Hotmail login and Cookies problem

[Guest]

Every time I try to login in to hotmail since yesterday I get the following
message: "Your Web browser options are currently set to disable cookies. To
use .NET Passport, you must enable cookies." However:
1) I get this message no matter what my cookie settings are
2) I can login to other passport sites (such as this board, MSN groups etc)
3) I have tried all the fixes I could find on any forum and all to no avail
(e.g. deleting cookies, resetting privacy, allow session cookies, etc)

The only change to my PC in the last 24 hours is upgrading from Norton AV
2004 to 2005.

This is an extremely frustrating problem. Any help at all would be greatly
appreciated.

 

[Sandi - Microsoft MVP]

Make sure your computer's date and time are correct.


It is possible you have a corrupt cookie for the problem site. Search
c:\windows\cookies for any possible culprits.


If no joy, create a new cookie folder. Go to IE file/import and export -
export your cookies. Now shut down all programmes and boot into dos if you
are using Windows 95 or 98. If using Windows ME use an appropriate disc to
access DOS. Run the following commands from the windows directory, typically
c:\windows\>


smartdrv
deltree cookies


Reboot using ctrl, alt, del if using Windows 95 or 98. If using WindowsME
remember to remove the boot floppy.


Windows 2000 users will have to log in as Administrator to be able to delete
the folders in question directly from within Windows Explorer.


Windows XP users should be able to delete the folders from Windows Explorer,
but may need to log in as Administrator to do so.


NOTE:


Different operating systems use different paths to the history, temporary
internet files and cookies folders. Check your system to make sure that
you are using the correct path for your machine. For example, you may find
your folders are located at ...\documents and settings\{identity}\{dir} or
similar.


Test. Go to file/import and export and import your saved cookies.


Sometimes third party software causes this problem - an example includes:


Error Message: Cannot Open Webpage Because Cookies Are Not Enabled


http://support.microsoft.com/d­efault.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q315­207


Otherwise, you may have a registry problem. Have a look at this link for
advice:


Error Message: Not Accepting Cookies [Q175662]
http://support.microsoft.com/s­upport/kb/articles/q175/6/62.a­sp


Or another problem with your favorites folder as noted here:


Your browser is not currently set to accept cookies.
http://support.microsoft.com/d­efault.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q317­689

--

__________________________________________
Hyperlinks used to ensure advice is current
Sandi - Microsoft MVP since 1999
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org

Visit the Internet Explorer Community
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/community/default.mspx

 

[PA Bear]

http://groups-beta.google.com/group...up:microsoft.public.*&start=0&scoring=d&hl=en

 

[Sunny]

Had the same hotmail login problem Wednesday, changed nothing, and logged in
3 hours later OK.
(Temporary Hotmail glitch) ?

 

[jlwn777]

Had the same hotmail login problem Wednesday, changed nothing, and logged in
3 hours later OK.
(Temporary Hotmail glitch) ?

Yes, it IS a Hotmail "glitch". It has nothing to do with the root
causes listed in the first entry from "Microsoft MVP". The problem is
on their end. They know it. They're just not admitting it. Kinda like
all the problems they had several months ago with response time, page
not founds, etc. that just "magically" went away. This is Microsoft's
way a saving face while they, behind the scenes, try to undo whatever
went wrong.

A sure-fire sign that this has nothing to do with US is that it (the
cookies issue) started happening to a whole bunch of people in
different places, on different ISPs, and on different machines at
roughly the same time. To think that it's NOT something to do with IE
or Hotmail or .NET is simply a form of denial. Denial is a classic
coping mechanism.

Don't worry, they'll figure it out. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I
like being LIED to. It's just that I understand why they try to come up
with all kinds of goofy cover-up type reasons instead of just saying
"we don't know". They want people to think that they are smart. They
think saying "I don't know" will make them look dumb. The only thing
they don't get is that sometimes, saying "I don't know" is the smartest
and most honest thing someone can say.

In the meantime, my workaround is to delete all cookies and then log in
again. The message saying that the browser "does not accept cookies" is
now missing. Clearly, it DOES accept cookies.

I hope this IE/.NET/Hotmail defect is fixed soon.

 

[gummo]

Here is what I have found when helping a customer of mine.

If they got to the Hotmail login screen using this URL:
http://login.passport.net/uilogin.srf?id=2

they were given the message that "cookies were disabled" in
their browser _unless_ they cleared out all their cookies.

If they got to the above link by entering

www.hotmail.com

which will take you to the passport URL above then
great joy. What is the www.hotmail.com site doing
that the .NET passport site does not do? I suspect
dropping a cookie on there. However, I have not
spent a lot of time looking at this, I just know that
setting up Favorites or home pages to be the
www.hotmail.com URL solves the problem. IMHO
this is a bug, but hey, I'm just a tech helping out
frustrated Hotmail users.

gummo