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

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-01-31T17:57:24+00:00

    ...

    This issue might occur if you have created a multiple rules again and again.

    You can try the following workaround:

    If you have a less/few numbers of rules created for your account, then try deleting them and logout from your account. Later, login to your account and try recreating the rules and check if the issue persists.

    Note: If the issue resolves then do not create multiple rules again, which might cause the same issue.

    ...       

    One of the problems you cite is due to the rule system having no way of trapping duplicates or contradictory rules.  Also, there is no way to sort on condition to find such rules.  Your entire post indicates a lack of understanding of the problem we face: WE CANNOT EVEN ACCESS THE MANAGE RULES PAGE.  In many cases this has persisted for months.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-01-31T18:37:56+00:00

    Thanks Rijkstra.

    I started to think how bad my English is.

    Peter

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-01-31T19:13:54+00:00

    Thanks Rijkstra.

    I started to think how bad my English is.

    Peter

    Earlier:

    Once I deleted [a] folder before modifying the rule that is dispatching_to [updating] this folder. This is when my problems started. Since that time I cannot open [the] "manage rules" page.

    Yes, you left out articles before folder and "manage rules."  Russians are prone to drop them.  Are you Russian?  Otherwise, your English is quite good.  Also we would be more likely to replace 'dispatching to' with 'updating.'

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-01-31T19:41:51+00:00

    So, is there any solution right now? I'm getting this error for a month and waiting for some general solution. 

    Otherwise I will move back to Gmail quickly. This is not tolerable in 2016.

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-01-31T20:20:28+00:00

    So, is there any solution right now? I'm getting this error for a month and waiting for some general solution. 

    Otherwise I will move back to Gmail quickly. This is not tolerable in 2016. 

    Moving to another provider is the only solution after being ignored by Microsoft for months.  It indicates that they will tolerate fatal problems indefinitely.  We might lose everything with the next one!

    Does Gmail have good complete IMAP?  I would rather access my web Hotmail from somewhere other than Outlook.com.  I tried accessing it from Mail.ru which I don't recommend because it doesn't import SENT and JUNK folders and mixes those items with it's own. It doesn't even know where to send items marked NOT JUNK.

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