When you try to sign up for Xbox LIVE or recover your profile, you receive the error message: "Xbox LIVE sign up is currently unavailable. Please try again later."

At the end of the sign-up process for Xbox LIVE, you receive the following error message: This error can also occur when you are recovering your Xbox LIVE profile.

There are multiple causes for this issue:

• You are trying to perform an account recovery on an Xbox LIVE account that has an expired or deleted Windows Live ID.
• Xbox LIVE sign-up or account recovery is not currently available.
• You are trying to migrate an original Xbox LIVE account to your Xbox 360 console, and there is an issue with the account that has to be corrected first.

You are trying to perform an account recovery on an Xbox LIVE account that has an expired or deleted Windows Live ID.

IMPORTANT If you receive a message that states that your Windows Live ID is not valid when you try to sign in to Xbox LIVE (see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972159 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972159) ), it is extremely important that you do not delete your Xbox LIVE profile from your console or try to recover your LIVE profile until you have successfully updated your Windows Live ID. (See the following details.) If you do try to delete or to recover your Xbox LIVE profile in this scenario, your profile may become irreversibly damaged and unusable.

If you try to sign in to Xbox LIVE by using a LIVE account that is associated with an expired or deleted Windows Live ID, you will be prompted with a message that states, "Your Windows Live ID is not valid. You need to associate a different Windows Live ID with this account. For more info visit http://www.xbox.com/fixid (http://www.xbox.com/fixid) ." You will not be able to sign in to Xbox LIVE by using an account that is in this state until you successfully complete the process to update your Windows Live ID. (For more information, see http://support.xbox.com/support/en/us/nxe/kb.aspx?ID=972159&lcid=1033&category=xboxlive (http://support.xbox.com/support/en/us/nxe/kb.aspx?ID=972159&lcid=1033&category=xboxlive) .) If you try to perform an account recovery on your Xbox LIVE account before you complete the process to update your Windows LIVE ID, you will receive the error message, "Xbox LIVE sign up is currently unavailable. Please try again later."

• An Xbox LIVE account in this state is permanently corrupted and cannot be recovered.
• If your Xbox LIVE account is in this state, you will have to contact Xbox Customer Support.

Xbox LIVE sign-up or account recovery is not currently available.

Various factors that affect account management, recovery, or sign-up may cause this error. Try these steps:

1. Check the Xbox LIVE service status:
   • Visit http://xbox.com/support (http://xbox.com/support) to view the Xbox LIVE service status.
   • Run the Xbox LIVE connection test for status.
     1. In the My Xbox area, select System Settings.
     2. Select Network.
     3. Select Test Xbox LIVE Connection. When the test is completed, the service status is displayed on the screen.
2. Wait, and then try again later.

You are trying to migrate an original Xbox LIVE account to your Xbox 360 console, and there is an issue with the account that needs to be corrected first.

If you cannot successfully migrate the original Xbox account to your Xbox 360 console, you might be affected by the following issues:

• Trial account: If you're using a two-month trial account on the original Xbox console, wait until the trial period is over and the account is a paid subscription before you migrate the account.
• Canceled account: If your account has been canceled on the original Xbox console, create a new account on the Xbox 360 console.
• Account not in good standing: If your account on the original Xbox console isn't in good standing, you may be unable to play a game on an original Xbox console. Try to use your account on the original Xbox console. If you cannot play a game or if you cannot access account management, you may have to update your credit card information in the Xbox Dashboard.
• Account requires action: If you have unread system messages because of a banned gamertag or because of a forced gamertag change, make sure that you read these messages, and then wait until the gamertag is changed or until the ban period is over before you migrate your account to Xbox 360.
• Invalid character: Exit the gamertag screen, reenter the gamertag screen, and then type your information making sure that you use the “period” key instead of the “underscore” key in the e-mail address field.