If someone knows a better way to achieve this same result, please post. My ultimate goal was to be able to play SSF4 and SSF4AE as if I was playing them in their most updated states, prior to release of USF4. Since purchasing the download-only upgrade to USF4, I could find no way to play the earlier releases in their native state. Yes, you could go into Versus mode on USF4 and choose the character version you wanted to play. However, you would not have various features as they appeared in those titles, and you would not have a single-player vs. AI and challenge mode consistent with what it was natively on the earlier titles (and probably some other features). Booting from either my SSF4 or SSF4AE disc would display either game’s respective title screen, and then dump me into USF4. By using a thumb drive of sufficient size, I was able to side-step this apparent desire by Capcom to disallow true play of the earlier SSF4 release.
- Update SSF4 to USF4*
- Format a 8GB thumb drive (smaller may work, but this is what I used), using a Windows computer. Format the thumb drive to FAT32
- Insert thumb drive in one of the front USB slots (rear may also work, but Microsoft recommends using the front for removable storage)
- On Xbox 360, log in to account
- Go to settings->storage device, and format the thumb drive
- Go to the storage drive where the USF4 upgrade downloaded to. If you don’t know where it is check “Games & Apps” on each storage device (settings->storage device), until you find Street Fighter 4 (yes, all SF4 and beyond content is stored under Street Fighter 4)
- If you have downloaded SF4 and beyond content to multiple devices, then you will need to search the SF4 content on each device to determine where the USF4 content is
- Once you have located where the USF4 content is stored, press Y on your controller. This will initiate a transfer menu. You will have to go through and uncheck all content that is not Street Fighter 4. Yes, this can be a tedious process, but worth it if you want the same result I achieved.
- Once you have unchecked all non-SF4 content, go to Start in the transfer menu and start the transfer.
- You will be prompted to choose the destination storage device. Choose the newly-formatted thumb drive.
- Be patient while your SF4 content transfers.
- Remove the thumb drive.
- You can now place a SSF4 game disc in the drive, and boot into SSF4
• Note: there will be an update of about 75MB that must be applied on the first boot
• Note: you will be prompted to choose a storage device for save data. Any unlocks, achievements, etc. will have been transferred to the thumb drive. Choose a device that is NOT the thumb drive. - You can then place a SSF4AE game disc in the drive and boot into SSF4AE
• Note: there will be an update of about 74MB that must be applied on the first boot
• Note: you will be prompted to choose a storage device for save data. Any unlocks, achievements, etc. will have been transferred to the thumb drive. Choose a device that is NOT the thumb drive. - To play USF4, simply insert the thumb drive, boot either game disc, and when asked by the game what storage device it should use, choose the thumb drive. Voila, you will be playing USF4.
*Note: when downloading the USF4 upgrade content, I was not prompted to choose a storage device. The upgrade downloads to wherever all of your SF4 files are by default.
I hope this information is useful.
:edit: Upon further testing, it is mandatory that the thumb drive be removed, in order to play SSF4 or SSF4AE. If the thumb drive is inserted, regardless of the game disk used to boot and the storage device chosen when the game prompts, USF4 will override.