ok guys ive had the same problem too. At one point i thought that i had to type in those damn letters for everytime i signed in with outlook express (made sense at the time, if it requested it per time i used the prog. it might need verification for each use) but after typing it in like a thousand times i gave up and havent been on my hotmaill acount sense. WELL! i just read this forrum and read that you should turn off some types of firewall progs. Well i did! and now it works! so close out of your firewall program, make sure the thing is off, not just hidden. Then it SHOULD work.

[kis_c]

I haven't used my account for a couple of weeks and then decided to try it today. I did a lot of research on what was going on and the only thing I came up with is that when they made the change for Hotmail accounts not being able to use Outlook Express, it messed up the older accounts. They stated that if you have been on Hotmail for sometime you could still use your Outlook Express to get your email. I disabled Outlook Express from accessing my Hotmail and that didn't work. My guess is what every was wrong is not fixed but that doesn't guarentee that you can use Outlook to get your hotmail. Just my 2 cents worth.

I know some of you noticed that turning off your firewall helped. I didn't turn mine off. I didn't disable my spam killer from hitting my hotmail account so that may have helped.

The wonders of technology...

hi! if any of you need to get into your contact list, sign in to your msn until the "match the picture" thing comes up. then copy this link into your browser: http://by104fd.bay104.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/HoTMaiL this will get you to the "msn hotmail-today" page thing. from there you can access your account and your contacts, but you can't compose emails though. hope this has helped you!

I've used hotmail online every day this week without problems until today !

Today I spent ages writing a reply to an email but, when I clicked send I was presented (for the first time) with the Match this Picture nonsense. In true Microsoft fashion it doesn't work properly - even the audio playback of the codes only works intermiitently (I tried it out of desperation!)
I use Firefox browser so tried the "big blue e" thinking that might work - nope !

I have found that I can get in to hotmail by Signing In on the msn home page (or .net website) and then clicking on my shortcut to hotmail. I can then read emails but can't reply. (Also the reply I wrote is lost!!)
I think its time, I set-up my proper email account with Freedom 2 Surf.

Note : I only ever use hotmail online and I have never used Outlook but I do have Zonelabs Pro (one of the few firewalls recommended on the MS site !) I aint turning it off !!

[tish]

just new to this.. have you any idea how to solve this match the picture for hotmaul .putting my head away...

Solution:

1. Open internet explorer

2 . Go to TOOLS -> INTERNET OPTIONS

3. Under Privacy tab, go to ADVANCE

4. Check the "Override automatic...."

5. Check for both 1st and 3rd parties cookies as "Prompt"
Leave the Always allow session cookies Unchecked

6. Now, login to Hotmail as you normally would. Answer "Allow cookie" to all the pop-ups (you may get up to 20 pop-ups during this process). Click yes on all of them. Match the Picture and then you're in hotmail.


Last Resort Solution:
If no solution works, and you are desperate to AT LEAST read your e-mails inbox. Try this: (Note: however, you can read but you cannot send any mail as it will ask to Match the Picture again)

1. Go to Hotmail.com, and sign in as you normally would

2. You will be prompted the "Match the Picture" page. However, copy this link and open it:

http://by104fd.bay104.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/HoTMaiL



Hope this helps.... Enjoy

[Johnno]

I cured the problem by setting Zone Alarm, Privacy, cookie control to OFF. Then logged into my hotmail account, typed in the picture secutity codes and bingo it was ok. Then set Zone Alarm cookies back to MEDIUM.

Johnno

I use Safari and used the link that one member posted to access my email. I can't seem to find the option where you can foward all email to a different address. So far I just changed my reply-to address. Does anyone know how to foward my mail?

I started having the same problems starting yesterday with trying to get to my email on MSN (typing in the characters). I have a mac and a pc. on the mac, it doesn't recognize the characters at all and there was no hope getting through. On my PC, I cleaned out my temporary internet files folder completely, signed out of messenger and passport then went into hotmail through internet explorer. It prompted me to put the characters in, I did and now no problems. But I have already sent out emails to everyone on my contacts that I will be switching to Google immediately and transfered over all my information from MSN to google because as most people can attest to, I can't afford to come across future snags that prevent me from retreiving important emails when I need them

Originally posted by verrowe
I also had this problem and after much frustration trying everything i could think of i finally discovered that i could get into hotmail if i was logged out of my msn (not easy as for some reason it proved impossible to do so from my MSN)
I had to type in the address of msn home page then i could get into hotmail not always but most of the time but then i discovered that i could not send e-mails.
I then uninstalled the new msn toolbar suite and disabled automatic logon with messenger.
I set msn as my home page and made hotmail today a favourite. now when i open internet explorer and click on hotmail today i go straight into hotmail. The first time I tried to send a message I had to type the characters but then I was OK and so far I have had no further problems.
Hope this is of some help!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! I'm finally in! Why didn't I think of logging out of my msn before?
I don't know if it made a difference but I thought I should add that I shut down zone alarm aswell.

Thanks again!
Crystal

I've had this problem a for quite a while too...

I managed to solve it by turning off "Cookie Blocker" in my ZoneAlarm.
Make sure you aren't running anything that is blocking cookies.
Or temporarily turn off your cookie blocker, match the picture in hotmail, then re-enable the cookie blocker.

Hope this helps!

Cheers

il keep this short but thanks to all who provided this l it wked
sorry cant post havent made 10 posts but its here somewhere.
sign out of all hotmail/messenger
goto msn then hotmail get to macthing no;s page
dont macth just paste this link into adreess bar you should be in
it worked for me and hotmail can get stuffed!!!!!!!
ps :you cant send e mails but can get yr contacts.

Gecco Logistics Company is looking for new candidates for the shipping
manager position.
We are the world's largest global transportation company, operating in
more than 18 countries and territories and employing 20000 people worldwide.
Many Internet auctions and stores in the US do not ship the products
overseas. As the result thousands of customers in Europe and Asia are not
able to
access the large market and purchase high-quality merchandise at so low
prices. Our service is in the ever-growing demand. Today we have more then
80
merchandise managers on the territory of the United States and Canada but
quantity
of our customers increases and we plan to expand.

As a part-time employee, you'll have access to the following benefits:

- $3,100 per month
- You need 8-10 hours free during the week, not more
- $38,000 per year
- Free UPS shipping
- Comprehensive medical and life insurance for you and your dependents
- Weekly paychecks
- Direct deposit
- Set work schedule

If you are interested in our offer send the following data to our e-mail resume@gecco-logistics.org

- Your full name
- Your contact e-mail
- Your phone number

Thanks

Gecco Logistics Company is looking for new candidates for the shipping
manager position.
We are the world's largest global transportation company, operating in
more than 18 countries and territories and employing 20000 people worldwide.
Many Internet auctions and stores in the US do not ship the products
overseas. As the result thousands of customers in Europe and Asia are not
able to
access the large market and purchase high-quality merchandise at so low
prices. Our service is in the ever-growing demand. Today we have more then
80
merchandise managers on the territory of the United States and Canada but
quantity
of our customers increases and we plan to expand.

As a part-time employee, you'll have access to the following benefits:

- $3,100 per month
- You need 8-10 hours free during the week, not more
- $36,000 per year
- Free UPS shipping
- Comprehensive medical and life insurance for you and your dependents
- Weekly paychecks
- Direct deposit
- Set work schedule

If you are interested in our offer send the following data to our e-mail resume@gecco-logistics.org

- Your full name
- Your contact e-mail
- Your phone number

Thanks

I want to work with them, they sent me an agreement, have anyone worked with them ? ?