CURRENT URGENT ISSUE: Microsoft Outlook, formerly known as Hotmail- I was preparing to answer an email, an up 'bipped' a message saying my session had expired. This never happened before. It logged me out. That never happened before either. As I never bother logging out, I had to reset password, and found the same issue as happens with every Microsoft site: Something went wrong and we can't sign you in right now. Please try again later. When this occurred many times on Microsoft forums, help sites, etc., etc., 'trying later' never worked, I was never able to access them at all. Sorry I'm kinda frazzled, but that particular email account is where I communicate with my kids, and the company I work for, and I can't get in. I've had nothing but aggravation with this computer since I bought it in Dec. 2014. Cannot find a single PDF converter that works correctly on it. Many many times have gone to forums, websites, etc., that I've never been to before, and get the message my IP address has been blocked, banned, or blacklisted. I've never spammed any sites. None of this makes sense. To make matters worse, I tried system-restore-- first it said my anti-virus stopped it from working, so I removed the anti-virus program and received the same message a second time. Mostly I need to know how to access my Hotmail, but these other issues need to be resolved too. Can anyone help? If it's relevant, I have Windows 7, and Firefox.
@Janice Martin Your being upset is well-understood. I only wish I had the computer expertise to analyze your problems, but I do not. I have convinced myself that, given events occurring with my equipment such as you describe, I will hurl the whole shebang across the room and retire! Not helpful to you, I know, but that's what I will do. Frank
That happened to me with yahoo - that's my email for a long time. I think it was last year when I couldn't access my yahoo mail with the message that said "something went wrong, sorry" or something like that. But after a few hours, it was working again and there was no explanation for the technical problem. Hotmail is Microsoft so maybe the problem is in the site and not in your computer. If you can create a new email address in Gmail or yahoo just to test, then you can determine if the problem is in your computer. PS. I am also using Firefox.
@Janice Martin. I agree with @Corie Henson. You haven't mentioned how long you have been dealing with this problem though. My thoughts, if you tried restoring your computer then it's not your computer. Restoring your hard drive is not designed to correct problems with programs that are installed on the hard drive. Have you shut down not restart your computer? Sometimes that helps.
Currently, I can access everything I've gone to so far this morning on Firefox- except my Hotmail and other Microsoft sites. Later last night I found I can access Hotmail/Microsoft through Chrome (but I hate Chrome). Posted about this on both Microsoft & Firefox support forums, but so far no replies. So while there are other issues (mentioned in first post), it's possible this issue is on the Microsoft side, not Firefox or my computer. @Corie: all my other emails work fine. @Von: yes, I shut down and disconnect the entire system every night. @Frank: I'm with ya on that- sometimes I feel like tossing the whole thing out the window. At the moment I'm running both browsers- Chrome for Hotmail, Firefox for everything else.
@Janice Martin Ahhh, the trials and tribulations of the "Information Age"! If it's any consolation, (likely not) I have fought with a stubborn computer problem, several as it turned out, keeping my car from running. With a technical background as well as 332,900 times "around the block", I am still forced to try to "second guess" the designers' and programmers' considerations when they decide just what degree of malfunction within a vehicle's performance structure, constitutes need to shut it down. Did you know today's vehicles can do that? Practiced in degrees, beginning with exhaust emissions considerations, ending with pending engine failure due to lack of lubrication, for example, first "Limp Home Mode" which allows for driving the vehicle, but under much reduced performance conditions, they call this "Forced Reduced Power" Next step that almighty computer imposes "Forced Engine Idle", which allows the engine to run at idle speed only, no gas pedal response whatsoever.This I presume is to allow the service technician to have a "running engine" with which to analyze fault conditions. The final blow comes with "Forced Engine Shutdown", which means, ya wanna move the car, you push it, or trailer it! I've had the first, limp mode, occur repeatedly for 6 weeks. Deleting the code restores regular operation, usually for no more than a couple of miles. Got "Forced Idle" only once, and that while fiddling with wiring harness continuity. The dreaded third, never yet. Vehicle is 13 years old, bought 5 years ago, has performed well above any expectations, up till now. The final indignation happens when, turned over to the Dealer's facility, estimated repair cost matches the vehicle's current value! Decision time: NOW WHAT? This has become a fairly common occurrence nowadays. Sorry for the long read; venting helps lower my B.P.! Frank
@Janice Martin I applaud your efforts and the results! Beyond that, I have no idea how to clear cache/cookies. Clue me in, pray tell? Frank
If you're on Firefox, in the upper right-hand corner you'll see three lines. Click. From the options, it'll say "History." Click. Click on "clear recent history." A separate box will come up. Check the option that says "clear now." It cleans out all the junk. Advance warning: it will wipe out any passwords you have saved.
When all else fails, I use my CCleaner to clear up mishaps with the computer. And, if that doesn't work, I get a friend on the phone who walks me through a few more in depth ways to cleaning out the registry and other aspects of the computer. I have a very low tolerance level for BS these days, and technical issues are no exception. I'm glad you got it fixed. On a side note, what is the year, make and model of your vehicle @Frank Sanoica? Just in case I am ever able to 'upgrade', I do not want to end up with even more problems by buying that type of vehicle. I am aware that the computers and even OnStar and such programs enable shutting down/disabling the vehicles, but yours is the most severe case (other than on cop shows) that I've heard of, and I'd like to avoid that issue, if possible.
We've never had this happen with e-mail, but have got a pop-up a few times, saying "time expired", when we were getting airline tickets. Apparently, airlines only give so much time to buy the tickets. Computer problems can become a real headache! Only thing is, some of those headaches can come from having to old of a computer. Our last computer was bought in Nov. 2005 and was definitely too old for the new digital camera we recently bought. We ended up having to buy a new desktop computer. My wife really knows what a good-to-great computer should have in it (processor, video card, etc.) and we were able to get one for under $1K.
@Diane Lane It's a 2004 Ford Explorer, Diane. But, beware that every vehicle produced after 1996 carries similar computer implications, thanks to government mandate. I understand and agree that Public Safety related to brakes, let's say, may warrant getting a vehicle out of service, forcing repair or abandonment. But, the needless inconvenience and excess aggravation involved for minor non-safety issues seems a bit too much, to me. Frank
I went through an issue with my old Cavalier. It turned out to be some emissions problem, basically their way of getting people to retire their old vehicles and buy new ones, but that wasnt in my budget at the time, so I shelled out money for that, as well as a new gas cap...so ridiculous. Thankfully, I haven't had that issue with my current vehicle, although I'm sure the time will come. I still think if someone created a streamed down, low cost vehicle without all of the modern bells and whistles, it would be a big seller, especially with some of the older folks who would still enjoy tinkering with their vehicles when some minor thing went wrong.
I am glad you posted this thread Janice, because it is good to know what steps to take if I run into a similar situation. I never know when my computer may decide to stop operating properly and give me grief, but it has been good for awhile. I guess I should be knocking on wood when I say this. It sounds like it was just something in one of your programs that microsoft didn't like. I am glad you were able to rectify the issue.