Flight and my Live ID

[Kerberos42 0]

I'm going to ask this here, because I don't want to sign up for any other forums just to ask this, and MS support is a PITA to deal with. There seems to be enough knowledgeable people on this subject in this forum, and it sort of pertains to MS Flight.

 

I've had a Windows Live ID (hotmail.com) since 1999, but never had a XBox Gamer tag until the Flight Beta. When Flight was released, I was unable to purchase content because my gamer tag was associated with the USA and I live in Canada. There is no way to change this, and I read in the MS Live support forums you need to create a new gamer tag. I did this, but under a new Live account, associated with my me.com email address.

 

This has been fine, until today I installed Windows 8 Release Preview. That by itself should not affect anything, but now when I launch Flight, I get an error signing into Live. When I go on the website to sign in, I get an error that my Windows Live account (me.com address) is no longer valid and I need to create a new address. I did this, and now I have a new Gamer Tag with no history. I tried signing into Flight with my old login, and I get a message about the Live ID not matching my Gamer Tag and do I want to overwrite? Obviously I don't want to lose my 600,000+ experience points, achievements etc.

 

Is there any way I can get my active gamer tag back, and hopefully associate it with my original hotmail.com account? Everything I see in the MS support forums suggests I need an XBOX console.

 

Flightless in Vancouver.

[RamonB 449]

I’m not sure I fully understand your problem. And what the Windows 8 Preview did to your system.

 

Before the beta, I had an auto generated gamertag used only to do Windows Phone 7 development, it was meaningless so during the beta I changed gamertags and was immediately locked out of the game as Flight did not recognized me.

The GFWL support site sucks, a guy even suggested buying an XBOX to fix my problem! Thankfully I was able to find a workaround with the aid of some MS/MSDN developers.

 

To get your original gamertag and associate it to your original Hotmail account you can try this:

 

Download and install Tinker (a free game) from GFWL.

Launch the game and sign in with your credentials (original eMail and password)

Then press (Home) to access LIVE.

Click the first button on the left side, (the one with your gamertag)

Click “Edit Gamer Profile”

Click “Gamertag”

 

From there you can change your current gamertag and restore your original gamertag name.

It might cost you some 800 M$ points (somewhere around $12.00 US)

 

 

Good Luck.

 

PD: Vancouver is one of my favorite cities, just lovely; and the food mmm. Le Cocodrile and Joe Fortes are just superb.

[Kerberos42 0]

I’m not sure I fully understand your problem. And what the Windows 8 Preview did to your system.

 

I'll see if I can simplify it:

 

I have Live Account "A" with Gamer tag "A" (only used during the beta).

Live Account "B" with Gamer Tag "B" (this one has my flight history)

 

After Windows 8 install, Flight won't login with Live Acct "B" even though its worked since release day up to last night. I'm guessing somehow Flight was able to login, the change to Windows 8 lost whatever setting told it that my account was okay.

 

XBOX Live support site says Live Acct B is invalid, and I must change the email address. I did so and created Live Acct "C" with Gamer Tag "C"

 

Now Live Acct. "B" is gone, can't login, and so is Gamer Tag "B"

 

I want to regain Gamer Tag "B" and attach it to Live Acct "A" and lose everything else.

 

PD: Vancouver is one of my favorite cities, just lovely; and the food mmm. Le Cocodrile and Joe Fortes are just superb.

 

I've never been to Le Crocodile, but Joe Fortes has gone downhill. It has new owners and after going last week, I said I wouldn't be back. Can get a way better meal for half the price elsewhere. However, it's still pretty good for people watching!

[RoboRay 126]

I think this question goes a little beyond "customer knowledge". You may want to reconsider not wanting to ask Microsoft for help.

[Kerberos42 0]

I think this question goes a little beyond "customer knowledge". You may want to reconsider not wanting to ask Microsoft for help.

 

That's what I'm afraid of. 90+ minute wait for online chat support, no way to talk to a live person. I was just hoping someone might know a trick. I'll try the game download mentioned above.

 

I thought there was a way to play Flight offline, but I can't get past the Live login window, which now it cant find my account, but I have to enter something.

[noffa 0]

That's what I'm afraid of. 90+ minute wait for online chat support, no way to talk to a live person. I was just hoping someone might know a trick. I'll try the game download mentioned above.

 

I thought there was a way to play Flight offline, but I can't get past the Live login window, which now it cant find my account, but I have to enter something.

 

I've had a vaguely related experience when I bought a Windows phone. When I selected English as a menu language during setup, my Live and Xbox accounts suddenly were pinned to the UK, and I could no longer pay for stuff. So now I have to order Live points from Amazon UK...

 

Microsoft have made several disjoint public user systems over the years: Passport, Live, Zune, Xbox, at least. The consolidating of these are a major headache to a lot of users, so I hear it's something Microsoft support deals with quite regularly. Word on the street is that it's a quick fix, but it has to go through them. Haven't been bothered to try myself yet. Please keep us posted if you get this resolved!

[bpsanborn 0]

There is something new in Windows 8 that ties your windows 8 login to your MS Windows live account. Did you give any "Microsoft Account" information during the Window 8 RP install? This is supposed to link you auto-magiclly to your SkyDrive cloud account.

 

You can install and run Win 8 without the MS account link... but I'm assuming if you did give some new 4th account info or one of your other 3 accts to the Win 8 installer... now Flight will only start using the one linked with Win 8.

 

I hate this kind "Apple behavior" by MS. They want to control everything on your system. You can only buy and install apps from the MS App Store in Win 8.

 

Brian

[enamel 4]

You can only buy and install apps from the MS App Store in Win 8.

 

Completely false, you can install any application you want, just like Win 7. You do have to drop out of Metro to do it tho.

[Kerberos42 0]

There is something new in Windows 8 that ties your windows 8 login to your MS Windows live account. Did you give any "Microsoft Account" information during the Window 8 RP install? This is supposed to link you auto-magiclly to your SkyDrive cloud account.

 

When I installed Win 8, it did ask for my live login I used my original hotmail.com account, not the one I use with Flight. Once I realized it was being "Appley" I removed the Live login and went back to standard Windows non integrated account. I don't think apps get tied to your windows login, as Flight prompted me independently for Live credentials.

 

On a side note, I'm not looking forward providing end user support for Win 8.

User: Where's the start button? All my programs are gone!

Me: Um... yeah. Move you mouse to where the start button used to be. Wait for it. There, see the little colored box? Click that. Do you see your program? No? Okay, put the mouse pointed on the right side of the screen. See the little icon that says All Apps? Click that...... blah blah blah...

[bpsanborn 0]

Completely false, you can install any application you want, just like Win 7. You do have to drop out of Metro to do it tho.

 

Sorry.. I thought I read that today on the CNET announcement page for "Release Preview". I have not installed yet on my other desktop so I will defer to you.

 

Brian

[Kerberos42 0]

I had some success with this issue. MS Support was of 0 help. I managed to get Gamer Tag "B" back. For email B that GT "B" was attached to, I found a link to reset my password. This email address had been deactivated, but I was still able to request a password change. When the password change confirmation email came through, I clicked the link "I did not request this, please cancel". I was then able to login to the xbox live website, and there was my gamer tag with my history and purchases. Flipped over to flight, and I was able to login finally. Now I just need to switch the Gamer Tag to my original email address.