny us, the honest end-users, access to content we purchased and OWN. And to expect some to wait 30-90 days to regain access!!!???

Have you ever actually sat down with a replacement console and gone through the inane processes your techs insist are so simple? How about redownloading it a second time on yet another replacement console after downloading new stuff onto the second machine? I'm guessing, correct me if I'm wrong, that you probably have not and will not. I think maybe you just listened to the theory from your Ivory Tower in perfectly-functioning-always-connected-360-fairytale-land and deemed the process well and good.

You should use someone else's info (willing family member/friend) on a new machine that mysteriously stops functioning after purchasing a LOT of arcade content, maybe some premium content and definitely some limited-time-only content. Then pose as that someone else (a "secret shopper" of sorts) needing the redownload. Use only the channels available to us, the consumer. Call CS. Risk having 3 or 4 SR#'s opened concerning your one request and trying to convince non-native English speakers you only need one. Risk spending hours on hold. Remember, all the time not revealing who you are or using any insider knowledge that has not been revealed PUBLICLY to the end users. Don't go into the system to figure out where your service request is getting hung up. Leave the escalation requests up to the techs on the phone. Then come back in here and advise how the process, that you describe as simple, went for you. Be prepared to keep a long, detailed log. There's plenty of examples by Mystakill and others that detail the "simple" process taking MONTHS.

Show us the money Lucky.

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No XBLA offline?
Digg Problem Summary/What to do

Well said, Divalent.

 

I am still waiting to be able to redownload on my refurb 360 that WAS replaced by Microsoft.  In my case, my replacement was "sped up" after my 360 was at the repair center for 3 weeks with no progress.

 

I'm sure something was skipped during my "accelerated" replacement but this should be an automatic process for EVERY replacement.  Besides the quality of the 360's lineup, they have dropped the ball on eveything else (Microsoft Wheel "retrofit" that you have to ship back, 3 Red Lighst, DRM, etc.)

 

I'm still waiting...

So, I was RROD'd right before Halo 3 came out and finally I have gotten my 360 back. Of course, as I dreaded, my marketplace purchases do not work offline. So, I called and started the process again. The first person I talked to was cluesless and had never dealt with this issue before (new hire?), I requested a supervisor and instead got someone else. The new person at least was aware of the issue but once again, he couldn't answer a question for me "What happens when they switch over to the new console but you have purchased content, per their instructions, using a Silver account". At least this guy passed me on to a supervisor. I was told it would take 30 days... so I wait. I did mention to her that I think if Microsoft changed their DRM policies this wouldn't be an issue and she said "You are entitled to your opinion".

 ZaZeeMan wrote:

Here's my overall experience with this issue:

 

1st replacement - Points refunded

2nd - Was able to redownload right away

3rd (present Xbox) - Re-downloading still does now work

 

I'll give it another week before I call because it is too painful to speak to people that give the generic "try recovering your gamertag and redownloading" or "delete all existing content and redownload", neither of which is necessary if the license transfer was done properly during the repair process.

 

Exactly the same.

 

3rd console is a Halo Edition 360 I should never have bought. It's the only time (when I couldn't play my XBLA games offline) I've been so pissed I really though about smashing it and forsaking then platform entirely.

Can't even get 100$ for the pile of games I own so it would be more wasted effort getting upset.

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It's nice to want things

Just a tip that I had read in the other "Can't play XBLA offline thread" but it really helps when talking to "Max" to say Xbox Live instead of "Xbox" and "Xbox 360".

 

When I asked for Xbox Live, I was hooked up with people who actually knew of the issue right off the bat.

Good to see you again too Divalent. I've never really left. 

But no, I unfortunately do not have an answer I can just give to address those situations when the content may not be available on the Xbox Live Marketplace or your Download History which would allow you to redownload to re-purchase or re-licensing to a new console. Sorry.

And I have checked in on support staff every once and a while on my own personal time to see how well the various processes(not just this one) is going. It's why if you go back near the beginning of  the main thread, I worked with the team on getting that kind of feedback up to staff to help ensure all agents knew about the DRM policies & processes and were actively using the steps we had in place at the time and now know when to use the process we use now. Unfortunately, I still see in the forums and get sent messages of instances where the prorper steps may not be followed, but Xbox Support and its various management staffs are constantly working to rectify that situation. I apologize if it does not seem that way.

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My posts are provided "as-is" & confers no rights.
Ask Xbox
US & Canada Support

So can I use Ask Xbox to solve my content license issue on my MS-replaced 360 instead of calling, Lucky?  Either way, I hope your hard work has paid off... I'm finally biting the bullet this weekend and calling (or using Ask Xbox). 

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ECA Founding Member
PAX08 & Video Games Live Attendee

Sorry, but Ask Xbox is an automated system for when Xbox Support is closed, or you want an online automated help system to help you. Not a replacement for calling support to resolve this issue unfortunately.

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My posts are provided "as-is" & confers no rights.
Ask Xbox
US & Canada Support

I bought my Xbox 360 on Launch Day at COSTCO so I was grandfathered into their 'never ending warranty.'  When it went RROD I got a refund and bought an Elite.

last Sunday XBOX Live was down for most of the day with no accurate updates from Microsoft.  I could not play my arcade games.

What disgusts me is the irony of a MULTI BILLION DOLLAR corporation with revenue and profits in the hundreds of millions and billions is going to PREVENT ME from playing my $5 arcade game on a Sunday.  This is how large blundering corporations get bad reputations - when they are large, rich, profitable, and SHAFT the middle-class consumer over their $5.

I finally called today, spoke with a supervisor Emanuel who seemed like he knew what he was doing and escalated this properly to get the license transfer done.  He said it would be taken care of in a few days.  When I asked if I should wait 30 days or will someone call me back he said "absolutely yes". Which I took to mean: "I have no idea.".  So there you go.  I have a bad feeling I'm about to join the "wait until the end of time with nothing done" crowd, but maybe there is hope!?

Lucky 13 X, if this doesn't get resolved in 30 days I am going to spam you and ETB Kanen with all my service and reference numbers until it does!!

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ECA Founding Member
PAX08 & Video Games Live Attendee

Finally some good news for a change to report.

I got a call out of the blue on wednesday informing me my request for a lisence transfer has been approved.
The guy on the line said he was in charge of approving lisence transfers and he was from the escaltion department.
He also said there were many delays recently for lisence transfers and apoligised for that. ( I'd been waiting over 40 days since i called about this issue in the first place )

He said sometime during the next 30 days my lisence transfer should be activated.

I hope this isn't another 30 day wait empty promise ..... but i guess i have a bit of hope it will happen this time.
Sounds like the investigation part of the process is over for me then.

I hope it finally works out soon.
If I don't get my redownloads back working offline before the end of december .... that's the last straw and i'll ask for refund points if they still do them.