Microsoft is grappling with a Hotmail outage that's keeping some users of the email service from using their accounts.
A faulty server is apparently the root of the problem, according to a Microsoft customer service representative who confirmed the outage on Wednesday. The representative declined to immediately discuss the nature of the problem, when it began, or how many of Hotmail's 187 million users are affected.
The outage has caused intermittent access to Hotmail accounts for some consumers over the last couple of weeks and, more alarmingly, appears to have erased new and saved messages from in-boxes, according to several people who contacted ZDNet UK sister site CNET News.com about the problem. It is also the latest in a string of ongoing customer complaints about the service.
Customers, especially paying ones, are starting to lose patience.
"For a company the size of Microsoft, which bills themselves as a progressive, consumer-friendly organisation, they're really taking a long time to fix this," said Dwight Foster, a Hotmail subscriber in Orinda, California, who pays $20 a year for an account with extra storage. "I'm about to blow a gasket."
Angry Hotmail customers are bad news for Microsoft, which faces fierce competition from Google and Yahoo in the free email services market. Google turned up the heat on its rivals last year when it launched a test version of Gmail, an email service featuring 1GB of free storage. Microsoft and Yahoo have been rushing to catch up ever since.
Gmail has been a particular pain for Microsoft, according to a new study. When signing up for Gmail, more people switch from Hotmail than from any other competing service, according to Return Path, a company that makes tools to ease the transition from one email program to another. About twice as many people abandoned Hotmail accounts than Yahoo ones in favour of Gmail in the last half of 2004, the study said.
Email is a key component in each company's growing stable of online properties that generate billions of dollars in annual advertising revenue.
Talkback
im about tired of this thing called hot mail i can not send any email or when i recive email i can not read it it tells me my account is not right or i cant get any mail at all so if this does not get fixed im going to another account AND IT WOUNT BE HOTMAIL IT SUCKS.
Just when I was getting new business, Hotmail made sure I look like a fool!
I too am a paying Hotmail user who has had less than 50% access to my e-mail the last couple of weeks; I found your article with a Google search because I knew from past experience that contacting MicroSoft would not do me any good. I enjoy the functionality that MicroSoft has to offer the world, but have never thought them to be a good customer service company - unfortunately, it's not really all that easy to switch platforms or even e-mail addresses when so much of our time, historical documents and software and hardware investments have been made in a way that tie them to a dependence on MicroSoft. I'm not sure breaking up MicroSoft is the answer, I'd rather see them be regulated and held accountable for a product that works reliably - just like utilities are. After all, MicroSoft, to me, is more of a utility than a matter of choice.
my account has been having serious problems for weeks not days, it says I have a virus on every attachment, (proven not be true). account will not let me forward.......account will not let me attach a contact for sending new mails...My wifes Email with all her carbbage works fine ............Bill needs HELP!
There are those of us in the interactive marketing business who have experienced some large problems because of Hotmal / MSN problems rejecting solicited, opt-in email messages. No bounce back messages, no nothing from Hotmail / MSN.
Look for some large lawsuits from major players, Mr Gates. Look for tons of publicity on the matter as well.
My hotmail using university students have told me all week that the emails I've sent to them with documents attached are laden with a virus. My anti-virus program says the documents are clean. Hotmail, grrrrr!
I am also getting false virus reports from hotmail re my photos I try to send as attachments. I am receiving mail but cannot send. So I have switched to Yahoo, not problems there
is there an estimated time frame when hotmail will b workin again
It's interesting that 4 days after my free Hotmail account began glitching to the level that access was impossible, i get an email from Microsoft extolling the benefits of their $49.95 per year "Outlook web access".
Redmond has proven in the past that they are willing to put their customers through many painful steps in order to corral them into newer paying services.
Or, maybe i've been watching too many X-Files.....
Very disapointed that the server problem has not been fixed, this leaves me no choice but to change to another service.
Instead of worrying about American High School Education, Gates ought to worry about the black eye that Hotmail's server problems are causing. All my old Email messages have been deleted, messages dont arrive and when it does work, ever so sporadically, I cant attach any files. Trend Micro invariably points to certain secure attachment as virus laden, etc. etc.
Customer support in Bombay or wherever is a joke. The refrain is that even though I'm paying $20 a year, I'm still a "free" account and not worthy of technical support.
Microsoft: This is a crisis for a lot of business people . SAY SOMETHING! ANYTHING! and not through some kids in Bangalore or wherever.
Not sure when the message about erroroneous hotmail attachments was sent, but I am having the exact same problem. Hotmail says every file has a virus and I can't send anything to myself at work. Updated Norton, ran full system checks, there's no virus, hotmail is crazy. Is it only me with this problem...someone help. Is there anything I can do?
Hotmail has been having problems for weeks.
somtimes when you refresh your inbox everything is gone and you have to log back in.
Also it seems to think every attachment has a virus, meaning you can't download it or even forward to an account you could download it from.
(very annoying)
I have been a computer programmer for more than 30 years and a Hotmail user for more than four years. There is absolutely no excuse for the lousy service provided by Hotmail in the last several weeks. It is disgraceful that Microsoft could allow Hotmail service to degrade to the point where it is not usable and at the same time, keep their mouth shut as if they could pretend nothing is wrong. I hope that the fleas from a thousand camels end up in the armpits of the Microsoft employees responsible for this debacle. Goodbye Hotmail; hello Gmail.
Receive the e-mail but am dropped from the web when I try to download vital attatchments
I have been having problems with logging on to Hotmail for some time and now can't log on at all to check my e-mails. I wasn't sure whether it was a problem with Hotmail, my PC or my communications line. I recently had my PC completely checked and "cleaned" only to find that the problem wasn't with my own PC. I also pay an annual premium for extra storage only to find that I can't even get onto Hotmail...not even to e-mail Hotmail to tell them I have a problem!!
I keep getting "error on Page" when I try to open any emails. Has anyone else had this and do you know what I can do about it?
I keep getting "error on Page" when I try to open any emails. Has anyone else had this and do you know what I can do about it?
There I was, travelling around the country, blaming my bluetooth connection, blaming my orange mobile, then I get home and find hotmail is just as rubbish from my broadband connection. I'm cancelling my paid for account now and I'll think about switching to gmail. It is a problem to switch though. No doubt about it. Maybe I'll get a spare.
I would consider myself a fan of Microsoft until now but NO MORE. It has been more than two weeks that I've had major problems with Hotmail - messages are not sent, can't access account, etc. I finally gave up and have been telling all my contacts my new YAHOO address. ITs taken a long time to notify everyone.
To top it off there is no way to tell Microsoft of the problem! I noticed Yahoo has a way to email them if there are problems. I will NEVER use hotmail again and now I have a very bad attitude towards Microsoft. Your website is the only one reporting on this. WHY?
all these hotmail problems seem to go back to when they increased the free storage. i'm now trying to transfer everything to my aol account. why don't microsoft tell us that they are having problems? i have wasted a lot of time thinking it was my new pc that was the problem!
For over a month, I've been unable to access my hotmail account and my e-mail addresses. I've lost clients, friends and a good deal of money and still not a word from Hotmail as to when...and if...this problem will be taken care of. It is March 23rd. Are other people also still having a problem?
Match the picure? What the hell is this! I have matched the picture 30 times and still cannot get into hotmail.com to read/send emails! It appears to be stuck on a loop so if your reading this bill gates,,,then bloody fix it!! Anyone else got this problem or know what to do?
I have been haveing problems for over 1 week., I called to report the fact I was only able tao get email in hotmail and outlook spiraticly. They first told me I had to download updates to outlook. This was dumb because I could not get mail using hotmail either. Finally Wed. evening I was told they did have server issues and it would be resolved in 2-30 hours. I was able to use outlook email for about 5 min on Friday morning now broken again. I lost all of my inbox messages. I need this for my business and I see no help insight.
And to think that they even have chemical plants, air traffic control systems, retirement fund datacenters, warships, governments and what not running on the same stuff.
But if everyone is using it it must be good. Right?
Yeah, everybody used to smoke a few decades back. Mostly because of large PR funding and everyone else doing it.
We are trying to figure the hotmail problemt out in our house. I have been having huge problems but a housemate and other friends have not had any. Plus none of us have problems on other sites. It is Hotmail and I am ready to jump. It is free though so I cannot complain too much.
Stuart S
Hello microsoft.....are you out there.....mr Gates would please be so kind as to send me my email?
Thanks
Hi I have been having a problems with my hotmail for over a week. Whenever I try to sign in I get match the picture which I have been doing and then trying to sign in and it keeps on going back to match the picture. I have opened another email address for the time been. If there is anyone that can help I would appreciate it.
thanks
i am really gettin tired of not being able to get into my inbox it has been like this for some time now! if microsoft have so much money why dont they fix the problem straight away or they're going to lose alot of customers!!
it is extremely difficult when there is no land telephone line to a real life human being to whom the naive user can resort. He or she is hoping to read messages from nearest and dearest, is confronted with a blank page or one which tells him to use the refresh button which is not there. Wanting to share plans or find out what adventurous daughter is doing on the top of Mount Kilimanjaro but no inbox function or ablity to send mail, and the ever present possibility that the facility will be discontinued if it is unused for a few days.
Me too! Why in the hell won't they send us an email telling us about the problem! We get MSN HOTMAIL advertisement "love letters" in our inbox frequently... why don't they tell us about this problem!
i thought i had done something wrong with my computer, i am pleased in one way that it isn't my fault, but i am doing family research and all my emails come to hotmail. can't get on at all of a night-time, got on for five minutes today at work. MOST FRUSTRATING
Why can't I get my email? For about 8-q0 months when I put in my password nothing happens! I can get it fine from my home computer. any ideas?
no print view
no help access
what is happening????
i also do have that problem....is there anyone out there who could help us???
i am also havin the match the picture problem and its duin ma fukin ed in and it needs fixing the people sed its sumat 2 du with mi fire wall and i changed it and its aloud of bollux so fix it x email me on kaylee_babe@myway.com 2 help me please xxxxx
Hello
I live in the Eastern Caribbean and I am having some serious problems reading my hot mails. It is almost 2 weeks now. i can read my yahoo and do everything else but i just can't read hotmail. Soemtimes I get to my inbox but when select my mails to read them or delete nothing happens. I thought i was the only one with the prioblem. I just changed the hard drive.
Soemone told me to rinstall windows. Now i ahve to go and pay someone to do that cause i don't have the software.
I have been having problems with accessing my e-mail for approx 8 weeks. Despite numerous calls and requests nothing has been done. Does anyone know what is happening and if the problem is ever going to be rectified? How can I change from 'hotmail' to another e-mail server?
Am I the only one having the issue with the match the picture thing? I need to check my emails!
i don't know why but i can't send or recive messages from people
what do i do?
Hi all. I have tried getting into my hotmail loads today and it kept saying my password and email address didnt exist! What the hell is going on? I have important stuff on there.
this isnt good enough. Is there anypoint in giving my email address as i cant get in to read them!
I cant read my mail
hello,
i was reading your article yesterday about hotmail problems, I have been having problems with my hotmail and loading pages such as google and cnn for the past week as well, I was reading about alot of people having problems especially those with routers. I disconnected my router and internet connection shut down my computer for 1 minute then reconnected all the cables and router, and restarted the computer. After I did this I have had no problems logging onto my hotmail or any other sites. Perhaps there is something that is stored or interuppted in the lines until you clear everything just a though but just really happy I got my account back and hopefully this will help others as well.
cheers
gordon
Please sent a password for my account, to another account that I have. My address with Hotmail is louchilton@hotmail.com I have tried many times to access my mail to no avail
Hotmail is a disgrace when other free e-mail providers can offer larger storage and no problems - get it sorted out microsoft
startin to pi** me off ... have important documents i cant access ..hey bill how about spendin some money?
I don't know why this isn't bigger news - and where is hotmail's PR dept?
I don't know why this isn't bigger news - and where is hotmail's PR dept? I too, am beleaguered.
here is another disgruntled hotmail user. For months it has taken me twice as long to access my emails and read them as after every action hotmailfreezes for thirty seconds (I've timed it) before it will allow me to click an action again then of course another thirty seconds goes by. I am going elsewhere hotmail do you hear or even care?
I have been trying to access my e-mail account all day. On each occasion a message comes up before I have time to enter my Password advising that there are "unsecured" items and do I wish to continue. If I say NO the system closes down, and if I say YES to continue the system locks up. I, along with many Hotmail customers rely heavily on our Hotmail accounts to keep abreast of our day to day emails etc. when is this problem going to be resolved be someone please??