Can't access Outlook.com with Microsoft account with @cornell.edu email address

Anonymous
2012-10-29T18:45:38+00:00

I've had a Passport / Live Id / Microsoft account for many, many years.  I have all my Microsoft-related context associated with this account, including a Windows Phone.  This account's main email address is an @cornell.edu email address.

Some time ago, I went to Outlook.com with this live id and created a bunch of email aliases, thinking that I might switch my primary email address to an @outlook.com one at some point in time.

Recently, I've been unable to access Outlook.com.  I get the following error:

This account can't be used to access Outlook.com

You're currently signed in with an Office 365 email account, which can't be used with Outlook.com. Please clickhereto sign out of your Office 365 account, then use another Microsoft account to sign in to Outlook.com (for example, your hotmail.com, live.com, or msn.com account).

I have no relationship to Office365.  However, I suspect that the cause is that the actual Cornell U recently signed up for that service for its email domain, and for some bizarre reason that rendered my own (alumni) cornell.edu account unusable with Outlook.com.

I'm also unable to access my Contacts through the web (I see the same error).  My WP7 devices and Win8 desktop can still use Live contacts, so I assume the API still works.  It's a weird mess.

One of the solutions I considered doing was to switch my live id to my outlook.com alias.  However, since I'm now unable to access the Outlook.com interface, I'm unsure as to how to do that.  If I go to https://account.live.com/ChangeId.aspx, the only domain options I get are live.com and hotmail.com.  If I enter an outlook.com alias as a "different address", it says:

You can't use @outlook.com in your Microsoft account email address. Please try a different email address.

Suggestions?

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Account management, security, and privacy

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-12-23T02:49:50+00:00

    That is why the previous moderators asked you to contact your domain administrators.

    So I have spoken to our domain administrators but they said to contact you guys:

    "I forward this case to our Email Administrators, but I would not expect there is anything further they can do to assist you.  Your issue is with your service provider, which in this case is Microsoft.  We are sorry that we don't have a more satisfactory answer for you."

    So basically, Microsoft wants us to talk to Cornell. And Cornell wants us to talk to Microsoft. So we're out of luck. Anyway we can get this escalated?

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-12-23T04:11:52+00:00

    Hi everyone,

     

    I understand how you folks feel with this issue. Please refer to the link that the previous moderator posted. It willdirect you to Office 365 support.

     

    You may not have any subscription to Office 365 but the domain name that your email address is using might have an active subscription. That is why the previous moderators asked you to contact your domain administrators.

     

    Best regards.

    What kytmizuno said.

    Allow me to provide a quote from the Office 365 support team:

    ============================

    Hello,

    I can understand the inconvenience you are experiencing because of the situation that you have described in your email. Unfortunately, we will not be able to assist you with this. The admin of this domain will be the best person to answer your questions.

    I apologize I can’t be of much assistance here.

    Sincerely,

    Shikha XXXX

    Team Manager

    Microsoft Office 365 for education & Live@edu

    v-XXXX@microsoft.com – (904) 636-1053 Extn: YYYYY

    Office Hours: M-F 8am-5pm PST

    ============================

    ... and when I questioned the absurdity of this:

    ============================

    The issue is not with Outlook.com, something with the ID that you are using has changed since the domain has transitioned to O365. Yes, you will need to contact the admin of this domain to get it fixed.

    ============================

    Ultimately the issue is somewhere between Live, Outlook.com and Office 365.  I'd honestly start with Outlook.com, since they're the ones doing the over-eager redirect to Office 365 for email accounts that *aren't* Office 365 accounts.

    Microsoft, this is your problem.  Please support us.

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-12-25T14:05:25+00:00

    Hi everyone,

    We apologize for the inconvenience this matter may have caused you.

    Please be informed that It is stated on the article, http://community.office365.com/en-us/wikis/exchange/2314.aspx , "There is a known issue if user is logging into Office 365 mailbox via OWA and their personal mailbox on outlook.com preview using THE SAME BROWSER". This issue will be fixed. This is because currently Office 365 and Personal accounts share the same Microsoft Account authentication cookie. Workaround is to login to your personal account first and then login to Office 365.

    On the scenario you provided, you're trying to login to Outlook.com with your Office 365 account and gave you an error "This account can't be used to access Outlook.com". This is something that will not be fixed, to login to Office 365 account users must either go to their own custom Office 365 URL or go to Outlook.com/domain, for example http://mail.office365.com

    Thanks!

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-12-25T14:17:20+00:00

     On the scenario you provided, you're trying to login to Outlook.com with your Office 365 account and gave you an error "This account can't be used to access Outlook.com". This is something that will not be fixed, to login to Office 365 account users must either go to their own custom Office 365 URL or go to Outlook.com/domain, for example http://mail.office365.com

    You're still not understanding our situation. We don't HAVE Office365 accounts. If I attempt to access email through Office365 it says I don't have an email account.

    Outlook.com THINKS we have an Office365 account and blocks us while in reality we don't have an Office365 account.

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  5. Anonymous
    2012-12-27T13:54:33+00:00

    Hi kytmizuno and mfeingol,

    I’m sorry to hear that your issue has not been resolved yet.

    I recommend that you sign-out all your accounts first and then clear your browser's cache and temporary internet files to make sure that they are not causing your issue. This is often caused by a corrupted file in the browser. Please clear your browser's cookies by following the instructions on the link below:

    **How to Clear Your Browser's Cache**

    After doing so, I recommend that you sign-in to https://outlook.com. It is possible that your Personal account and Web App share the same MS Account authentication cookie.

    If the issue still not resolved, may I have the impacted email address in the Private Message tab that I have initiated for you for us to investigate the issue on our end.

    NOTE: Please signin to this website in order to see the post I created and reply to this main thread if you have provided the information.

    Thanks!

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