Windows Live Hotmail Technical Support Blog: Hotmail

You Ask, We Answer - Questions from our Users

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:59:20 GMT

Hi All,

We often get questions from our users through our blog here, our customer service representatives, and our newsletters. Here are some of our most asked questions and the answers.

-Scott

Q: “Why do I have to include @hotmail.com with my email address every time I log on to hotmail?” – John L.

My wife complains to me about this one too. The reason for it is because we have so many users, we created multiple domains (a domain is the word after the @ symbol - @domain.com) so that people could continue getting email addresses they wanted (like John, instead of john19872). We now have @hotmail, @live, and @msn. So while Yahoo! would have one john; Microsoft could have several. People also have the ability to create an "EASI passport", which means you can associate your non-Microsoft email address with a Live ID, and use that to sign in instead of creating a @hotmail or other address. You can do that here. Select the option Use your own email address and complete the other fields. You will then be able to access Windows Live services with your existing email address.

Q: When writing an email; why is my compose page is so small? – Carol B.

This began happening when we released our latest service update in March. We have identified this to be a bug and are currently working on the resolution. We plan to have this fixed in the upcoming release later this year.

Q: How can I get notified when I receive a new Hotmail e-mail? – Peter F.

There are a few different ways you can receive new e-mail alerts including:

· You can setup an alert on your mobile device. Learn how here.

· If you are a Windows Live Messenger user, you can receive alerts when you receive a new email. Learn how here. If you use Windows Live Mail, you can set up sound notifications by accessing the “Tools” menu and selecting “Options…”

Here is what you should see:

Q: How do I add a contact? – Jessica B.

You can add contacts in a few different ways depending on if you use Windows Live Hotmail or if you use Windows Live Mail. You can learn about Windows Live Hotmail contacts here and Windows Live Mail here.

Q: How do I set up an automatic vacation reply? – Lyle S.

That’s a great question now that summer has arrived. Setting up an automatic vacation reply is a very simple task. You can read how to do it here.

Q: Why am I prompted to log in twice when I use Hotmail? - Mary K.

This has been identified as a bug in Windows Live ID that is specific to users with an @msn account and using a non-Microsoft browser; such as Firefox, Safari, and Opera. The product group has identified the problem and is working on the resolution. The service will be updated with the fix in the upcoming release slated for later this year.

Q: My emails have the wrong time-stamp on them. How do I change it? – Bob D.

You can change your time zone setting by doing the following:

1. Go to Options

2. Click on “View and edit your personal information”

3. Click on “Registered Information”

4. Scroll down to the “Time zone” drop down and select the appropriate one

5. Click Save

6. Click “Sign out” in the upper right corner

7. Navigate back to www.hotmail.com and sign back into your account

Q: Can I create sub-folders within my folders in Hotmail? – John R.

You cannot create sub-folders within Hotmail.

Q: My mom can’t get into her Hotmail account since she received an email asking her to change her password.” Summer D.

Unfortunately, it sounds like your mother has fallen subject to a phishing scam. In the June newsletter I created a story that details how some people use this type of scam to gain personal information or take over email accounts for SPAM purposes. To regain access, please have her submit a request to our Help Center. And then you both should read the entry on identity protection on my blog to learn how to prevent this in the future.

Not getting all of your mail?

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:43:01 GMT

Each week we receive calls from users who report not receiving e-mail from people. Often this is a very simple change of settings, other times you will need your e-mail provider’s help.

Here are some things you can do to resolve this problem for our top two reasons of not being able to receive e-mail.

1. “My friends say they emailed me, but I just never got it. They didn’t get any error messages either.”

The most common cause of not receiving mail from your friends or family is filter settings. Windows Live Hotmail offers several methods for users to set receiving rules for their inbox.

· Check your junk e-mail filter and blocked sender list

· Set the junk e-mail filtering level

· Block or allow messages from specific senders and domains

· Filter incoming messages

2. “My friends are saying that they get an error message saying permanent failure when they send to me.”

Occasionally, when an email service provider sets up new servers, our network doesn’t yet know them. The addresses of the servers are as unknown to our network as one that would be created by a spam robot. Brand new providers may not be aware of our requirements for senders and our filter incorrectly recognizes them as spam. This can even happen to established providers in some unique cases. If someone who sends email to you, receives the message below, saying that there is a permanent failure, first check with your friend to be sure that they have the correct address. If so, and the problem persists, have your friend submit the error message to their email provider’s support channel.

Here is an example of the message that your friend would see:

PERM_FAILURE: [Your Friend’s Email Provider] tried to deliver your message, but it was rejected by the recipient domain. We recommend contacting the other email provider for further information about the cause of this error. The error that the other server returned was: 550 550 SC-001 Mail rejected by Windows Live Hotmail for policy reasons. Reasons for rejection may be related to content with spam-like characteristics or IP/domain reputation problems. If you are not an email/network admin please contact your E-mail/Internet Service Provider for help. Email/network admins, please visit http://postmaster.live.com for email delivery information and support (state 13).

If the information above doesn’t help address your specific situation, please contact customer support.

Workaround for Invalid Cookie Settings problem

Tue, 13 May 2008 14:03:05 GMT

Hello,

We have noticed that the majority of the users who are experiencing invalid cookie settings error have their mailbox bookmarked or a shortcut created on their desktop.

We request you delete the bookmark/shortcut that you have created and follow these steps:

1. Sign out from your account.

2. Go to http://mail.live.com

3. Save a shortcut to your Desktop.

4. Save your e-mail address and password on the Sign In page. Then sign in to your account.

5. Access your account from the shortcut that you created on your Desktop.

Thanks,

Windows Live Hotmail Team

Scott's Top 30 Windows Live Hotmail Help Topics for Mail and Settings

Thu, 08 May 2008 23:06:27 GMT

Hey Everyone,

There is a ton of stuff that you can do in the Windows Live Hotmail Mail Settings. I've complied a list of the Top 30 articles we have that surround this topic. You can find all of our articles at http://help.live.com.

Have a good one!

-Scott

Top 30 Windows Live Hotmail Help Topics: Mail and Settings

New Phishing Mail: IRS Economic Stimulus Program

Wed, 07 May 2008 01:18:17 GMT

Hey Everyone!

I was just made aware of a new phishing mail that is making it's way around. If you click the email link, you will be redirected to a phishing site (image below) with a URL of 203.232.105.39:8976/_irs.gov/irfofgetstatus.htm. You should immediately delete this message. Do not enter any information into the site pictured below.

Here is the official IRS government site that details the stimulus package.

-s

--------------------------

SUBJECT: IRS - Economic Stimulus Program and contains the following text:

Over 130 million Americans will receive refunds as
part of President Bush program to jumpstart the economy.

Our records indicate that you are qualified to receive the
2008 Economic Stimulus Refund.

The fastest and easiest way to receive your refund is by
direct deposit to your checking/savings account.

Please follow the link and fill out the form and submit
before May 10th, 2008 to ensure that your refund will be
processed as soon as possible.

Submitting your form on May 10th, 2008 or later means that
your refund will be delayed due to the volume of requests we
anticipate for the Economic Stimulus Refund.

To access Economic Stimulus Refund, please click here.

NOTE: If you received this message in you SPAM/BULK folder, that
is because of the large amount of e-mails we are sending out
or because of the restrictions implemented by your ISP.

© Copyright 2008, Internal Revenue Service U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Correction to Statement: Eric Lai Computerworld Article

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:23:57 GMT

Hello All,

I wanted to provide a quick correction to the article that Eric Lai just published: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=software&articleId=9079018&taxonomyId=18&intsrc=kc_top.

I incorrectly worded my statement:

Hammer said that Hotmail users will also still be able to use any other desktop e-mail client that is POP3-compliant, such as the open-source Thunderbird software.

This should read:

"...Hotmail PLUS users will also still be able to use any other desktop e-mail client that is POP3-compliant, such as the open-source Thunderbird software."

I apologize for the incorrect statement I wrote and any confusion that may have caused. Eric, thanks for picking up on this so fast. :)

-Scott

Microsoft Announces Changes for Accessing Hotmail with Outlook Express

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:48:17 GMT

A change is coming for users that access Hotmail with Outlook Express. Outlook Express uses a protocol called DAV (Distributed Authoring and Versioning protocol) to access a Windows Live™ Hotmail® e-mail account. DAV, like POP3 or IMAP, is the way that a mail client communicates with a web-based mail server.

As of June 30, 2008, Microsoft is disabling the DAV protocol and you will no longer be able to access your Hotmail Inbox via Outlook Express. As an alternative, we recommend that you download Windows Live Mail, a free desktop e-mail client that has the familiarity of Outlook Express and much more.

This next generation of free e-mail software will allow you to easily manage multiple e-mail accounts—including Windows Live Hotmail, plus other e-mail accounts that support POP3/IMAP. Better yet, Windows Live Mail integrates well with other Windows Live services, and downloads in minutes. After you provide your user name and password, you will automatically be linked to your Hotmail account, providing continued access to your email and contacts.

We encourage you to download Windows Live Mail at http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview. We will continue to update this blog with information regarding this move.

To help aid in this transition, we've included some frequently asked questions:

Q: Why are we disabling DAV?
A: DAV is a legacy protocol that is not well suited for client access to large inboxes. Over time, as we’ve increased e-mail storage limits for Windows Live Hotmail customers—and now offer 5GB inboxes for free—a more efficient access protocol is needed.

Q: What are we replacing DAV with?

A: We have developed a new, much more efficient protocol called DeltaSynch that is far superior to DAV especially for large e-mail inboxes. It enables email clients to only download changes since the last time the client polled the email server for changes. This is much more efficient and high performing than having to download all the headers in every folder as is the case with DAV.

Q: Is DeltaSync compatible with Outlook Express?

A: The new protocol unfortunately is NOT supported by Outlook Express and support would require too many changes to the Outlook Express software.

Q: Is there a different or new mail client I can try that uses DeltaSync?

A: Microsoft is providing Windows Live Mail, a free e-mail client that has the familiarity of Outlook Express and much more. This free, next generation e-mail client enables users to easily manage multiple e-mail accounts including Windows Live Hotmail and other e-mail accounts that support POP3/IMAP. Windows Live Mail also integrates well with other Windows Live services, is optimized to work with Windows Live Hotmail, and offers:

· Offline mail

· Windows Live Hotmail account aggregation for those users with multiple Hotmail accounts

· Account aggregation for POP and IMAP mail accounts

· Rich photo-sharing capabilities

· Advanced search via integration with Desktop Search

· Safety tools (Anti-Virus scanning, anti-phishing, anti-spam features across aggregated accounts for customers who do not have an Anti-Virus product)

· Integration with Windows Live services including Windows Live Messenger, Contacts and Spaces

· RSS (Real Simple Syndication) feed aggregation

· Ability to send SMS (short message service) text to a mobile phone from Windows Live Mail

Q: If I have technical issues when switching, where can I find assistance? Is there a tech support hotline?

A: Please visit http://help.live.com.

Mail being sent out as blank

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:25:57 GMT

Updated 4/4

Hello Everyone,

The problems some users were having sending blank mails were resolved by a hotfix that was released early this week - users should no longer be running into that issue. If you're still see the problem, please contact our support team by filing a ticket at http://support.live.com

Thanks

Brandon

Error when Clicking Send

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:49:43 GMT

Hello Everyone,

Recently, some of our users have been experiencing an error when clicking send from Windows Live Hotmail. This error would return as:

Windows Live Hotmail was unable to complete your request

Xfs request 'DeliverMessage' failed. Response code: 'InternalServerError', server response: '999 0'

This was due to your account residing on a server that was undergoing maintenance. Our operations team has been working diligently on this issue and have reported that it should now be resolved.

If you continue to receive an error when clicking Send, please go to http://support.live.com and select Windows Live Hotmail. Select Error when clicking send on the form and submit. An agent will then be able to help you further.

Warm Regards,

-Scott

Technorati Tags: Windows Live Hotmail,Windows Live Mail,Hotmail Support,Live Mail Support,Microsoft

Problems Sending or Downloading Attachments

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 08:06:51 GMT

Windows Live Hotmail doesn't support all file types. If you send an attachment that Windows Live Hotmail doesn't support, the e-mail recipient won't be able to download or open the attachment. You can't unblock a blocked attachment after it's been sent. However, to send or receive an unsupported file type as an attachment, use one of the following methods, or ask the person sending you the attachment do so:

Compress the file.

Use a zipped folder or a third-party compression program to compress the file, and then attach it to your e-mail message as a .zip file. See your software documentation for information about how to compress a file.

Change the file extension to .txt.

Locate the file that you want to attach, right-click the file, and then click Rename.
Type txt in place of the original file extension, and then press ENTER.
Attach the renamed file to your e-mail message. Remember to tell the recipient how to change the file extension back after they download the attachment to their computer.

Upload the file to Windows Live SkyDrive.

SkyDrive is a free service that you can use to store and share your files online with friends or with anyone in the world. Use any computer connected to the Internet to access your files, and share your public files or folders with anyone by e-mailing them a link to the file or folder. You can upload files up to 50 MB in size, and you receive a total of 5 gigabyte (GB) of online storage space.

To get started with SkyDrive Beta, go to the Windows Live SkyDrive website.

Notes

Some e-mail programs, such as Microsoft Outlook, block certain types of attached files to help protect against viruses. You'll be notified if you attach a file that others may not be able to open.
For a free Windows Live Hotmail account, the maximum size for an attachment is 10 MB. For a paid Windows Live Hotmail account, the maximum size for an attachment is 20 MB.

Windows Live Hotmail doesn't support the following file types. Your operating system, firewall, or other software may also cause additional file types to be blocked.

.ade	.adp	.app
.asp	.bas	.bat
.cer	.chm	.cmd
.com	.cpl	.crt
.csh	.exe	.fxp
.hlp	.hta	.inf
.ins	.isp	.its
.js	.jse	.ksh
.lnk	.mad	.maf
.mag	.mam	.maq
.mar	.mas	.mat
.mau	.mav	.maw
.mda	.mdb	.mde
.mdt	.mdw	.mdz
.msc	.msi	.msp
.mst	.ops	.pcd
.pif	.prf	.prg
.pst	.reg	.scf
.scr	.sct	.shb
.shs	.tmp	.url
.vb	.vbe	.vbs
.vsmacros	.vss	.vst
.vsw	.ws	.wsc
.wsf	.wsh

Set Junk mail filtering level and manage contacts

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 10:49:02 GMT

Set the junk e-mail filtering level

You can use the junk e-mail filter to help decrease the amount of junk e-mail that appears in your Inbox.
1.     Sign in to the Windows Live Hotmail website with your Windows Live ID (The user name and password that you use to sign in to any Windows Live, MSN, or Office Live sites and services. If you have a Passport Network, Hotmail, or Messenger account, you can use it as your Windows Live ID.) .
2.     In the upper-right corner of the page, click Options, and then click More options.
3.     Under Junk e-mail, click Filters and reporting.
4.     Under Filters and reporting, select the options that you want, and then click Save.
Notes
·         If you choose Exclusive for your junk e-mail filter, only messages from e-mail addresses on your Contacts or Allowed senders lists appear in your Inbox. Messages from senders not on those lists are automatically sent to the Junk e-mail folder.
·         You should occasionally check your junk e-mail folder to make sure that good messages are not sent to there by mistake.

Organize your contacts

You can use the contact list to store personal information about people you know, such as their names, addresses, and e-mail addresses. You can also sort your contact list to make your contacts easier to find. For example, you can sort your contacts alphabetically by first name or last name.

Add a contact
1.     Sign in to the Windows Live Hotmail website with your Windows Live ID (The user name and password that you use to sign in to any Windows Live, MSN, or Office Live sites and services. If you have a Passport Network, Hotmail, or Messenger account, you can use it as your Windows Live ID.) .
2.     In the left pane, click Contacts.
3.     Click New.
4.     Type the details of your new contact, and then click Save.

Remove a contact
1.     Sign in to the Windows Live Hotmail website with your Windows Live ID (The user name and password that you use to sign in to any Windows Live, MSN, or Office Live sites and services. If you have a Passport Network, Hotmail, or Messenger account, you can use it as your Windows Live ID.) .
2.     In the left pane, click Contacts.
3.     Select a contact, and then click Delete.
4.     Click OK.

Edit a contact
1.     Sign in to the Windows Live Hotmail website with your Windows Live ID (The user name and password that you use to sign in to any Windows Live, MSN, or Office Live sites and services. If you have a Passport Network, Hotmail, or Messenger account, you can use it as your Windows Live ID.) .
2.     In the left pane, click Contacts.
3.     Select a contact, and then click Edit.
4.     Change the details of your contact, and then click Save.

Print your contacts
1.     Sign in to the Windows Live Hotmail website with your Windows Live ID (The user name and password that you use to sign in to any Windows Live, MSN, or Office Live sites and services. If you have a Passport Network, Hotmail, or Messenger account, you can use it as your Windows Live ID.) .
2.     In the left pane, click Contacts.
3.     Click . A printable contacts page opens.
4.     Click Print. Depending on the size of your address book, downloading and printing it may take some time.

Merge duplicate contacts
1.     Sign in to the Windows Live Hotmail website with your Windows Live ID (The user name and password that you use to sign in to any Windows Live, MSN, or Office Live sites and services. If you have a Passport Network, Hotmail, or Messenger account, you can use it as your Windows Live ID.) .
2.     In the left pane, click Contacts.
3.     Click the contact that you want to merge.
–or–
Hold down the CTRL key, and then click each contact that you want to merge.
4.     On the toolbar, click Merge.
5.     On the Merge Contacts page, you can click any of the menus to view or change the merged contact's information. Information that's overwritten when the contacts are merged is added to the merged contact's Notes box.
6.     To save the merged contact information, click Save.

Sort your contact list
1.     Sign in to the Windows Live Hotmail website with your Windows Live ID (The user name and password that you use to sign in to any Windows Live, MSN, or Office Live sites and services. If you have a Passport Network, Hotmail, or Messenger account, you can use it as your Windows Live ID.) .
2.     In the left pane, click Contacts.
3.     In the upper-right corner of the page, click Options.
4.     Under Sort contacts, click the sorting option that you want.

Notes
· To send e-mail to a contact, type their name in the To box when writing an e-mail message, or select the contact in the contact list, and then click E-mail contact.
· To add a person to your contact list when you receive an e-mail from them, click Add contact in the message header.

Are You Having Problems Forwarding Attachments? - Resolved

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 21:58:57 GMT

Hello All,

Just wanted to give an update that the problems some customers were having sending attachments (the attachments would get truncated or would show as having a virus when being recieved) is now completely resolved. Thanks a lot to all the users who contacted us to help us troubleshoot the issue further!

Thanks
Brandon