Can't add new rules, can't access page to manage rules

Anonymous
2015-12-19T22:59:43+00:00

I started adding a lot of rules to my account on Outlook.com. The rules I have set up are working fine. But now when trying to add any new rules it's failing and when I go to Settings>Manage Rules I go to a blank page with an error message.

Details:

Adding new rule. Right-click on a message>Create Rule. Dialog comes up, I'm able to fill in all fields and click Apply/Okay:

    - I get a message at the top of the screen stating "Sorry, Outlook.com wasn’t able to complete this request." at some point while filling in the fields.

    - When clicking on Apply/Okay I then get red text at the bottom of the dialog stating "Unable to cast object of type ‘Microsoft.Msn.Hotmail.FDCommon.Data.Xfs.XfsException’ to type ‘Microsoft.Msn.Hotmail.InboundMail.MailRules’."

Going to Settings>Manage Rules:

    - I get to the settings page, but none of my rules (The ones that still function normally when receiving mails) are present and there's a message at the top of the screen stating "Something happened at our end. Please refresh your browser or close it and sign in again."

   - When trying to create a new rule within this page, I get the same error as when on the main page stating "Unable to cast object of type ‘Microsoft.Msn.Hotmail.FDCommon.Data.Xfs.XfsException’ to type ‘Microsoft.Msn.Hotmail.InboundMail.MailRules’."

Have I hit some limit on the amount of rules Outlook is able to process? I have created a lot of them, over a page of rules, all of them just moving stuff into folders based on sender name.

Is there a way to clear my rules so I can start again?

Have tried this on the following operating systems and browsers: Windows 7 Professional, OSX 10.11.2, Safari 9.0.2, Internet Explorer 9, Firefox 43.0.1 (and at least one earlier version), adblockers and virus/malware checkers all disabled at some point in case that was an issue.

Also, tried the above steps on my girlfriend's account (which has no rules set up yet) and it works fine. Can create new rules, and access the manage rules page fine.

What can I do?

If I can't access the Mange Rules page to delete some rules that might be causing this, then I need someone from Outlook.com support to do something right?

Cheers.

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Settings

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

109 answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2016-01-11T16:52:33+00:00

    I'm here as a user with this problem, but I'm also an IS consultant, so may be someone be interested in my opinion. I will try to use the simpler language as possible (but in english is more difficult because I'm italian.)

    .........

    .........

    .........

    Regards from Sardinia, the island of the wind

    PS "Granting the access" is only a formal authorization statement, a declaration of consent, you don't have to give your password.

    On a technical note, your point is all correct as to how the system should work with exceptions. But to be specific, where you said deleting folder/category (which is involved with a rule) could create an exception leading to the problem we are discussing here. I can tell that this exactly is not the problem here. For that specific reason I've tried many resolutions including your's one already on my colleague's account (with his presence for sure). By adding a folder, setting up a rule for that, then deleting that folder: does not lead to the issue we are talking about here. In fact Outlook's system or software indeed handles it well and does not show up the rule you had set up for the folder, you just deleted. Which is good.

    Second, the exception ("error") we see while adding a new rule, is another issue which should not be related to the above problem. 

    But yes! providing credentials to the moderators, should not be an only solution for Microsoft's tech team. But it only depends if someone will want to give their credentials to solve this issue. For me, I couldn't give mine to have it fixed. A few of us have probably provided theirs and waiting for more than 2 days but with no solution yet. It's just have been proven non-technical support. Their technical staff should have access to delete elements (such as Rules) related to any user from back-end without knowing the user credentials. I still feel deleting those rules at all should fix the issue we are facing.

    For now I am waiting for my account to get transferred to the Outlook Mail Preview which started rolling out mid last year. This may also fix our issue because this has been overhauled from deep root. If anyone of us here have been on the new Outlook Mail Preview and still have the Rules issue present, please inform here so that I could forget about this hope too :)

    Outlook Mail Preview: http://blogs.office.com/2015/05/21/new-ways-to-get-more-done-in-outlook-com/

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2016-01-11T10:28:15+00:00

    Hi All,

    I have sent a private message, please check and provide the details in the private message section.

    Thank you.

    Hello Rohit,

    I have shared the desired information with you on private message.

    Regards,

    Pankaj Kapoor

    Hello Rohit,

    I have shared the desired information 5 days back. Any update on the resolution?

    Regards,

    Pankaj Kapoor

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2016-01-09T05:21:30+00:00

    Are we all using Outlook 2016?  I've had problems with it ever since it came out.  It often won't start and spins its wheel on the splash screen like Manage Rules on Outlook.com.  The new version has wiped out all the categories that were defined in Outlook 2013 coming from Outlook.com.  I would not be surprised if this degraded release  of Outlook has somehow damaged my categories on Outlook.com leading to the failure of Manage Rules.    A big hint that this may be a problem in Outlook 2016 is that you cannot color the Outlook.com categories as you could in Outlook 2013.

    No. I am not using Outlook 2016. Only access my outlook account through web and through Outlook 2013 on my desktop. 

    Lets see if we ever get a solution for this or not.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2016-01-08T20:33:22+00:00

    Are we all using Outlook 2016?  I've had problems with it ever since it came out.  It often won't start and spins its wheel on the splash screen like Manage Rules on Outlook.com.  The new version has wiped out all the categories that were defined in Outlook 2013 coming from Outlook.com.  I would not be surprised if this degraded release  of Outlook has somehow damaged my categories on Outlook.com leading to the failure of Manage Rules.    A big hint that this may be a problem in Outlook 2016 is that you cannot color the Outlook.com categories as you could in Outlook 2013.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2016-01-08T18:53:19+00:00

    Hi All,

    I have sent a private message, please check and provide the details in the private message section.

    Thank you.

    All?  That implies that you have sent a private message to all on this thread that have complained of the problem.  I haven't received a private message and am unclear on why only moderators can initiate them.  Most boards that allow them don't have that restriction.

    Please send me a private message.  TIA.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments