Problem accessing Outlook/Hotmail !

[Boris]

Anyone else got this problem ? (it only started today).

Whatever browser I use – Comodo Dragon, Firefox, Pale Moon, or IE on a Windows PC (tried 3 so far) – I get the result below (see attachment).

My Android phone (if using a browser) gets the same result, but the Outlook app still lets me get in to my 2 accounts OK.

Using the Windows Mail app on a Windows PC also lets me access my 2 Hotmail accounts.

I am really confused ! ……. something to do with my router/ISP ????????

The PCs are all on Win 10 1803 (17134.407)

Never trust an atom - they make up everything !

[Dave Rice]

I think they stopped all 3rd party access to the free email products as they want to put adverts in front of you.

This affected some I know last year, perhaps they are rolling it out.

[Boris]

Thanks Dave.

Had a thought.

My wife uses Thunderbird and FossaMail to access her two Hotmail accounts on the same PC !

They still work OK – just checked.

Another thought – I am using an ad-blocker – might that have some effect on connecting ?

Never trust an atom - they make up everything !

[Dave Rice]

I think they are rolling it out as I know some are affected and some aren’t. Personally I’ve always use gmail for free accounts so I may be talking Chinese whispers, but I did have a hands on example last year with an outlook.com email address.

[Boris]

I don’t have a real problem with that, if that is what is causing the problem.

My real grouse is not being told in advance by M$ that I am going to be affected in this way, and consequently wasting 4-5 hours trying every solution that I could think of to resolve the problem.

In practical terms it’ll only mean taking my Hudl (with the Outlook app on) with me when I’m out fixing things. It was always very convenient to use a browser on someone else’s PC to check/respond to mails, as emailing using a phone is a bit fiddly.

Never trust an atom - they make up everything !

[Dave Rice]

As the credentials and server settings will be the same on those that do and don’t work, it must be something in Microsoft land.

[johnbarry]

I have access to 5 hotmail/outlook accounts they all work in FF and Thunderbird, in thunderbird all 4 are there (in one thunderbird) and work as normal.

Cheers
John

[Wheels-Of-Fire]

Windows Live Mail stopped working with the MAPI (Microsofts Message App Programming Interface) protocol last year so I had to look up the IMAP addresses and ports and use them instead. MAPI is used by Outlook and exchange server for mail, calender and other stuff. Never had a problem getting at Hotmail from a browser though.

[Wheels-Of-Fire]

Looking more closely at your screen shot it looks like you are using the default mail program from your browser instead of going to the web page directly. Also looks like the program is the yucky Windows mail, is that even set up ?

[Boris]

Wheels-Of-Fire wrote:

Looking more closely at your screen shot it looks like you are using the default mail program from your browser instead of going to the web page directly. Also looks like the program is the yucky Windows mail, is that even set up ?

Nope – afraid not, that screen shot is from Comodo Dragon and accessing that link directly.

That Hotmail account is about 18 years old – so M$ may think I’ve had my ration of free access ?

Never trust an atom - they make up everything !

[Wheels-Of-Fire]

Oh yeh you said it was ? Dont know then ?

[Boris]

In the immortal words of Victor Meldrew – “I don’t believe it !”

The problem has disappeared and I can log in to Hotmail via browser again.

Everything seems to be normal again.

Never trust an atom - they make up everything !

[Author]

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