Fix for key activation and GFWL (GTA IV and GTA EFLC)

[Anthony45654]

This method was found by user dririan, I'm not entirely sure if he was the first one to find the fix but I got this method from him. Anyway, it worked perfectly for me and now both games are activated and are working 100%. I live in Canada so I can confirm this method works for those that live in Canada, as well as the US. As for other countries, I'm not entirely sure but you should give it a try anyway.

I also included screenshots of the different steps (except step 7 since I already got my game activated) for those of you that understand better visually.

1. Go to https://live.xbox.com/en-US/RedeemCode, sign in with your Microsoft account if you're not signed in, and paste the key that Steam gives you. Once it is successfully redeemed, there is nothing left to do on the website, so you can exit it. Picture for Step 1: http://i.imgur.com/ZZsp9.png
2. Open "Games for Windows Marketplace" (the PC client, NOT the website; you can download it here) and sign into the same Microsoft account. Pictures for Step 2: http://i.imgur.com/It6A6.png and http://i.imgur.com/InTtb.png
3. Go to the Downloads tab. Picture for Steps 3-6: http://i.imgur.com/w8fVT.png
4. Find "Game: GTA IV: EFLC" (or GTA IV PC) in the list and click it.
5. Click "View Game Keys".
6. Copy the "Game Activation Key" to your clipboard or write it down.
7. Launch GTA IV from your Steam library, when it asks for you to sign in and paste your activation key, put in the one you got from the Games for Windows Marketplace client, NOT the one that you got from Steam.

If it isn't working for you or if you have any questions, just let me know and I'll try my best to help you.

P.S. The following only applies for those that purchased the Complete Edition (GTA IV + EFLC: You won't be able to access the EFLC games from the GTA IV menu, you will have to launch the GTA IV: ELFC game from your Steam library.

P.P.S. As far as I know, you shouldn't have to activate EFLC because I'm able to play it from my Steam library without having to paste any activation keys. It might be different for some of you, I'm not entirely sure.

[PrebenNO]

This works! You sir have a cookie for sharing this

[Cl1mh4224rd]

Originally Posted by Anthony45654

2. Open "Games for Windows Marketplace" (the PC client, NOT the website; you can download it here) and sign into the same Microsoft account. Pictures for Step 2: http://i.imgur.com/It6A6.png and http://i.imgur.com/InTtb.png

I have a friend who was able to get the activation key through the website. I didn't try it myself, but it might be worth it for anyone who doesn't feel like downloading and installing an updated version of the Marketplace application. (You've been through enough BS with this game already. Heh.)

[dririan]

Originally Posted by Anthony45654

I live in Canada so I can confirm this method works for those that live in Canada, as well as the US. As for other countries, I'm not entirely sure but you should give it a try anyway.

Glad to hear that it works for you! It's been confirmed to work in Canada and the US, but it has also been confirmed not to work elsewhere, namely the EU. So far, users from the UK, Germany, and Russia have all mentioned that it did not work for them. Seems the key is a North American one.

Originally Posted by Anthony45654

The following only applies for those that purchased the Complete Edition (GTA IV + EFLC: You won't be able to access the EFLC games from the GTA IV menu, you will have to launch the GTA IV: ELFC game from your Steam library.

That's odd. I have the complete edition as well, and when I launch GTA IV I get the choice to play GTA IV or GTA:EfLC, and if I choose EfLC then I get a choice of TLaD or TBoGT. I know that I do have to have both installed, though.

PS: Thank you for giving me credit. I doubt that I was the first one to find it, but I know I was the first one to post it on the Steam forums (because I was searching for a fix here before trying a few things on my own, one of which happened to work ).

[dririan]

Originally Posted by Cl1mh4224rd

I have a friend who was able to get the activation key through the website. I didn't try it myself, but it might be worth it for anyone who doesn't feel like downloading and installing an updated version of the Marketplace application. (You've been through enough BS with this game already. Heh.)

Do you know how your friend did it? I'm poking around on the website, and I can't seem to find it. I'd love to update my instructions in the original thread to avoid the crappy (and deprecated it seems) Marketplace client if possible.

[Cl1mh4224rd]

Originally Posted by dririan

Do you know how your friend did it? I'm poking around on the website, and I can't seem to find it. I'd love to update my instructions in the original thread to avoid the crappy (and deprecated it seems) Marketplace client if possible.

I don't know off-hand. I had already gone through the steps above before he told me he used the site. I'll see what I can find, and/or ask him the next time I talk to him.

[Anthony45654]

Bump.
For those that are still unaware of this fix.

[AznBoiZ]

Damn it said enter a valid code...THIS IS THE CODE STEAM GAVE ME :/

[lichtenberg073]

Originally Posted by AznBoiZ

Damn it said enter a valid code...THIS IS THE CODE STEAM GAVE ME :/

I'm having this same problem. I can't believe the number of hoops the you have to jump through to play this game.

[w0rshi]

Valve should put a warning in gta's store page. The code you get from us...

[ZarakiKenpachi]

Yes, I too am having this problem. Windows live won't accept the code.

It seems as though they had this problem before, in another sale, they said they fixed it, now it has happened again.

See that's why markets have to be heavily regulated and bureaucrats needed to tick boxes etc so that companies cannot release crap like this and instead have to accept smaller margins because they would be forced to pay for extra labour to TEST their products properly before release.

[Colon Blow]

I"m having this problem too. Now I can't play GTAIV OR Max Payne 3. Two games I paid for.

[joshdigit]

Did not help. Error: Please enter a valid code. Creating the new US account didn't help too

[MARKdAREALONE]

Same error as the code is invalid.