We have heard from several people directly about their inability to access their Hotmail accounts via Outlook Express. The change is the result of an upgrade to Windows Mail with Windows Vista, and a change in the way Outlook Express and Hotmail messages are handled. To get your Outlook Express back up and running with Hotmail, you'll need to download the new (and free) Windows Mail software (compatible with Windows XP SP2 and up).
1) Download the free Windows Live mail software at http://download.live.com/wlmail (also works with Windows XP) - this will upgrade your Outlook Express installation.
2) Create a new Windows Live email account and update your setting as follows:
- Browse to Tools -> Accounts
- Click the "Add" button followed by "Mail"
- Type in your name and full Hotmail email address (ie. example@hotmail.com)
- In the E-mail Server Names window, select POP3 as your incoming mail server
- Set your incoming mail server to: pop3.live.com
- Set your outgoing mail server to: smtp.live.com
- In the Internet Mail Logon screen, type in your full email account username and password, and check the "remember password" box (but leave the Secure Password Authentication box unchecked)
- Click Next followed by Finish
To complete the setup of your new Windows Live hotmail email account, select your email account from the list and click the "Properties" button. Then:
- Click on the "Servers" tab
- Under "Outgoing Mail Servers," check the "my server requires authentication" box
- Click the "settings" button and select "Use same settings as my incoming server"
- Click on the "Advanced" tab, and under "Server Port Numbers," enter the following: Incoming: 995, Outgoing: 25 or 587
- Next, check the This server requires a secure connection (SSL) box
- Optional - at the bottom of the window, under "Delivery," check the "leave copy of messages on server" box if you wish to retrieve your messages on the web as well. If you don't check this, the messages will be moved (instead of copied) from your Hotmail web account down to your PC. If you frequently access your Hotmail account remotely, you'll probably want to check this box so you can access copies of your messages from anywhere.
- Click OK to save your settings
You should be all set. As a final step, you might want to remove your old hotmail HTTP account, especially if you are still getting error messages.
