Unable to authorize the listed DLC

[exael7]

"Unable to authorize the listed DLC. Please log in to the Alliance Network with the account used to purchase the DLC."

I have recently suffered from this issue after upgrading my system. After 3 chat sessions and 5 Tier 2 support sessions, a specialist helped me figure this out. She had me create a new User Account with Administrator privileges in Windows 7. I then logged into Windows using the new account and started Origin, then ran Mass Effect 3. The game booted up, logged into EA's servers and worked perfectly! This determined that the problem was on my machine and not with EA's servers. After some investigating on my end, I found out that the authorization file is saved in

C:\Users\[USERNAME]\Documents\Bioware\Mass Effect 3\BIOGame\Config\OnlineProfile.profile

Now here's the trick. When I set up my new machine, I moved the "My Documents" folder to another drive. Turns out that if you do this, THE GAME DOES NOT PLACE THE "Binaries" AND BIOGame" INTO YOUR MASS EFFECT 3 FOLDER!!!

If your "Documents" library DOES NOT POINT TO "My Documents" on your C: drive, YOUR DLC WILL NOT BE AUTHORIZED.

To fix this, create a new profile in Windows with Administrator privileges. Log in to Windows with the new login, then run Origin and Mass Effect 3. Verify that the game works, no errors pop up and that you can load your save game. Once that's done, quit the game. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to "C:\Users\[USERNAME]\Documents\Bioware\Mass Effect 3\". Select the folders "binaries" and "BIOGame" and copy them to wherever you have your normal "BioWare\Mass Effect 3" folder. Log out of the new login and log back into your normal Windows login. 

Run the game and everything should be good!

I hope this helps!

[ScumbagShepurd]

Thanks, but what if the only DLC not allowed to authorized is the online pass of Collector's Edition? Any other DLC works just fine.

[MiranJac]

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@talitymf wrote:

Thanks, but what if the only DLC not allowed to authorized is the online pass of Collector's Edition? Any other DLC works just fine.

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Hi talitymf,

In that case, you need to go to help.ea.com and use CONTACT US to get the assistance of a Game Advisor. You can explain the problem to him/her and I am confident that your issue will be either resolved or escalated to a higher tech support level.

Good luck to you.

[MiranJac]

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@exael7 wrote:

"Unable to authorize the listed DLC. Please log in to the Alliance Network with the account used to purchase the DLC."

I have recently suffered from this issue after upgrading my system. After 3 chat sessions and 5 Tier 2 support sessions, a specialist helped me figure this out. She had me create a new User Account with Administrator privileges in Windows 7. I then logged into Windows using the new account and started Origin, then ran Mass Effect 3. The game booted up, logged into EA's servers and worked perfectly! This determined that the problem was on my machine and not with EA's servers. After some investigating on my end, I found out that the authorization file is saved in

C:\Users\[USERNAME]\Documents\Bioware\Mass Effect 3\BIOGame\Config\OnlineProfile.profile

Now here's the trick. When I set up my new machine, I moved the "My Documents" folder to another drive. Turns out that if you do this, THE GAME DOES NOT PLACE THE "Binaries" AND BIOGame" INTO YOUR MASS EFFECT 3 FOLDER!!!

If your "Documents" library DOES NOT POINT TO "My Documents" on your C: drive, YOUR DLC WILL NOT BE AUTHORIZED.

To fix this, create a new profile in Windows with Administrator privileges. Log in to Windows with the new login, then run Origin and Mass Effect 3. Verify that the game works, no errors pop up and that you can load your save game. Once that's done, quit the game. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to "C:\Users\[USERNAME]\Documents\Bioware\Mass Effect 3\". Select the folders "binaries" and "BIOGame" and copy them to wherever you have your normal "BioWare\Mass Effect 3" folder. Log out of the new login and log back into your normal Windows login. 

Run the game and everything should be good!

I hope this helps!

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Hi exael7, 

Just a thank you for sharing with the rest of us in the community the solution to your issue. Even if it did not help talitymf with her issue, I am sure that another fellow gamer will benefit from your shared information. Thanks again.

[cesillya]

Thank you so much!

This resolved my issue. I was on the phone for almost 3 hours, and I might have continued to be on the phone, if not for this post. 

One thing I would like to clarify: Whenever you have selected the "binaries" and "BIOGame" folders, copy them into your Documents\Bioware\Mass Effect 3 folder.

The first time around, I tried replacing the "binaries" and "BIOGame" folders that were in C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Mass Effect 3, which DID NOT WORK!!

<3

[MerlinRedbeard]

I'm having a similar issue, though I seem unable to complete this fix.  When I created a new administrator account and ran the game on that account, I still received the aforementioned error.  My "Binaries" and "BIOGame" folders are both accounted for in both instances that I tried.  I've been on the phone with EA folks for way too many hours trying to get this to work.  Any ideas?

[petullinenleipa]

My mass effect 3 works fine, but one day its start saying "unable to authorize..", i have tried everything what i have read on the internet, EVEN DELETE REGISTER KEYS (what ea has recommended, AND STILL DONT WORKING!!)  and nothing happen, next i try reboot my computer, i hope it will work.

Funny, when i give my account to my friend, then me3 works just fine.

I have win8 and hp pavillon 15

Can we ever play mass effect 3 without error messages?

(Sory bad english, its not my main language.)

[belerefon]

Had the same problem. This solution did not work for me. What worked was:

1) Uninstall ME3.

2) Uninstall Origin. 

3) Reboot PC.

4) Install Origin.

5) Install ME3.

6) Opened ME3 and confirmed no error.

I did all of this from the Administrator account. Then logged back into my regular account after the last step.

My save games were right where I left them. No more error!

[Alimeega]

I know I'm late to this party, but I just got this same issue on the laptop I've been able to run the ME trilogy on fine for years. The fix at the top didn't work, running as admin etc didn't work, I set Origin to repair ME3 which completed (and reinstalled all the DLC) it now works.

[LucBraken]

There is an easier way to get the DLC to register.

Open your File Explorer. Then access your windows C drive. Then follow these steps.

Program Files (x86)/Origin Games/Mass Effect 3/BIOGame/DLC Highlight all and copy. Go back to the Mass Effect 3 file and select Binaries. Program Files (x86)/Origin Games/Mass Effect 3/Binaries and paste.

There are 94 items in all to copy, so don't be surprised if it takes a few minutes to complete, once that's done, the game should register the DLC upon next opening.