MSN Email Address Retention Question

[Sam]

About two years ago, I dropped my MSN monthly paid subscription for dialup
service since I was using DSL from AT&T. MS DSL is not available in my
area. To keep my MSN email address, I had to sign in monthly and check my
emails. So far this has worked okay. However, since the last three days, I
cannot bring up the msn.com web site (the msn web site will briefly appear
for one or two seconds, disappear and return again. This blinking back and
forth will continue until a dialog box comes up and states that it is unable
to connect to the web page. However, I am able to connect to any other web
page that I have visited.

For the moment, I am not interested in connecting to the msn.com web page
other than to keep my MSN email address active. I am wondering if signing
in to the http://login.live.com and checking my mail there will be adequate
to keep my MSN email address active? Any help would be very much
appreciated, Sam.

P.S. Yesterday work with IE tech support concerning this problem but
without any luck. We reset IE8, disabled my Antivirus program, booted up in
Safe Mode with net connection but without any luck. The next suggestion
tech had was to uninstall IE 8, but I declined. I really don't want to do
this since my computer has been working without any problems for the last
year. I planned to get a new computer next month and so don't want to
create any further problems for now on my current computer.

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

[Crosspost to IE General as you've got a related thread there, too.]

You should be able to access your account via http://mail.live.com, Sam, as
long as you do so at least once-a-month (could be once every 90 days but
YMMV).

HOW TO Optimize IE for Windows Live Hotmail (Revised 08 March 2010)
http://windowslivehelp.com/solution.aspx?solutionid=3c7c3338-369e-4220-b29d-71ce660fe5a0

What to do if you can't sign into Windows Live Hotmail
http://windowslivehelp.com/solution.aspx?solutionid=293962dd-b4a0-4ee7-a661-8254ae9c8d78

Windows Live Online Solutions Center
http://windowslivehelp.com/Default.aspx

Solutions for Common Hotmail Problems
http://windowslivehelp.com/solutions.aspx?productid=1

Hotmail Community Forums <=post all Hotmail-specific questions here!
http://windowslivehelp.com/forums.aspx?productid=1
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002

Post by Sam
About two years ago, I dropped my MSN monthly paid subscription for dialup
service since I was using DSL from AT&T. MS DSL is not available in my
area. To keep my MSN email address, I had to sign in monthly and check my
emails. So far this has worked okay. However, since the last three days, I
cannot bring up the msn.com web site (the msn web site will briefly appear
for one or two seconds, disappear and return again. This blinking back and
forth will continue until a dialog box comes up and states that it is unable
to connect to the web page. However, I am able to connect to any other web
page that I have visited.
For the moment, I am not interested in connecting to the msn.com web page
other than to keep my MSN email address active. I am wondering if signing
in to the http://login.live.com and checking my mail there will be adequate
to keep my MSN email address active? Any help would be very much
appreciated, Sam.
P.S. Yesterday work with IE tech support concerning this problem but
without any luck. We reset IE8, disabled my Antivirus program, booted up in
Safe Mode with net connection but without any luck. The next suggestion
tech had was to uninstall IE 8, but I declined. I really don't want to do
this since my computer has been working without any problems for the last
year. I planned to get a new computer next month and so don't want to
create any further problems for now on my current computer.

[Sam]

PA Bear, thanks very much for your reply as you have solved my problem!! I
just signed in to http://mail.live.com and deleted the existing email.
Thanks again, Sam.

P.S. Will try to remember about cross posting next time.


major changes

Post by PA Bear [MS MVP]
[Crosspost to IE General as you've got a related thread there, too.]
You should be able to access your account via http://mail.live.com, Sam,
as long as you do so at least once-a-month (could be once every 90 days
but YMMV).
HOW TO Optimize IE for Windows Live Hotmail (Revised 08 March 2010)
http://windowslivehelp.com/solution.aspx?solutionid=3c7c3338-369e-4220-b29d-71ce660fe5a0
What to do if you can't sign into Windows Live Hotmail
http://windowslivehelp.com/solution.aspx?solutionid=293962dd-b4a0-4ee7-a661-8254ae9c8d78
Windows Live Online Solutions Center
http://windowslivehelp.com/Default.aspx
Solutions for Common Hotmail Problems
http://windowslivehelp.com/solutions.aspx?productid=1
Hotmail Community Forums <=post all Hotmail-specific questions here!
http://windowslivehelp.com/forums.aspx?productid=1
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002

[...winston]

270 days of non use starts inactive status, thereafter 90 days remain to re-activate the account. After 365 the Live ID is
deleted....
--
...winston
ms-mvp mail

Post by PA Bear [MS MVP]
[Crosspost to IE General as you've got a related thread there, too.]
You should be able to access your account via http://mail.live.com, Sam, as long as you do so at least once-a-month (could be
once every 90 days but YMMV).
HOW TO Optimize IE for Windows Live Hotmail (Revised 08 March 2010)
http://windowslivehelp.com/solution.aspx?solutionid=3c7c3338-369e-4220-b29d-71ce660fe5a0
What to do if you can't sign into Windows Live Hotmail
http://windowslivehelp.com/solution.aspx?solutionid=293962dd-b4a0-4ee7-a661-8254ae9c8d78
Windows Live Online Solutions Center
http://windowslivehelp.com/Default.aspx
Solutions for Common Hotmail Problems
http://windowslivehelp.com/solutions.aspx?productid=1
Hotmail Community Forums <=post all Hotmail-specific questions here!
http://windowslivehelp.com/forums.aspx?productid=1
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002

Post by Sam
About two years ago, I dropped my MSN monthly paid subscription for dialup
service since I was using DSL from AT&T. MS DSL is not available in my
area. To keep my MSN email address, I had to sign in monthly and check my
emails. So far this has worked okay. However, since the last three days, I
cannot bring up the msn.com web site (the msn web site will briefly appear
for one or two seconds, disappear and return again. This blinking back and
forth will continue until a dialog box comes up and states that it is unable
to connect to the web page. However, I am able to connect to any other web
page that I have visited.
For the moment, I am not interested in connecting to the msn.com web page
other than to keep my MSN email address active. I am wondering if signing
in to the http://login.live.com and checking my mail there will be adequate
to keep my MSN email address active? Any help would be very much
appreciated, Sam.
P.S. Yesterday work with IE tech support concerning this problem but
without any luck. We reset IE8, disabled my Antivirus program, booted up in
Safe Mode with net connection but without any luck. The next suggestion
tech had was to uninstall IE 8, but I declined. I really don't want to do
this since my computer has been working without any problems for the last
year. I planned to get a new computer next month and so don't want to
create any further problems for now on my current computer.

[...winston]

Logon at mail.live.com or hotmail.com using your msn.com email address is sufficient to retain your account.
It now takes 270 days for an account to become inactive(so you have plenty of time if you forget the monthly activity). After 270
days...the account will cease to function for incoming/outgoing mail, contacts, calendar etc.. After 270 days you have another 90
days to reactivate the account. After 365 days the account and Live ID are permanently deleted.


Fyi...accessing the account in an email client(pop3 or http) qualifies as activity to prevent inactive status...
I.e. you could setup the account
a. using pop3 in OE, WLM, WM, Outlook, or any pop3 email capable client. Pop3 has been available for all Hotmail type
accounts(Hotmail.com, Live.com, Msn.com) since Mar 2009
or
b. setup the account in Windows Live Mail or Outlook(OL requires the Outlook Connector) using the http protocol
--
...winston
ms-mvp mail

About two years ago, I dropped my MSN monthly paid subscription for dialup service since I was using DSL from AT&T. MS DSL is
not available in my area. To keep my MSN email address, I had to sign in monthly and check my emails. So far this has worked
okay. However, since the last three days, I cannot bring up the msn.com web site (the msn web site will briefly appear for one
or two seconds, disappear and return again. This blinking back and forth will continue until a dialog box comes up and states
that it is unable to connect to the web page. However, I am able to connect to any other web page that I have visited.
For the moment, I am not interested in connecting to the msn.com web page other than to keep my MSN email address active. I am
wondering if signing in to the http://login.live.com and checking my mail there will be adequate to keep my MSN email address
active? Any help would be very much appreciated, Sam.
P.S. Yesterday work with IE tech support concerning this problem but without any luck. We reset IE8, disabled my Antivirus
program, booted up in Safe Mode with net connection but without any luck. The next suggestion tech had was to uninstall IE 8,
but I declined. I really don't want to do this since my computer has been working without any problems for the last year. I
planned to get a new computer next month and so don't want to create any further problems for now on my current computer.