Unable to sign in to Outlook.com on one account (server not found)

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  1. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
       #1

    Unable to sign in to Outlook.com on one account (server not found)


    I have multiple Microsoft accounts, the one in question is the one I use to sign in to my Windows 10 computers.

    When going to Outlook.com on any browser, any computer, my account is clearly found and credentials accepted, as is confirmed by the fact that I will be shown the authentication prompt:

    Unable to sign in to Outlook.com on one account (server not found)-image.png

    I have two step authentication enabled on all accounts, using an authenticator app on my Windows Phone to authenticate. If credentials would be rejected and account not found, this would be shown instead:

    Unable to sign in to Outlook.com on one account (server not found)-image.png

    OK, when authentication code is given, Outlook.com is trying to open my inbox for a minute, then this appears:

    Unable to sign in to Outlook.com on one account (server not found)-image.png

    All other Microsoft services using this same email address are working perfectly. I sign in to all my Windows 10 machines with it, OneDrive and all other Office Online services work without issues:

    Unable to sign in to Outlook.com on one account (server not found)-image.png



    From any other Office Online page I can open the web app selector, and select any other app than Outlook.com. All others work:

    Unable to sign in to Outlook.com on one account (server not found)-image.png

    I can also use the same Microsoft account to sign in and out on any Windows UWP apps like Weather, People, Calendar, Store and so on, exception being that although I can sign in to Mail app with this account, the emails will not be synced.

    The issue is not causing me any bigger problems because this Microsoft account email address is created using a third party email address my Microsoft account being something like kari@MyOwnDomain.com instead of an @Outlook.com or @live.com address, which means that I in any case receive and check my emails on that account using other services than Outlook.com.

    However, that Microsoft account email receives emails for aliases I have created for it, and now as I am trying to recover a password on a trivial non-important service, I noticed that I've used an alias of this account as my contact email for this service; as I cannot get to Outlook.com to check emails for this alias, I cannot receive the email to reset password.

    All my other Microsoft accounts are working perfectly, both those created with a Microsoft email address (outlook, Hotmail, msn, live), and those created with a third party existing email address (Gmail, own domains etc.).

    Summary:

    Can't sign in to outlook.com with one specific Microsoft account. All other online and in Windows installed Microsoft services and apps using the same account are working without issues, including signing in to Windows 10 using this account.

    I have no idea how long it's been like this; I usually never sign in to Outlook.com with this account because as I told I receive emails for this address using other services. I only noticed it because I found out yesterday that an alias I have created for this Microsoft account has been used as contact email on one not too important service. Trying to recover password to this service yesterday evening was I believe first time in a month or two I have tried to check to sign in.

    Any advice and tips about something to try welcome, Microsoft support has already been tried but the "help" received showed that even I know more about Outlook.com than their support staff.

    Kari
    Last edited by Kari; 29 Oct 2016 at 03:25.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 1,524
    Windows 10 Pro (32-bit) 16299.15
       #2

    What follows is complete guesswork - I have no knowledge in these areas!

    I know I've sometimes seen ":-(" errors when I have both an outlook.com account and an Office 365 for Business account attached to the same email address. For some reason the Office 365 for Business account wouldn't sign out properly and it gets confused.

    One workaround for my situation seemed to be to open the browser in a Private Window. (I think it's Ctrl-Shift-P in IE, and I'd probably use IE in this case) to make sure there are no other cookies or traces of the other account.

    Also, since Microsoft have been moving Outlook.com accounts across to a different server recently, I did see a message to accept new terms and conditions appear when I logged in the other day. I wonder if the combination of the 2-step authentication and the terms and conditions message is causing the problem - if you could get into login.live.com to disable the 2-step authentication temporarily it might help?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 2,834
    Windows 11 Home (x64) Version 21H1 (build 19043.1202)
       #3

    I also use outlook, and once I have logged in with the password I set up with them I have never been asked to sign in again, when I want to go to Office or xbox, if I leave it idol for 10 mins then that is the only time I am asked for it again, but that is because I have set it up that way, so no else in the house can use my account
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #4

    DavidY said:
    What follows is complete guesswork - I have no knowledge in these areas!

    I know I've sometimes seen ":-(" errors when I have both an outlook.com account and an Office 365 for Business account attached to the same email address. For some reason the Office 365 for Business account wouldn't sign out properly and it gets confused.

    One workaround for my situation seemed to be to open the browser in a Private Window. (I think it's Ctrl-Shift-P in IE, and I'd probably use IE in this case) to make sure there are no other cookies or traces of the other account.
    As my scenario is the same (O365 Enterprise email address used to create Microsoft account), it was worth to try in InPrivate window. No luck:

    Unable to sign in to Outlook.com on one account (server not found)-image.png


    DavidY said:
    Also, since Microsoft have been moving Outlook.com accounts across to a different server recently, I did see a message to accept new terms and conditions appear when I logged in the other day. I wonder if the combination of the 2-step authentication and the terms and conditions message is causing the problem - if you could get into login.live.com to disable the 2-step authentication temporarily it might help?
    Although I do not believe this to have anything to do with cookies and such, sign in to this one account behaving the same on half a dozen computers and all browsers (I've tested IE, Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Maxthon), I've also tested complet "reset" of all browsers with no luck.

    I have no issues signing in to account.live.com and manage this account. Have also tested removing all trusted devices, all app passwords and disabled two step authentication. Nothing seems to help.

    Thanks for ideas :)


    hTconeM9user said:
    I also use outlook, and once I have logged in with the password I set up with them I have never been asked to sign in again, when I want to go to Office or xbox, if I leave it idol for 10 mins then that is the only time I am asked for it again, but that is because I have set it up that way, so no else in the house can use my account
    I am always automatically signed in to Microsoft services on my home computers, it's just that this one account suddenly refuses to let me in to Inbox. On same computers, same browsers I remain signed in to same account in OneDrive, Word Online, Excel Online, and so on.

    Kari
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 2,834
    Windows 11 Home (x64) Version 21H1 (build 19043.1202)
       #5

    What I have done is use the mail app and linked all the accounts, which means all in boxes come into that one account, which is AOL.com, yahoo.com, gmail.com and my msn.com which uses outlook, the only time I go into any of them one by one is to clear the junk, spam and delete boxes which is at the end of every 2 weeks, also set up on my phone so if I am out if urgent I can deal with it.
    Have you tried the Mail App I love it.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 16,325
    W10Prox64
       #6

    Sorry @Kari, I would have made the same suggestion as DavidY - remove the 2-step verification, or try the get a code in a different way.

    Have you tried accessing the email account using an app password?
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #7

    simrick said:
    Have you tried accessing the email account using an app password?
    Yes. Has worked before, does not work now.

    Anyway, David's thoughts above about Microsoft account using same email address than Azure AD account (O365 Business / Enterprise) made me think, and I decided to test further.

    I have a few more Azure AD accounts with an O365 email address which I have used to create Microsoft accounts as existing email. All those Azure AD accounts are working, as per a written agreement with my former co-workers they take care about the bills until end of 2018. I first checked billing situation on these accounts, and confirmed all have been paid for some time in the future.

    Next I tried to sign in to outlook.com with all these Microsoft accounts using an email of an existing Azure AD account. Tested five accounts, all behave the same way: All other Microsoft services and Windows apps requiring sign in with a Microsoft account work without issues, as does signing in to Windows with these Microsoft accounts. None of these accounts can sign in to outlook.com, exactly the same happens as told in first post: credentials are accepted, authentication code is accepted, but opening Inbox fails.

    I believe David got it right:

    DavidY said:
    I know I've sometimes seen ":-(" errors when I have both an outlook.com account and an Office 365 for Business account attached to the same email address.
    It seems that there is a problem when a user has used an Azure AD account's email address as existing email for a Microsoft account. In my case now five such accounts all behaving the same.

    It might even be that because it is not and has not ever been possible to receive emails on your Microsoft account if it uses an existing email address like Gmail or Yahoo or Azure AD (a Gmail as MS account, you still need to check your mails on Gmail, not outlook.com), that Microsoft is removing the access to outlook.com from these accounts as unnecessary. Would be interesting to know if those of you geeks having an MS account using a third party existing email address like Gmail, Yahoo or such would try to sign in to outlook.com with that email, what happens?

    Kari
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 16,325
    W10Prox64
       #8

    I have a charter email for an MS account. Took me straight to outlook.com.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #9

    simrick said:
    I have a charter email for an MS account. Took me straight to outlook.com.
    Interesting. Made a new Microsoft account just now using my one and only Gmail address, everything goes fine until I try to sign in to outlook.com. Sign in goes well, credentials accepted, then it asks me to set default language and time zone for this new account:
    Unable to sign in to Outlook.com on one account (server not found)-image.png

    I select correct language and time zone, click Save, and it brings me back to same selection, time zone selection cleared:

    Unable to sign in to Outlook.com on one account (server not found)-image.png

    Nothing I'll do brings me further.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 27,157
    Win11 Pro, Win10 Pro N, Win10 Home, Windows 8.1 Pro, Ubuntu
       #10

    Kari, you say its all browsers all machines, right?
    Even a new account?

    The only thing in common is your IP address.
    Here in Germany they are dynamic, and you get a new one each day or so.
    Companies have filters with IP addresses that have been used in attacks, and block them.
    You could try(this is copy & pasted from my Fritz!Box):

    ‎By clicking on the button "new link" restores the Internet briefly separate and then automatically. The FRITZ! Box thereby receives usually a new IP address and a new IPv6 prefix from your Internet provider.‎‎ Please be patient a moment. The process can take up to 30 seconds. ‎
    And get a new IP address.
      My Computers


 

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