Microsoft releases tool to fix Xbox 360 DRM

Posted Jun 26th 2008 3:15PM by Dustin Burg
Filed under: News, Xbox Live, Xbox Live Marketplace

It's finally here! Microsoft's promised tool to transfer game and video content licenses from an old console to your new Xbox 360 is now available. In other words, this little online doodad will fix the DRM issues everyone has experienced after either upgrading their Xbox 360 or after dealing with a RROD. To get your DRM issues fixed, simply head over to Xbox.com and begin the license transfer process. It smartly (almost too smartly) knows which content is associated with which of your Xbox 360s and will guide you through the transfer process. We're told you need to have access to Xbox.com as well as having your Xbox 360 connected to Xbox Live. Just watch the video above and Major Nelson will guide you through the process. OH HAPPY DAY!

Interesting side note: The license transferring process can only be completed once every twelve months and that you have to re-download each piece of old content back onto your Xbox 360 to get the updated license. Icky.

Tags: drm, xblm, xbox-live

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

6-26-2008 @ 3:16PM

PeterF said...

Is it April 1st again!?

6-26-2008 @ 3:20PM

Derka said...

Once every 12 months huh? Thats not gonna go well with the failure rate.

Poor Microsoft, you were SOOO close to actually doing something right for once. Better luck next time.

6-26-2008 @ 3:30PM

Tony said...

Honestly, I just got back my second replaced 360 and i didn't even have a problem running a single thing signed in or out.

Still, I tried this and it claimed many of my licenses were with the first console. I went through the process and it was done in maybe a minute or two.

6-26-2008 @ 3:42PM

Timur Tabi said...

When MS repairs your console, they do a license transfer for you automatically. This is only for people who do in-store replacements or upgrade to a new console.

6-26-2008 @ 7:29PM

Knight Marquise said...

@ Timur Tabi

True, but for those of us who upgraded to an Elite, it's going to suck major. I'm not complaining, because I have a ton of DLC, well hell, let me check...ok here's the licenses I need to transfer to my Elite (due to just buying one when it came out)

This seems a little high, this is just tied to gamertag, I hope, I sure don't want to transfer my wife's stuff to my 360.

1065 Game Licenses
463 Video Licenses

6-26-2008 @ 11:32PM

Tony said...

If they do it automatically, I'm not sure why 75% of my licenses were still attributed to my original console and not the second or third ones I've had.

Plus, the second system I have did not play things I downloaded properly until I called MS and they made me do a bunch of steps to fix it.

So, personally, it kind of seems that if they do this they don't always do it right.

6-26-2008 @ 3:32PM

Rastah Pasta said...

lol he has 61 messages at one point

6-26-2008 @ 4:03PM

CyberKnight said...

It changes every time the video cuts. It goes from 80, to 81, and then I guess he stops to clean out some messages, because the next instant it's down to 10, then I think it goes up again...

I guess it's safe to say he's got a pretty active account. :D

6-26-2008 @ 3:33PM

Jim Halpert DM said...

It's going to take forever for me to re-download everything. Couldn't they find away to do it without having to download all of your stuff again?

6-26-2008 @ 3:54PM

blkhwk67t said...

it won't take that long because your not downloading the file again only the license for that particular file.

6-26-2008 @ 3:55PM

Jim Halpert DM said...

It will take long.....like 1600 button presses.

6-26-2008 @ 3:35PM

Neuromancer said...

Mmm nothing like redownloading shit-tons of XBLA games and DLC. Thanks Microsoft!

6-26-2008 @ 4:07PM

AoE said...

hey it's better than most download services where downloading again means purchasing again. I'm just happy I can finally get all of my shit to work offline on one console.

6-26-2008 @ 3:36PM

MrKniceGuy said...

The re-download isn't that bad. If the file is already there it just downloads the license, which is probably 50k or something smaller. It's a pain to go through your history though, and find all the content you've purchased. Sure makes me think twice about buying DLC in the future.....

6-26-2008 @ 3:56PM

zlionsfan said...

That's exactly what it does ... the re-assignment process is really quick (maybe a minute or so) and if you still have the DLC, it just grabs the license.

This also fixed the issue I had with XBLA Sonic, not being able to play it even though I was connected to Xbox Live ...

Of course if certain things happen and I have to send in this console, it'll be back to the old ways, but at least for now I can have everything safe and sound on it.

6-26-2008 @ 3:43PM

Digital Limit said...

The only silly thing about this is the 12 month barrier. That's a whole year (for those unaware), and in terms of gaming a lot can happen in a year. The risk of having the number lower seems to be that people will simply wait for their friends to finish a game and then get it from them, but an entire year seems extreme. Who is going to wait even six months for some of this stuff? It really seems like the limit should be lower.

6-26-2008 @ 3:45PM

E.J. said...

Major Nelson says it's quick and easy.

Considering the amount of content I and many others on this site have purchased and downloaded on our Xbox's, this is a pain in the ass to do since you have to redownload EVERY SINGLE ONE.

Hopefully I don't have to send my 360 in for a fourth time in the next 12 months.

6-26-2008 @ 3:55PM

Outinthedark said...

Wow I have 348 Game Licenses...geeze no wonder MS never wanted to transfer my licenses when I got my new console..!

Good to see this finally coming around. About damn time is all I gotta say...!

Once a year is more than enough.

6-26-2008 @ 3:59PM

Deezul said...

I wasn't going to "rush" to do this, but this weekend while selling an old HDTV, I hooked up my 360 sans network connection. I figured I show off one of the Halo 3 vidoes. I had downloaded them on another 360 originally, so I couldn't show them! Luckily, I still had the "Welcome to the 360" video on my Elite, so I could show that one.

6-26-2008 @ 4:00PM

AoE said...

$!#@@#%!^#^!$$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally, oh my god i've been waiting for this since 2006.

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