If your current 360 (any version) is different from your first 360 (for any reason) then you may find that your purchased XBLA games will only in Demo/Trial mode unless you are signed into Live!
If you're unable to log into Live! (No net connection, behind firewall, on dialup etc.) then you are stuck, but maybe not for long.
After my launch day 360 died (see here) I received a warranty replacement 10 days ago. Knowing about the way the 360 licences work (see below**), I fired up the new 360 and confirmed that without a Live! connection my XBLA games were stuck in Demo/Trial mode. I tested out on theory that you only need to re-download the XBLA game for it to work but this failed to work.
In an attempt to resolve the problem I called the Xbox support number last Tuesday with the call going as followed;
I described the problem to the operator and said that the problem had only occurred after my replacement 360 arrived.
The operator confirmed my details and then put me on hold for a minute while she spoke to a colleague. When she came back, she asked me for the new console serial from the replacement 360 (you find this out without looking on the back of the box by going to System Blade > Console Settings > System Info).
After taking the new details from me, she confirmed the problem with me and then put me on hold for a second time. Not long later she came back and informed me that she had been told to ask me to make a new Silver account on my current 360 and to wait approximately 3 days for the problem to be resolved.
With a little scepticism I made the new Silver account on my replacement 360 and left things as they were until Thursday.
Thursday afternoon, I decided to have another go at re-downloading all of my previously purchased premium content back onto my original 360 HDD (this didn't take long as I still had everything on the HDD from my first download).
After re-downloading my premium content I signed out of Live!, unplugged the Cat5 cable, and signed back into my profile offline. To my surprise all of my XBLA games now worked offline.
I can't confirm at what point my XBLA games started to work offline but, if you call the Xbox support line, try the following in this order:
1) Call Xbox support and explain the situation along with giving them your new 360 serial,
2) After calling, make a new Silver account on your 360,
3) Allowing at least 24 to 48 hours, re-download your XBLA games and premium content.
If all goes well you should be able to play your XBLA games offline without being stuck in Demo/Trial mode.
Xbox 360 Licences
When you buy and download any XBLA game two licences are created; The first is tied to the 360 on which the content was purchased, the second is tied to your GamerTag.
To play offline, your 360 licence and GamerTag licence must be matched. If the two licences differ (for example you are using your HDD and GamerTag on a friend's 360) then each time you load an XBLA game, the 360 must verify the GamerTag licence over Live!. If the 360 cannot verify the GamerTag licence then the XBLA game reverts to Demo/Trial mode as if it were not purchased.
**Edit**
Here are the links to the Elite/HDD transfer information.
Data Migration - Things to know
Data Migration
Here's hoping that if there isn't an immediate solution with Europe's release of the Elite (which is looking unlikely as I would have thought that some kind of news/rumour would have been doing the rounds), Microsoft will be implementing something in the autumn update.
**Edit**
Here is a link to the Microsoft help page regarding the problem:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/911198?sd=xbox
The solutions aren't much help if you don't have access to Live!
If you're unable to log into Live! (No net connection, behind firewall, on dialup etc.) then you are stuck, but maybe not for long.
After my launch day 360 died (see here) I received a warranty replacement 10 days ago. Knowing about the way the 360 licences work (see below**), I fired up the new 360 and confirmed that without a Live! connection my XBLA games were stuck in Demo/Trial mode. I tested out on theory that you only need to re-download the XBLA game for it to work but this failed to work.
In an attempt to resolve the problem I called the Xbox support number last Tuesday with the call going as followed;
I described the problem to the operator and said that the problem had only occurred after my replacement 360 arrived.
The operator confirmed my details and then put me on hold for a minute while she spoke to a colleague. When she came back, she asked me for the new console serial from the replacement 360 (you find this out without looking on the back of the box by going to System Blade > Console Settings > System Info).
After taking the new details from me, she confirmed the problem with me and then put me on hold for a second time. Not long later she came back and informed me that she had been told to ask me to make a new Silver account on my current 360 and to wait approximately 3 days for the problem to be resolved.
With a little scepticism I made the new Silver account on my replacement 360 and left things as they were until Thursday.
Thursday afternoon, I decided to have another go at re-downloading all of my previously purchased premium content back onto my original 360 HDD (this didn't take long as I still had everything on the HDD from my first download).
After re-downloading my premium content I signed out of Live!, unplugged the Cat5 cable, and signed back into my profile offline. To my surprise all of my XBLA games now worked offline.
I can't confirm at what point my XBLA games started to work offline but, if you call the Xbox support line, try the following in this order:
1) Call Xbox support and explain the situation along with giving them your new 360 serial,
2) After calling, make a new Silver account on your 360,
3) Allowing at least 24 to 48 hours, re-download your XBLA games and premium content.
If all goes well you should be able to play your XBLA games offline without being stuck in Demo/Trial mode.
Xbox 360 Licences
When you buy and download any XBLA game two licences are created; The first is tied to the 360 on which the content was purchased, the second is tied to your GamerTag.
To play offline, your 360 licence and GamerTag licence must be matched. If the two licences differ (for example you are using your HDD and GamerTag on a friend's 360) then each time you load an XBLA game, the 360 must verify the GamerTag licence over Live!. If the 360 cannot verify the GamerTag licence then the XBLA game reverts to Demo/Trial mode as if it were not purchased.
**Edit**
Here are the links to the Elite/HDD transfer information.
Data Migration - Things to know
Data Migration
Here's hoping that if there isn't an immediate solution with Europe's release of the Elite (which is looking unlikely as I would have thought that some kind of news/rumour would have been doing the rounds), Microsoft will be implementing something in the autumn update.
**Edit**
Here is a link to the Microsoft help page regarding the problem:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/911198?sd=xbox
The solutions aren't much help if you don't have access to Live!
Last edited:
Haven't seen you around in a while! Deserter! 
and will have to play on my profile after I've upgraded afaik. Might have to give MS a call over this as she won't be a happy bunny. (Haven't told her yet!)